Get in Control of Your Digital Life by Managing What Files on OneDrive

Managing your digital life can be overwhelming, but taking control of your files on OneDrive can make a big difference.

First, let's talk about what OneDrive is - it's a cloud storage service that allows you to store and access your files from anywhere, on any device. With OneDrive, you can store up to 1 TB of files, depending on your plan.

To get started, you'll want to organize your files into folders and subfolders. According to the "Categorize and Organize Files" section, you can create custom folders and labels to help you quickly find what you need.

One of the best features of OneDrive is the ability to share files and folders with others. As mentioned in the "Share Files and Folders" section, you can share files with individuals or groups, and even set permissions to control who can view or edit them.

Expand your knowledge: How to Share Document on Onedrive

To organize your files on OneDrive, start by selecting the folders and files you want to add to your OneDrive location in File Explorer. Move entire folders, like your Microsoft Word files, into OneDrive.

Here's an interesting read: Delete Multiple Folders in Onedrive

You can also create new folders that you want to sync in OneDrive. To set up the folders you want to back up and sync, click the OneDrive System Tray icon in Windows 10 and prior versions of Windows 11, then select Help & Settings > Settings.

Check the individual folders you wish to sync and uncheck any folders you do not want synced.

For your interest: How Do I Pause Onedrive

To add folders to OneDrive, start by selecting the folders you want to include, such as a folder called Word Documents for your Microsoft Word files.

You can move the entire folder into OneDrive, typically located at C:\Users\[username]\OneDrive\Word Documents.

Create new folders that you want to sync in OneDrive if needed.

In Windows 10 and prior versions of Windows 11, click the OneDrive System Tray icon to set up the folders you want to back up and sync.

Choose the Account tab and then select Choose folders to see all the files and folders stored in your OneDrive folder.

Take a look at this: Unlink Pc from Onedrive

To sync everything stored in your OneDrive folder, click the checkbox for Make all files available, but this will sync all files and folders in OneDrive, including those you might not want to sync.

Check the individual folders you want to sync and uncheck any folders you do not want synced.

Broaden your view: How to Sync Folders to Onedrive

Make documents easy to find later by following them in OneDrive for work or school. This way, they'll appear in your Followed Documents list, making it easy to access them whenever you need to.

Following a document also gives you suggestions about other documents that might interest you, based on the information in your profile. These suggestions will appear in your Followed Documents list as well.

To follow a document, right click on it and select Follow from the document callout. If you don't see the Follow option, try right clicking on the file, clicking Advanced, and then clicking Follow.

Your Followed Documents list is a great place to keep track of frequently used or important documents.

For your interest: How to Delete a Word Document from Onedrive

You can change the default setting to remove OneDrive files from local storage on your computer.

To do this, open OneDrive settings and click the Settings tab. The Files On-Demand setting should be enabled by default, but you can turn it off if you have plenty of drive space.

This feature saves space on your drive but requires you to be online to access your files.

You can also decide on a case-by-case basis, allowing you to store certain files online only while others are stored both online and locally.

To set this up, right-click a folder or file stored only in the cloud and select Always keep on this device to permanently keep the file on your PC.

Alternatively, right-click on a folder or file stored locally and select Free up space to remove the file from your PC and store it online only.

If you delete files from OneDrive and the OneDrive recycle bin, it may take a short delay to see the change reflected in your OneDrive account's storage availability.

For your interest: Removing Onedrive Files from Pc

Here's a step-by-step guide to deleting files on a Mac:

When deleting multiple files at once, OneDrive may prompt you to confirm if it was intentional.

To delete files on the OneDrive website, follow these steps:

You can change the settings to remove OneDrive files from local storage on your computer, but it means you need to be online to access your files.

To do this, go to the OneDrive settings and click the Settings tab. The Files On-Demand setting should be enabled by default.

In Windows 11 22H2, you go to the Sync and backup category and click the drop-down link for Advanced settings. Turn on the switch next to Files On-Demand, if it is not already turned on.

This feature saves space on your drive, but you need to weigh the pros and cons. If you have plenty of drive space, it's recommended to turn off this option.

Suggestion: Turn off Onedrive Memories

You can also decide on a case-by-case basis, allowing you to store certain files online only while others are stored both online and locally.

To set this up, right-click a folder or file stored only in the cloud and select Always keep on this device to permanently keep the file on your PC. Alternatively, right-click on a folder or file stored locally and select Free up space to remove the file from your PC and store it online only.

You can back up important folders using OneDrive. In Windows 10 and earlier versions of Windows 11, open the OneDrive settings menu and click the Backup tab. You can opt to back up your desktop, pictures folder, and documents folder.

In Windows 11 22H2, select the Sync and backup category and then click the Manage backup button. Turn on the switches for the folders you want to back up—Documents, Pictures, and Desktop—and then click Save changes.

You can also enable options that will automatically upload photos, videos, and screenshots to OneDrive storage.

Discover more: Are Onedrive Files Stored Locally

If you delete an item that has been shared, you will delete it for everyone. OneDrive may prompt you to confirm if it was intentional.

To avoid any accidental deletions, it's best to remove shared items instead of deleting them directly. Removing shared items allows you to keep the file intact while revoking access to others.

You can remove items from your Shared list by selecting the files or folders you want to remove and clicking the circle check box that appears.

Here's a quick guide on how to remove shared items:

Remember, removing shared items is a safer option than deleting them, and it's always a good idea to double-check who has access to your files.

Deleting items on OneDrive can be a bit tricky, but it's essential to know how to do it safely. OneDrive may prompt you to confirm if you intended to delete a shared item.

If you want to keep a file or folder on your computer but not on OneDrive, use File Explorer or Mac Finder to move it outside your OneDrive folder. This is a simple way to keep your files organized.

When deleting lots of items at once, OneDrive may prompt you to confirm if it was intentional. This is a safety feature to prevent accidental deletions.

Your deleted files and folders go to the OneDrive recycle bin, where you can restore them if you need to.

To remove items from your Shared list, open the Shared view and select the files or folders you want to remove. For files shared with a link, select Anyone with this link... and then Remove Link.

For files shared with other people, select Can Edit or Can View under their name and then Remove direct access.

Check this out: How to Add Shared Onedrive Folder to File Explorer

You can track changes to your files on OneDrive by using the "Version history" feature, which keeps a record of all changes made to a file over time.

OneDrive automatically saves a new version of a file every time it's edited, so you can easily revert back to a previous version if needed.

Version history allows you to see who made changes, when they were made, and even what changes were made.

You can also use the "Restore a previous version" feature to undo changes made to a file.

This feature is particularly useful if you've made changes to a file and then realized you didn't want to save them.