Windows Devices - Sync Locally OneDrive Files
With OneDrive, you can sync files between your computer and the cloud so that you can get to your files from anywhere - your computer, your mobile device, and even through the OneDrive website at OneDrive.com
There are two (2) methods for OneDrive Sync:
- OneDrive File On-Demand – this is the current and most preferred method of OneDrive syncing as it does not consume a lot of hard disk space and would only download files as you need them. However, if one has a very poor internet connection, files on the cloud may not be readily available to them.
Files or Folders with a cloud icon means that they are currently synced and stored in the cloud. The one with a green check mark means that the file is downloaded for use
2. OneDrive Local Sync – this method is preferable if user needs stable access to the files and wants a copy of the files in his local machine. Cloud files would still be accessible on their local machine even without an internet connection. However, this might consume hard disk space and be difficult to control
This document contains the steps for Windows machines on how to:
- Sync all OneDrive files locally
- Sync a single file in OneDrive locally
- Sync a Sharepoint folder locally
Sync All OneDrive Files Locally
1. On the Taskbar Search bar, type OneDrive and hit Enter to launch the application. Otherwise, proceed to Step #2
2. On the System Tray (lower right-side corner of your Desktop), look for the OneDrive icon (blue cloud) and click it
3. Click the Gear icon then select Settings
4. Select Sync and Backup from the left-side pane then expand the Advanced Settings option
5. Click the Download All Files button
6. A pop-up window will appear stating how much disk size all the files would consume. Click Continue.
7. This would open your OneDrive folder and would start downloading all your files. Make sure that you have a stable internet connection throughout the process and keep your laptop open. A green solid check mark is an indication that all your OneDrive files are now available and synced locally:
8. Furthermore, when you right-click on the OneDrive folder, you’ll notice that the Always Keep On this Device option is checked which means that all files added to that folder are locally synced to your machine.
Sync A Single OneDrive File Locally
1. From your desktop Search Bar, look for the OneDrive application and launch it.
2. Look for the specific file or folder you want to sync locally
3. Right-click on the file and folder then select the Always Keep On This Device option
4. Once it has the green solid check mark, then the file or folder is now locally synced to your device
5. To change a file back to an online-only file: Right-click it and select Free up space.
Sync A SharePoint Folder Locally
A Sharepoint folder are folders shared and accessible to multiple users in an organization. This allows seamless file collaboration among the users in the organization.
1. If the Sharepoint Folder has been set up on your device, skip this step and move to item #4. Otherwise, open your browser and navigate to the Sharepoint folder you want to sync. Alternatively, you can go to https://portal.office.com log in with your email credentials then expand App Launcher on the upper right corner of the portal then select Sharepoint. This should show you the list of Sharepoint sites you have access to.
2. Once the Sharepoint folder is open, click the Sync button. A prompt will open advising that it is currently syncing the Sharepoint folder.
3. To check the Sharepoint folder, open your Windows Explorer. On the left-side pane, you’ll see the newly added Sharepoint folder. The below screenshot is an example of the S7 Sharepoint folder:
4. By default policy, Sharepoint folders are only synced on-demand. Hence, to sync a Sharefolder folder or file locally, right-click on the file or folder (the same way as we did on the previous steps) then select Always Keeps On This Device