SharePoint Knowledge Base

One of the features that we always enjoy demonstrating is how to work with SharePoint document libraries the same way you would work with files stored locally within your network shares. As SharePoint consultants we really enjoy showing people this little trick and how they can leverage it to move things in and out of SharePoint very easily. Libraries can be mapped within your Windows Explorer favorites just the way you would have drive letter mappings.

Here's a quick tip that never fails to impress! Those of you that use Explorer View to work with documents in a SharePoint Library may have noticed it can be extremely slow.

Copying files in and out can take much longer than expected, with transfer rates of just a few KB per second! Obviously this can be a big turn off and is so slow that it doesn't work well for people. Such slow transfer rates just don't make sense in today's world of gigabit network connections.

Fortunately there's a very easy – if not obscure – fix!

Fixing slow Explorer View mode

1. Open Internet Explorer and go to Tools (or the gear icon) à Internet options à Connections tab à Lan Settings
2. Un-check "Automatically detect settings"
3. Click OK twice and completely close out of IE (or reboot)
4. Open SharePoint again and give "Open with Explorer" another try!

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We provide Microsoft SharePoint consulting services and make it as simple as possible to get the most out of SharePoint. Contact us today here!