Remove Work Offline Option from File Explorer Using Intune Policy
This policy removes the “Work offline” command from File Explorer, preventing users from manually switching Offline Files between online and offline mode. It ensures devices always connect to live network resources when connectivity is available — stopping users from accidentally working on stale cached file copies.
What the Policy Does
| State | Behaviour |
|---|---|
| Enabled | “Work offline” option is completely hidden from File Explorer |
| Disabled / Not configured | “Work offline” option remains visible and usable by the user |
Policy Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Remove “Work offline” command (User) |
| Platform | Windows |
| Profile type | Settings Catalog |
| Category | Offline Files |
| Scope | User policy |
Steps to Create the Policy
- Sign in to the Intune admin center
- Go to Devices → Configuration → + Create → New Policy
- Platform: Windows 10 and later | Profile type: Settings Catalog
- Click + Add settings and search for
Offline Files - Locate Remove ‘Work Offline’ command and check the box
- Set the policy to Enabled
- Assign to a target group
- Review and click Create
Verifying the Policy Applied
In Intune:
Go to Devices → Configuration profiles, open the policy, and check the Monitoring tab for Succeeded / Failed / Not applicable status.
On the client device:
Open Event Viewer and filter for Event ID 813 or 814 to confirm the policy was applied at the OS level. A success message in Intune alone doesn’t guarantee the setting is active on the device.
Managing the Policy Later
- Delete the policy: Go to the policy → three-dot menu → Delete. Permanently removes it from all assigned devices.
- Remove a group: Open the policy → Assignments → Edit → remove the group. The policy still exists but stops applying to that group.
When to Use This
This is useful in managed enterprise environments where:
- Users share network-hosted files that must stay in sync
- Help desk receives tickets about “file not updating” caused by accidental offline switching
- You want consistent file access behaviour across all managed devices
