Microsoft 365 crook sheets

Microsoft OneDrive cheat sheet

If yous have Windows 10, you have OneDrive. With this quick guide, you lot can learn how to back upward, sync, and share files in OneDrive.

Microsoft > OneDrive [Office 365]
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Microsoft's cloud storage, OneDrive, can back up your files online. It's congenital into Windows 10. With it y'all tin sync files on your Windows 10 PC to the deject and to your other Windows PCs, your smartphone or tablet (with the OneDrive app for Android, iOS, or iPadOS installed), and even your Mac (via the OneDrive Mac app).

It's handy for collaboration, too. You tin can share files or folders in your OneDrive with anyone by sending them a web link to it. If it's a Microsoft Office file, then you and others tin can collaborate on information technology with the web app versions of Excel, PowerPoint and Discussion. Anyone with a Microsoft 365 subscription tin can also use the desktop versions of these Office apps to piece of work together on the file.

Hither are the essentials for using Microsoft OneDrive on a PC. While these instructions focus on using OneDrive through Windows 10's built-in File Explorer, OneDrive integrates similarly with Finder in macOS.

Let's get started

When y'all sign in to your Windows 10 PC with a Microsoft user business relationship, OneDrive is already activated past default. (If your company uses Outlook or you accept a costless account on Outlook.com, then you already accept a Microsoft user account. If non, you can sign upward for one for free.)

Only if you don't want to sign in to Windows 10 itself with a Microsoft user account, you lot can sign in to OneDrive separately with a Microsoft user business relationship. Click the OneDrive icon (it looks like clouds) on the notification area of the taskbar and click the Sign in button to become started. (If you don't see this cloud icon, information technology's probably hidden on your taskbar. Clicking the upward pointing arrow should reveal information technology.)

onedrive cheat sheet 01 sign in IDG

Signing in to OneDrive. (Click epitome to overstate it.)

Individuals get 5GB of OneDrive storage for free. You tin can upgrade to 100GB storage for $two per month or purchase a Microsoft 365 programme, which includes the desktop versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, starting at $vii per calendar month for 1TB of OneDrive storage. OneDrive plans for business organization offset at $5 per user per month for 1TB of storage per user, as do Microsoft 365 plans for business. (See OneDrive and Microsoft 365 plans for individuals, business organisation, and enterprise.)

OneDrive works the same fashion whether you're using information technology through an private, business, or enterprise account, except as noted beneath.

Store and sync files and folders

The primary way you'll use OneDrive in Windows x is through File Explorer. When you open up File Explorer, OneDrive appears in the navigation pane on the left. Y'all can put your files in it by dragging and dropping them from another location, or by saving your documents, images, or other files to it from a Windows application.

onedrive cheat sheet 02 file explorer IDG

You tin access OneDrive files and folders in File Explorer.

When you put a file or folder into OneDrive on your PC, it is synced to the cloud. If you lot delete a file or binder in OneDrive on your PC, it'southward deleted from the deject likewise.

If you alter and save a file in OneDrive on your PC, the new version will replace the older version stored in the cloud. If you lot're offline when y'all make changes, the newer version of the file will be synced to the cloud when you connect to the internet once again.

Plough off syncing for a folder

By default, all files and folders in OneDrive on your PC sync to the cloud automatically. To change this, correct-click the OneDrive icon on the notification expanse of the taskbar. From the card that opens, click Settings. On the next console, click the Account tab and the Choose folders link. On the side by side panel, uncheck 1 or more folders that you lot want to cease from syncing to the cloud.

onedrive cheat sheet 03 sync folders IDG

Choosing which folders in OneDrive to sync.

Sync or unsync the Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders

OneDrive has a setting to back upwards the default Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders on your Windows 10 PC to folders with the aforementioned names in OneDrive. Confusingly, this setting may or may not exist on when y'all sign in to OneDrive. (It depends on whether y'all're using OneDrive for the get-go fourth dimension, and if yous're signed in to your Windows 10 PC with a Microsoft user account or a local account that'southward used only on your Windows 10 PC.) If this backup feature is on, then when you lot're using Word, for example, your document files will be saved to the Documents binder in OneDrive.

