Published 2022-06-08 by TechNet New England
OneDrive is Microsoft's cloud storage service. It syncs files between your computer and the cloud, so your documents are backed up and available from any device. ## OneDrive on Windows 11 OneDrive is built into Windows 11. You just need to sign in. ### Sign In 1. Click the **OneDrive cloud icon** in the system tray (bottom right, near the clock). If you do not see it, search for "OneDrive" in the Start menu and open it. 2. Enter your email address (Microsoft 365 work account or personal Microsoft account). 3. Enter your password and complete MFA if prompted. 4. OneDrive will ask you to choose a folder location. The default is fine for most users. 5. Click **Next** through the setup wizard. 6. OneDrive is now syncing. ### How It Works A **OneDrive** folder appears in File Explorer. Anything you save to this folder is automatically synced to the cloud. Files show status icons: **Blue cloud**: File is in the cloud only (does not take up disk space). **Green checkmark**: File is synced and available offline. **Blue sync arrows**: File is currently syncing. ### Sync Specific Folders 1. Right-click the OneDrive icon in the system tray. 2. Click **Settings > Account > Choose folders**. 3. Check the folders you want synced to this computer. Uncheck folders you do not need locally. ## OneDrive on Mac ### Install OneDrive is not built into macOS. Download it from the Mac App Store or from [onedrive.live.com](https://onedrive.live.com). ### Sign In 1. Open the **OneDrive** app. 2. Enter your email address. 3. Enter your password and complete MFA if prompted. 4. Choose the OneDrive folder location (default is fine). 5. Click through the setup. ### How It Works A **OneDrive** folder appears in Finder. It works the same as on Windows. Files saved here sync to the cloud automatically. On Mac, OneDrive also appears in the menu bar (top right) as a cloud icon. Click it to see sync status. ## Common Questions **Where is my OneDrive folder?** Windows: `C:\Users\YourName\OneDrive` (or OneDrive - CompanyName for work accounts). Mac: `/Users/YourName/OneDrive` **How much storage do I have?** Microsoft 365 business accounts typically include 1 TB per user. Personal accounts include 5 GB free or 1 TB with a Microsoft 365 subscription. **Can I sync my Desktop and Documents folders?** Yes. On Windows, go to OneDrive settings > Sync and backup > Manage backup. Toggle on Desktop and Documents. On Mac, this option is available in OneDrive Preferences > Backup. **What happens if I delete a file from OneDrive?** It is moved to the OneDrive Recycle Bin (accessible from onedrive.com). It stays there for 93 days for work accounts and 30 days for personal accounts before permanent deletion. ## Troubleshooting **OneDrive not syncing:** Right-click the icon in the system tray (Windows) or menu bar (Mac) and check for error messages. Common fixes: sign out and back in, or pause and resume syncing. **"Not enough disk space" error:** Enable "Files On-Demand" in OneDrive settings. This keeps files in the cloud until you need them, saving local disk space. **Conflicting copies:** If two people edit the same file at the same time, OneDrive may create a "conflicting copy." Open both files, merge the changes, and delete the extra copy. **Sync stuck on one file:** Sometimes a file is locked by another application. Close all applications, wait a minute, and check again. If it persists, right-click the file and select "Free up space," then reopen it.