Purpose
This article walks you through the basics of using One Drive on Windows. The main sections included are setting up OneDrive on a Windows Computer, using OneDrive Files On-Demand in Windows, and changing Sync Settings.
OneDrive
Set Up OneDrive
- Select the Start button, search for "OneDrive" and open it.
- When OneDrive Setup starts, sign in with netid@utdallas.edu and password.
Adding an Account
Note: If you already have an account signed in to OneDrive and want to add another account, you’ll do that in "OneDrive Settings".
- Select the OneDrive cloud icon in the Windows taskbar notification area.
- You might need to click the Show hidden icons arrow next to the notification area to see the OneDrive icon.
- If the icon doesn't appear in the notification area, OneDrive might not be running. Click Start, type "OneDrive" in the search box, and select OneDrive in the search results.
- Select on the gear icon and then Settings.
- In Settings, select Account > Add an account.
- When Set up OneDrive starts, enter your new account information and select Sign in.
- On the "This is your OneDrive Folder" screen, select Next to accept the default folder location for your OneDrive files.
- If you want to change the folder location, select Change location.
- On the Sync files from your OneDrive screen, choose the folders you want to sync on the Sync files from your OneDrive screen and select Next.
- OneDrive files take on your computer and conserve bandwidth during sync processes. This will later be changed in "Settings".
Note: If you were already syncing OneDrive for Business to your computer (using the previous sync client) and you've just installed the OneDrive desktop app, you won't see the This is your OneDrive folder or the Sync files from your OneDrive screen during OneDrive Setup. The OneDrive desktop app automatically takes over syncing in the same folder location you were using before. To choose which folders you're syncing, right-click the blue cloud icon in the taskbar notification area and select Settings > Account > Choose folders.
OneDrive Files On-Demand
OneDrive Files On-Demand helps you access all your files in OneDrive without having to download all of them and use storage space on your Windows device. When you turn on Files On-Demand, you’ll see all your files in File Explorer and get new information about each file. New files created online or on another device appear as online-only files, which don’t take up space on your device. When you’re connected to the Internet, you’ll be able to use the files like every other file on your device.
With OneDrive Files On-Demand, you can:
- Save space on your device by making files online only.
- Set files and folders to be always available locally on your device.
- See important information about files, such as whether they are shared.
- See thumbnails of over 300 different file types even if you don’t have the required application installed to open it.
Your files will have these statuses in File Explorer:
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Online-only files
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Online-only files don’t take up space on your computer. You see a cloud icon for each online-only file in File Explorer, but the file doesn’t download to your device until you open it. You can’t open online-only files when your device isn’t connected to the Internet.
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Locally available files
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When you open an online-only file, it downloads to your device and becomes a locally available file. You can open a locally available file anytime, even without Internet access. If you need more space, you can only change the file back online. Just right-click the file and select “Free up space.”
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Always available files
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Only files you mark as “Always keep on this device” have a green circle with a white checkmark. These files download to your device and take up space, but they’re always there for you even when you’re offline.
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Mark a file or folder for "Offline Use" or "Online-Only":
- Right-click a file or folder.
- Select Always keep on this device or Free up space.
Note: New files or folders created online or on another device appear as online-only to save maximum space. However, if you mark a folder as “Always keep on this device,” new files in that folder download to your device as always available files. If a folder is online-only, you can still mark individual files within that folder as always available.
Hide Folder on Your Device
- Select the OneDrive cloud icon in the Windows taskbar notification area.
- You might need to click the Show hidden icons arrow next to the notification area to see the OneDrive icon.
- If the icon doesn’t appear in the notification area, OneDrive might not be running. Click Start, type "OneDrive" in the search box, and then click OneDrive in the search results.
- Select More > Settings.
- Next to the location where you want to choose folders, select Choose folders.
- Clear the check box next to the folder you want to keep off this device.
Important: Files On-Demand settings are unique to each device, so you may need to do this on each device to keep a folder off.
Change Sync Settings
- Select the OneDrive cloud icon in the Windows taskbar notification area.
- You might need to click the Show hidden icons arrow next to the notification area to see the OneDrive icon.
- If the icon doesn’t appear in the notification area, OneDrive might not be running. Click Start, type "OneDrive" in the search box, and then click OneDrive in the search results.
- Select More > Settings.
- To change the folders you’re syncing, select Choose folders for that library and then select the folders you want to sync.
- To stop syncing a site, select Stop sync next to the site.
- Copies of the files remain on your computer. You can delete them if you want.