Remove DS_Store Files on macOS

Corrupted .DS_Store files can prevent OneDrive from syncing correctly. Deleting the corrupted files can help restore normal sync operation.

No data is lost by deleting the corrupted files as Mac Finder only creates .DS_Store files to store viewing options, such as the positions of icons, size of the Finder window, and window backgrounds.

1. To delete a corrupted .DS_Store file, you will need to use Terminal.app.

   Note

   You must be logged into macOS as an administrator.

   1. Open a new Finder window and navigate to the Applications folder on the left.
   2. Open the Utilities folder, then double-click the Terminal application.

2. Give yourself super-user (root) permissions in Terminal so you can use the commands needed to delete .DS_Store files. 

   1. In Terminal, type sudo ls then press Return on your keyboard.

   2. When Terminal prompts you for a password, enter your administrator account password. If you don't have a password, leave it blank.

      Note

      For security reasons, macOS won't show any sign that you are typing your password. Just type normally, even though nothing shows.

3. Navigate to the folder that is not syncing correctly.

   1. In Terminal, type cd followed by a space.
   2. Find the folder with the issue but do not open it. Instead, drag its icon into Terminal and watch it complete the path for you, then press Return.

4. Remove the .DS_Store folder and all its contents.

   Caution

   Make sure you are deleting the correct folder.

   Type rm -f .DS_Store and press Return.

   Note

   Terminal will give no indication that this has been completed. It will only return a message if the command did not work.