Overview of OneDrive in Microsoft 365 - SharePoint in Microsoft 365 (2024)

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OneDrive is a robust but simple-to-use cloud storage platform for small businesses, enterprises, and everything in between. Unlike other cloud storage providers, most of the advanced enterprise-focused features in OneDrive are available for every subscription type, enabling organizations to use OneDrive in whatever way benefits them the most. This guide describes the features available and how they can benefit your organization.

Key OneDrive features

The features listed in this section address common customer concerns or specific compliance requirements, or provide unique functionality available only in OneDrive. For a full list of features available across OneDrive plans, see Microsoft OneDrive.

OneDrive Files On-Demand

OneDrive Files On-Demand enables users to view, search for, and interact with files stored in OneDrive from within File Explorer, without downloading all the files to their device. The feature provides a seamless look and feel for both OneDrive and local files without taking up space on the local hard drive. As shown in the following screenshot, files that haven't been downloaded have a cloud icon for their status. For those files that have been downloaded, the status shows a green checkmark.

Overview of OneDrive in Microsoft 365 - SharePoint in Microsoft 365 (1)

By default, files are downloaded only when you need to access them. However, if you plan to access a file while disconnected from the internet, make the file available offline by right-clicking it, and then selecting Always keep on this device. Alternatively, if you want to free space on your device and remove the downloaded copy of a file, right-click the file, and then select Free up space. The following screenshot shows the right-click menu for OneDrive files on a device running Windows.

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For more information about OneDrive Files On-Demand, see Learn about OneDrive Files On-Demand.

Modern attachments

OneDrive integrates with Microsoft Outlook to enable easy sharing of OneDrive files that appear just like email attachments. This feature provides a familiar sharing experience but centralizes storage of attachments in OneDrive. This allows your users to all collaborate on the same file instead of sending different versions back and forth in email. In addition, you can configure sharing permissions on the files directly from within Outlook.

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To reduce the potential for confusion when users choose to add a copy versus a link to attached OneDrive files, you can set the default behavior of Outlook, as demonstrated in How to control default attachment state when you attach a cloud file in Outlook 2016.

Files Restore

The OneDrive Files Restore feature lets users restore files to any point over the past 30 days. To select the desired recovery time, OneDrive presents you with a histogram that shows file activity so that you can determine which recovered time meets your needs. From there, select the file history entry to which you want to restore, and all changes after that point will be rolled back.

Overview of OneDrive in Microsoft 365 - SharePoint in Microsoft 365 (4)

In addition, because the histogram shows individual activity on a file, users can use this feature to quickly view their files' modification history. For more information about this feature, see Restore your OneDrive.

Recycle bin

OneDrive has a recycle bin similar to the one available in Windows. Deleted files are moved to the recycle bin and kept for a designated time before being permanently deleted. For work or school accounts, deleted files are purged after 93 days unless configured otherwise. For a demonstration of how the recycle bin works, see Restore deleted files or folders in OneDrive.

Known Folder Move

Known Folder Move enables Windows and Mac users to select commonly used folders, such as their desktop and documents to automatically synchronize to OneDrive. You can add this feature during the initial setup of OneDrive or after it has been configured. This capability provides a simple migration option for users looking to add known folders to their existing list of synchronized folders. For more information about Known Folder Move, see Redirect and move Windows known folders to OneDrive and Redirect and move macOS Desktop and Documents folders to OneDrive.

Syncing files

Users can upload, download, and interact with OneDrive files from a web browser, but the ideal OneDrive experience comes from the Windows and Mac sync apps and the iOS and Android mobile apps. With these clients and apps, saving files to OneDrive and interacting with them is easier than visiting a website each time you need something. Through this experience, you can seamlessly integrate OneDrive into your existing file interaction experiences.

For information about planning and deploying the sync app for your organization, see Plan file sync for SharePoint and OneDrive in Microsoft 365.

Manage OneDrive

Many organizations use OneDrive without changing any of the options. To change these settings, use the SharePoint admin center.

  • Sharing. Go to Sharing to set sharing settings at the organization level. To learn more, see Manage sharing settings.

  • Sync. Go to Settings and select Sync. You can require that synced computers be joined to your domain or block uploads based on file type.

  • Storage limit. Go to Settings and select Storage limit. Set the default storage space for all new and existing users who are licensed for a qualifying plan and for whom you haven't set specific storage limits.

  • Retention. Go to Settings and select Retention. Configure how long to keep data for users whose accounts have been deleted (the default is 30 days).

  • Access control. Go to Access control to control access from unmanaged devices or based on network location.

  • Compliance. View the compliance and risk management solutions available in Microsoft 365

  • Notifications. Go to Settings and select Notifications. For information about this setting, see Control notifications.

Get help with OneDrive

If you need help with OneDrive, you have many ways to find solutions to common issues or request help:

Overview of OneDrive in Microsoft 365 - SharePoint in Microsoft 365 (2024)

FAQs

What is the overview of OneDrive and SharePoint? ›

OneDrive is used for personal storage: work-related files that you create and work on yourself and sometimes share with others. SharePoint is used for shared storage: work-related files that are meant to be collaborated on, or viewed, by your group upon the file's creation.

