If you are using Microsoft Teams via Teams and Channels to collaborate / work on files with your team, CONGRATS! This is one of the best benefits of Teams.'
If you are not using Teams and Channels yet and want to learn more, check out this link: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/overview-of-teams-and-channels-c3d63c10-77d5-4204-a566-53ddcf723b46?wt.mc_id=otc_microsoft_teams
To watch a video of the below-documented process (including the troubleshooting step), check out: https://web.microsoftstream.com/video/565679ee-f093-44eb-b033-41aec773e71e
Sync File in Teams
As you work within your Channel's "Files" tab, you might find that it's helpful to reference or access that space outside of teams, like in File Explorer. There are just some times when you want to quickly copy a file into the Team OR quickly access/open/edit a file you know is in Teams. You CAN do this with the [Sync] button at the top of the Channel's file tab. Click that button when you are in the Files tab:
and once it's done syncing, you will now also have a new directory available to you in File Explorer, under "Colonial Williamsburg Foundation":
You can access the same set of files through this file as you do from within Teams, and your changes will be reflected in Teams for anyone who is a part of the same channel and does not Sync.
Troubleshooting / Alternate Way to Sync
In the event that you get a message like the following that does not go away / reconcile when doing a SYNC in Teams:
your next step and/or alternate way to sync that Channel's file is to click the "Open in SharePoint" button
and click the Sync button from the SharePoint view
When this is completed, you'd have the same access to the directory in File Explorer as shown above.