To bank check if your Windows 10 PC's Desktop, Documents, or Pictures folders are synced to OneDrive (and to unsync them if you desire): Correct-click the OneDrive icon on the taskbar's notification area, then choose Settings, go to the Fill-in tab, and click the Manage backup button. The console that opens will show if any of these folders are fix to sync. Click Stop backup below the Desktop, Documents, or Pictures folder icon to terminate that folder from syncing to OneDrive.

onedrive cheat sheet 04 folder backup IDG

Click End backup below any folder to forbid OneDrive from backing it up.

Whatsoever folder that's not fix to support volition non accept the "End fill-in" link but volition instead have a blue checkmark. Y'all tin can click the folder icon to uncheck it. Click Start backup to start syncing for the folders that are checked.

Make files available offline

By default, OneDrive won't automatically download your files stored in the deject to your Windows 10 PC. Instead, a file is downloaded when you select information technology or access information technology from an app — for example, when you use Microsoft Word to open up a document stored in OneDrive. Microsoft calls this feature "Files On-Demand," and it's aimed at freeing up space on your PC'due south hard drive.

But what if yous know yous'll need access to files or folders when you're not connected to the internet? You tin can correct-click whatever file or folder and select Always go along on this device from the pop-upwardly carte. A copy of that file or folder (and whatsoever files within the folder) is downloaded to your PC's storage bulldoze and so information technology's always bachelor, and it stays in sync with the copy that's stored in the deject.

You tin also disable Files On-Demand so that all files in OneDrive also reside on your PC's storage drive. Right-click the OneDrive icon on the notification area of the taskbar, then click Settings from the carte du jour, click the Settings tab, and so nether "Files On-Demand" uncheck Save space and download files as you lot use them.

onedrive cheat sheet 05b files on demand IDG

Uncheck this box if you want all your files to be bachelor offline.

Continue in mind that if you have a lot of files in your OneDrive, it may take a while for them to be downloaded to your PC, peculiarly if any file is big in size.

Know the sync status of your files and folders

In File Explorer, OneDrive denotes the sync status of your files and folders with small icons beside their names.

onedrive cheat sheet 06 file icons IDG

OneDrive'south file status icons.

Shown from left to right in the image above:

  • A cloud icon means this particular is non really on your PC'south storage drive. Information technology'south merely in the cloud.
  • A file or folder that is synced (on your PC'due south storage drive and in the cloud) has a light-green checkmark on a white circle.
  • A file or folder that you've designated equally Ever keep on this device (as described in the previous section) has a white checkmark on a green circle. If you have Files On-Demand turned off, all of the files and folders in your OneDrive will have this status icon.
  • When a file or folder is in the process of syncing to the deject, the icon past its name will take two blue arrows animating in a round motion.

To remove a file or binder in OneDrive on your PC's storage drive only keep it in the deject: Right-click its proper noun, and from the menu click Free up infinite. Its status icon and so changes to the cloud icon equally described above. Doing this frees up the space on your PC's storage bulldoze that the file or folder took up. (This option isn't available if you have Files On-Demand turned off.)

onedrive cheat sheet 07 free up space IDG

Selecting Gratuitous up space ways files stored in the cloud won't exist downloaded until yous click on them.

To view a log of recent file and folder syncs, click the OneDrive icon on the notification area of the taskbar. This opens a panel list the files and folders that have been recently added, deleted, moved, or renamed in OneDrive.

onedrive cheat sheet 08 recent syncs IDG

The OneDrive app shows OneDrive files and folders that have recently been changed. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Share files or folders

In File Explorer, right-click the file or folder in OneDrive that y'all want to share. From the menu that opens, click Share next to the blue cloud icon. The "Send link" console opens. Here you tin re-create a link to the file or folder to ship out in various ways (email, IM, social media mail, etc.), or you can invite specific people to view the file or folder.

onedrive cheat sheet 09 send link IDG

The "Send link" pane lets you share files and folders with others.

