Question

What is the impact of enabling &#x27;Block downloads&#x27; policy for a SharePoint site on users accessing the site through the OneDrive sync client?

Accepted Answer

Enabling the &#x27;Block downloads&#x27; policy for a SharePoint site prevents users from downloading files from that site through any means, including the OneDrive sync client. When this policy is active, users who have synced the SharePoint site to their computers using the OneDrive sync client will experience a change in file behavior. Existing files that were previously downloaded and synced to the user&#x27;s device will remain on the device, but will no longer synchronize with the SharePoint site. New files added to the SharePoint site will not be downloaded to the user&#x27;s device. Users will see a cloud icon next to the files in their local OneDrive folder, indicating that the files are only available online and not downloaded. When a user attempts to open a file directly from the synced folder, they might encounter an error message indicating that the file cannot be downloaded or accessed due to organizational policies. This policy effectively restricts offline access to the SharePoint site&#x27;s content via the OneDrive sync client. Users can still browse the files and folders in the synced location, but they will need an active internet connection to view or edit them, and they cannot download them locally. This policy helps prevent data leakage by ensuring that sensitive files remain within the controlled environment of SharePoint Online.

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What is the impact of enabling 'Block downloads' policy for a SharePoint site on users accessing the site through the OneDrive sync client?