How to use the "Open with Explorer" command and how to troubleshoot issues with this option in SharePoint Online

Article ID: 2629108 - View products that this article applies to.

Not sure what release of Office 365 you're using? Go to the following Microsoft website:
Am I using Office 365 after the service upgrade?
(http://office.microsoft.com/redir/HA103982331.aspx)
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INTRODUCTION

This article discusses how to use the Open with Explorer command in Microsoft SharePoint Online to view, copy, and move files in a library. The article also discusses how to troubleshoot issues that you may experience when you use this command.
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PROCEDURE

When you use the Open with Explorer command, it opens Windows Explorer on your computer. However, Windows Explorer then displays the folder structure on the server computer that hosts the site. You can then work with the files in the folder. For example, you can perform actions by using Windows Explorer that include the following:
  • Drag documents into libraries.
  • Create folders.
  • Move or copy documents in one library to another library within the same site collection or between site collections.
  • Delete multiple documents at one time.

Use "Open with Explorer" in a SharePoint Online document library

In the SharePoint Online document library, click the Library tab, and then in the Connect & Export group in the ribbon, click the Open with Explorer icon.

For more info about how to copy or move library files by using Open with Explorer, go to the following Microsoft website:
Copy or move library files by using Open with Explorer
(http://office.microsoft.com/redir/HA101811182.aspx)

Troubleshoot "Open with Explorer" issues

When you browse to a SharePoint Online document library, you may receive intermittent connectivity issues, or you may receive one of the following error messages:
Your client does not support opening this list with Windows Explorer
We're having a problem opening this location in File Explorer. Add this web site to your Trusted Sites list and try again.
Note If you're using Internet Explorer 10 with Windows 7, go to the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:
2835527
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2835527/ )
Error message when you click "Open with Explorer" in SharePoint Online
Make sure that you're authenticated to Office 365. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Sign in to the SharePoint Online site by using your Office 365 credentials, and make sure that you click to select the Keep me signed in check box.
  2. Open a document library in Explorer View.

Make sure that the SharePoint Online URLs have been added to your Trusted sites zone in Internet Explorer. For more information, go to the following Knowledge Base article:
2828701
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2828701/ )
How to add a SharePoint Online site to the "Trusted sites" zone in Internet Explorer
Make sure that the latest Windows updates are applied. If all the latest updates are applied, and the issue persists, make sure that the WebClient service is running. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Follow the appropriate step for your operating system:
    • For Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7, click Start, click Run, type services.msc, and then press Enter.
    • For Windows 8, click Start, type services.msc, and then press Enter.
  2. In the list of services, locate the WebClient service, and then make sure that its status in the Status column is set to Started. If it isn't set to Started, double-click the WebClient service, click Start, and then click OK.

If you've run the Microsoft Online Services Diagnostics and Logging (MOSDAL) Support Toolkit, you can determine whether the WebClient services has been running. From the MOSDAL logs, in the System Diagnostics folder, open Tasklist_svc.txt and search for WebClient. If you can't find it, the WebClient services weren't running.

Additionally, you can verify Trusted Sites. From the MOSDAL logs, in Registry folder that's contained in the Internet Explorer folder, search in the Internet Settings ZoneMap registry keys files for the trusted sites.

For more info, see the following Microsoft Knowledge article:
960625
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/960625/ )
The Microsoft Online Services Diagnostics and Logging (MOSDAL) Support Toolkit
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MORE INFORMATION

Video: Troubleshoot Open with Explorer Issues in SharePoint Online for Office 365 pre-upgrade

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For more info about working with the WebClient service, go to the following Knowledge Base articles:
  • 2548470
    (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2548470/ )
    A WebClient service crashes on a computer that is running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 when you connect a WebDav resource
  • 943280
    (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943280/ )
    Prompt for Credentials When Accessing FQDN Sites From a Windows Vista or Windows 7 Computer
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Still need help? Go to the Office 365 Community
(http://community.office365.com/)
website.
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Properties

Article ID: 2629108 - Last Review: May 17, 2013 - Revision: 17.0
Applies to
  • Microsoft Office 365 for enterprises (pre-upgrade)
  • Microsoft Office 365 for small businesses  (pre-upgrade)
  • Microsoft Office 365 for education  (pre-upgrade)
  • Microsoft SharePoint Online
Keywords: 
o365 mosdal4.5 o365a o365e o365p o365m o365062011 pre-upgrade o365022013 after upgrade KB2629108
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