Share a file or folder via public link

You have multiple options for sharing the link to the file or folder and setting restrictions on information technology, but the defaults and specific options available differ depending on whether you have an individual OneDrive or Microsoft business relationship or i associated with a modest business, enterprise, or school.

If you take an individual account, you will likely see "Anyone with the link can edit" near the top of the "Send link" screen. This means that anyone who has the link to your file or folder tin view it, download a copy of information technology, frontward the link to others, and make changes to the file or folder. For example, if it is a Discussion certificate, then a person viewing information technology can edit it with the web app version of Microsoft Discussion — or, if they have a Microsoft 365 account, they can edit it using the Word desktop app. This too means that when someone other than yous edits your file or binder, those changes get synced to the copy in your OneDrive.

If you take a piece of work or schoolhouse account, you may instead see "Anyone with the link tin view" on the "Send link" console. This ways that anyone who has the link to your file or folder tin can view information technology, download a copy of it, and forrad the link to others, simply they can't make changes to the file or binder in your OneDrive.

To restrict others from editing: On the "Send link" panel, click Anyone with the link can edit. And then, in the "Link settings" console that appears, uncheck Allow editing.

onedrive cheat sheet 10 link settings IDG

The "Link settings" console lets you adapt the permissions for the link to a shared file.

To allow others to edit: On the "Transport link" panel, click Anyone with the link can view. Then in the "Link settings" panel, cheque Allow editing. (If the box is grayed out, your organization has disallowed this setting.)

There are a few other options on the "Link settings" panel, simply y'all can only use them if you've subscribed to at least a OneDrive business plan: "Set up expiration date" lets y'all enter a date when you desire the link to no longer work. "Ready countersign" lets you lot enter a password which a person will need to provide in order to admission your link.

Some piece of work and schoolhouse accounts take additional options on this panel, letting you choose to allow access for anyone with the link, but people in your organization with the link, only people with existing admission to the file or folder, or simply specific people. You may find as you suit this setting that other options modify. For example, "Allow editing" may be unavailable when "Anyone with the link" is selected merely become available when access is restricted to people in your organisation.

Other options for enterprise accounts include letting others open a Microsoft Word document in review style simply, meaning they can advise changes and add comments only can't change the document directly, and blocking download of the shared file or folder.

After you've fabricated your restriction selections, click the Apply button to return to the "Send link" console. Click the Copy link button at the lesser of the console. You tin can and then paste this spider web link to your file or folder into a certificate, direct message, email, etc. to share with other people.

Share a file or folder with specific people only

If y'all're uncomfortable sending out a link that anyone can share with others, you lot can instead invite specific people to the file or binder. On the "Send link" panel, enter their email addresses in the To: field. (If they're in your contacts, you tin can but start typing their name and select from the suggestions that pop up.) Click the pencil icon to the correct to switch from Can edit to Can view or vice versa. You tin besides enter a brief message for the recipients to read.

onedrive cheat sheet 11 send link IDG

In the "Send link" panel, y'all tin can invite only specific people to have access to a shared file, and control whether they can edit or only view the file.

Click the Send button. An email volition be sent to these people that contains a link to your file or folder that only they will be able to open up.

Stop sharing

To stop sharing a file or folder: Right-click the shared file or folder and select Share. On the "Send link" panel, click the iii-dot icon at the upper-right corner and select Manage admission. On the smaller panel that opens, click the X to the right of the link and click Delete link. (With a work or school account, y'all might need to click the iii-dot icon to the right of the link, and so the 10, then Delete link.)

onedrive cheat sheet 12 manage access IDG

Click the Ten next to the link to cease sharing the file.

And that'due south it. You're now gear up to dorsum up, sync, and share your files (and folders) using OneDrive on your Windows x PC.

This article was originally published in February 2018 and most recently updated in September 2021.

Copyright © 2021 IDG Communications, Inc.