The Hybrid Admin

Seeing Error 0x800700CE means your file name or folder path is simply too long. By default, Windows has a strict limit of 260 characters for a file path. If you bury a file inside layers of folders or give it a massive name, OneDrive cannot process it and stops syncing entirely.

Here is how to escape the character trap and get your files moving again.

Fix 1: Shorten your file and folder names

The fastest way to fix this is to reduce the total number of characters in the path.

1. Open your OneDrive folder.
2. Locate the file causing the error.
3. Right click the file and select Rename.
4. Give it a shorter and more concise name.
5. Check the parent folders. Rename them to be shorter as well if they are unnecessarily long.

Fix 2: Move files closer to the root directory

If you cannot change the file names, you can shorten the path by bringing the files out of their deep folders.

1. Highlight the files or folders stuck in the long path.
2. Right click and choose Cut.
3. Navigate directly to your main OneDrive folder.
4. Right click an empty space and choose Paste.
5. This instantly removes all the extra characters from the deep folder structure.

Fix 3: Enable long paths in Windows Registry

If you use modern versions of Windows, you can change a core system setting to remove the 260 character limit entirely.

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run box.
2. Type regedit and press Enter.
3. Navigate to this exact path: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem
4. Look for an entry on the right side named LongPathsEnabled.
5. Double click it and change the Value data to 1.
6. Click OK and Restart your computer.

Fix 4: Enable long paths with Group Policy

If you are managing a system running Windows Pro or Enterprise, you can enable long paths through the Group Policy Editor instead of touching the registry.

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run box.
2. Type gpedit.msc and press Enter.
3. Go to Computer Configuration, then open Administrative Templates.
4. Open System and click on Filesystem.
5. Double click on Enable Win32 long paths on the right side of the window.
6. Select the Enabled option.
7. Click Apply and then OK.
8. Restart your machine to apply the change.