What is Microsoft 365 OneDrive? ›

Use OneDrive to save documents, photos, and other files in the cloud, share them with friends, and even collaborate on content. When you subscribe to Microsoft 365, you get 1 TB of storage and premium OneDrive features. OneDrive for work or school is online storage for your work or school organization.

How do OneDrive and SharePoint work together? ›

If you use SharePoint Server and want to take advantage of cloud storage for your users' business documents, you can set up OneDrive and have your users automatically redirected to Microsoft 365 when they select the OneDrive link in SharePoint Server.

What are the benefits of OneDrive over SharePoint? ›

With SharePoint, you can create custom intranet sites, manage workflows, and collaborate on projects seamlessly. On the other hand, OneDrive is more like a personal filing cabinet in the cloud. It is primarily intended for individual users to store their files securely and access them from anywhere.

What is SharePoint in Microsoft 365? ›

SharePoint in Microsoft 365 A cloud-based service, hosted by Microsoft, for businesses of all sizes. Instead of installing and deploying SharePoint Server on-premises, any business can subscribe to a Microsoft 365 plan or to the standalone SharePoint Online service.

What are the key features of OneDrive? ›

The primary benefits of using OneDrive include automatic data backup, seamless integration with Microsoft Office applications, easy file sharing, and synchronization across devices. It provides a convenient and secure way to access and collaborate on documents from anywhere with an internet connection.

What are the benefits of OneDrive in Office 365? ›

Enhance admin capabilities with sync reports, apply sensitivity labels, and manage migration.
  • Anywhere access. Easily store, access, and discover your individual and shared work files in Microsoft 365, including Microsoft Teams, from all your devices. ...
  • Seamless collaboration. ...
  • Untethered mobility. ...
  • Controls for security.

What is the difference between OneDrive and Microsoft OneDrive? ›

Microsoft OneDrive is a backup and sync app, which is available for download from the OneDrive website. OneDrive by Microsoft Corporation is an app available from the Microsoft Store app, which lets you view your OneDrive.

What is a disadvantage of using OneDrive? ›

The disadvantages of OneDrive are limited sharing options, limited file management, and limited desktop synchronisation settings. Limited Sharing Options: OneDrive's sharing options are limited compared to other cloud storage services, making sharing files with non-Microsoft users difficult.

What happens when you sync SharePoint to OneDrive? ›

OneDrive can sync files from SharePoint site libraries to your PC so you can work with them directly in File Explorer. This allows you to access them even when you're not connected to the internet.

How do I move files from OneDrive to SharePoint? ›

Move files and folders between OneDrive and SharePoint
  1. Select the files or folders that you want to move, and then select Move to. ...
  2. Select the location you want to move to. ...
  3. Select the location where you want the items to go, then select Move here to start moving the items.

What is the limitation of SharePoint and OneDrive? ›

Service limits for all plans
  1. 250 GB - File upload limit. ...
  2. 250 MB - File attached to a list item. ...
  3. The entire decoded file path, including the file name, can't contain more than 400 characters for OneDrive, OneDrive for work or school and SharePoint in Microsoft 365.
Nov 6, 2023

What are the 4 main advantages of using OneDrive? ›

Benefits of OneDrive / Pros
  • Access anywhere / anytime. OneDrive is designed to provide users immediate access to their data no matter where they are, on any device. ...
  • Strong Security. ...
  • Easy File Sharing. ...
  • Restrict access. ...
  • Bandwidth limiting. ...
  • Files on Demand.

How does OneDrive work? ›

OneDrive gives you one place to store, share, and sync your work or school files. As part of your organization's Microsoft 365 subscription, or SharePoint Server, you can save your files in OneDrive and then work with them from almost any device.

Where are SharePoint files stored? ›

See your SharePoint or Microsoft Teams files in the OneDrive mobile app. In the OneDrive app when signed in with your work or school account, select Libraries. Select the name of the site and then the library where the files are located.

What are the similarities between SharePoint and OneDrive? ›

Similarities between SharePoint and OneDrive
  • Both offer cloud-based storage.
  • File synchronisation and versioning.
  • Integration with Microsoft 365.
  • Mobile access through dedicated apps.
Sep 21, 2023

What is the difference between OneDrive and SharePoint and Teams? ›

SharePoint - shared file storage, communication, data management for working with other people. OneDrive - personal file storage that can also be used to sync SharePoint files for your access. Teams - Collaboration/communication/chat/meetings layer that uses SharePoint and OneDrive for storage.

Why is OneDrive and SharePoint separate? ›

While OneDrive and SharePoint both provide an online space to access files, their broader use is what separates them. SharePoint is predominantly an online document management system and communication site. OneDrive is a cloud storage solution that people mainly use to create an online backup of their files.

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