Kudo CommanderAdd selective sync to OneLake File Explorer and allow Lakehouse sync to Files only
Idea
Please add a selective sync feature to OneLake File Explorer so users can choose exactly which Fabric items are synchronised to their local machine.
Today, OneLake File Explorer surfaces and reacts to many workspace items that do not make sense in a desktop file sync experience, such as Pipelines, notebooks, Lakehouse table internals, Delta log folders, and other system-generated artefacts. For most users, the practical need is to work with actual files, not every technical item exposed in a Fabric workspace.
What I’m asking for
- Let users choose which workspace items are synced locally.
- For Lakehouses, provide an option to sync only the Files folder.
- Exclude technical and system-managed paths by default, or make them opt-in only.
- Give admins and users a simple UI to manage sync scope per workspace or per item.
Why this matters
- Reduces unnecessary CPU, memory, disk, and network usage on client machines.
- Prevents OneLake File Explorer from processing technical artefacts that are not useful in Windows File Explorer.
- Makes the product easier to understand for business users and data teams who only want file access.
- Improves performance and reliability, especially in workspaces with active Lakehouses, Pipelines, and other Fabric items.
- Aligns the File Explorer experience with real user intent: browse and work with files, not internal Fabric metadata.
Preferred behaviour for Lakehouses
When a user connects a Lakehouse in OneLake File Explorer, the default sync option should be:
- Files only
Advanced users could optionally enable additional paths, but technical folders such as table storage and Delta metadata should not be included by default in the normal desktop sync experience.
Example use case
A user wants to upload and manage CSV, Excel, JSON, and Parquet files in a Lakehouse through Windows File Explorer. They do not want to see or synchronise Pipelines, notebooks, _delta_log, checkpoint files, table metadata, or other internal Fabric-generated content.
This feature would make OneLake File Explorer much more practical, efficient, and user-friendly for real-world Fabric deployments.
1 Comment
JP8991Following up on this idea because selective sync would make a real difference in larger Fabric environments.
My main use case is simple: I want to use Windows File Explorer to upload and manage files in a Lakehouse’s Files folder, without also navigating unrelated workspace items or technical paths under Tables. I appreciate that OneLake File Explorer generally creates placeholders rather than downloading every file. The request is for control over which items and folders appear locally and have their metadata refreshed.
A useful starting point would be a Files only option for each Lakehouse, with the ability to opt into Tables when needed. Workspace and item selection would make this more useful for people who have access to many Fabric workspaces.
If this would help your team too, please vote for the idea and share your use case in the comments.
