FAQ - OneDrive for Windows

OneDrive for Windows

Issue/Environment/User Group

A Student, Faculty, or Staff member, using Windows, would like more information on OneDrive.

Cause

The user is new to the platform, or would like more information on OneDrive best practices.

Resolution

Do more wherever you are with secure access, sharing, and file storage. Sign-in to portal.office.com and select “OneDrive” from the app launcher. This guide covers OneDrive for business or school, but most of the functionality is the same for home subscribers.

OneDrive Mobile

The OneDrive app supports both OneDrive personal and organization accounts across iOS, Android, and Windows and can be downloaded from the app store.

Create or upload files and folders

You can create “New” files and folders and upload existing files and folders from your device. In OneDrive, select “Upload” > “Files”. Or select location in OneDrive and drag and drop files or folders from your device.                                                                 

Copy Link

You can also share a file by copying the link and pasting it in email, IM, a webpage, or a OneNote page. In OneDrive, select a file and then select “Copy link”. Copy the link and then paste it in the destination.

Share files

The files and folders you store in OneDrive are private until you decide to share them. You can stop sharing at any time. You can grant “Edit” or “View” permissions for recipients and set time limitations on a file to specifiy when it will no longer be accessible. In OneDrive, select a file and then select “Share”.

Save and Open files in Office apps

You can save or open Office documents in OneDrive from the Office apps. In any Office document, select “File” > “Save As”, choose your OneDrive, and then pick the folder where you want to save the file. To open a file stored on OneDrive, select “File” > “Open”, choose your OneDrive, and then select the file.       

Sync files and folders

Sync your files and folders in OneDrive to your computer, so you can access them even when you’re offline. When you are back online, changes you or anyone else make will sync automatically. In Windows 10, select “Start”, type OneDrive, and sign-in to OneDrive on your PC. In other versions of Windows or Mac, get the OneDrive sync app from onedrive.com/download.    

OneDrive Files On-Demand

With OneDrive Files On-Demand, you can set files and folders always to be available locally on your device or save space by making files online only. In the taskbar, select OneDrive icon, and select “More” > “Settings” tab, select “Save space and download files as you use them.”

View sync activity

You can view sync activity from the OneDrive activity center. Click the OneDrive icon in the Windows taskbar. If you click the folder icon, you can go directly to the OneDrive web view. Users on Mac have a similar experience.                                              

Next steps with OneDrive

Explore the help and training for OneDrive and other Office apps. Visit https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=871124 for more information.

Access all your files in the cloud with having to download them. Visit https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=871126.

Ready to dig in the capabilitire that OneDrive has to offer? Visit https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=871128 to explore free training.