OneDrive: Managing Files & Disk Space Usage with Microsoft OneDrive (Windows)

This article provides an orientation and overview of Microsoft OneDrive, specifically regarding on-demand and always available files, and how to use these features.

Microsoft OneDrive is a cloud storage service that allows you to access and store your files from anywhere, seamlessly synchronizing files between devices and the web. By making files available offline, you can continue to work on them even when you're not connected to the Internet. Additionally, using the "On-Demand" feature can help you save space on your device's hard drive. This feature creates a symbolic link or placeholder file on your local machine, while the file itself is retained in the secure Microsoft OneDrive cloud. The file is only downloaded to the local machine when a user wishes to interact with the file. This does require an Internet connection at the time of accessing.

Users concerned about or expecting to have to work offline for any period of time can make files available on their local machine, either individually or by folder.

This article covers both how to make files available for offline use, as well as how to return files to on-demand status.

Users should carefully consider their individual needs before taking action, and avoid using disk space for files that are not actually needed to be available offline.

Microsoft OneDrive - Introduction

To help you navigate Microsoft OneDrive, the image below helps to identify important information and areas within Windows Explorer related to OneDrive.

1. OneDrive Root Folder: This is the "root" folder of your Microsoft OneDrive account. Everything on OneDrive will be visible in this folder.
2. Status: This column shows the status of your files within Microsoft OneDrive.
    1. Blue Cloud: File or folder is only available online (On-Demand)
    2. Green Check/White Background: Indicates a locally available file that has been temporarily downloaded from the cloud, usually because it is or has been recently opened.
    3. White Check/Green Background: Indicate the file has been marked as always available, so a copy of the file lives locally on the machine and is available offline.

To learn more about the status icons, please see the Microsoft Support article, which provides additional information beyond the scope of this article.
 

Making Files Available Offline

1. Open Windows Explorer: Click the Yellow Folder icon at the bottom of your screen.  

2. Navigate to the file or folder: Locate the file or folder you want to make available offline.
3. Right Click on the folder or file.
4. Select "Always Keep On This Device" option from the context menu.

The file should successfully download to your machine and the status icon should change to a White Check mark on a Green Circle. Changes to the file will synchronize to the cloud, either in real time if an Internet connection is present, or when the device reconnects to the Internet. 

You can choose to have all (or as much as the device will allow) files kept on the device by performing the above steps on your OneDrive Root folder. This is NOT recommended on shared devices as it will take up unnecessary disk space and will cause problems for other users.

Free-up Disk Space

If you wish to remove the "Always Keep On This Device" status, there are several ways to accomplish this. This can be done by performing the steps above to make the file always available, but choosing the "Free up space" option for individual folders or files. If you need to remove this status from all files:

1. Open OneDrive settings: Right-click on the OneDrive icon in your taskbar or start menu and select "Settings."
2. Go to the "Settings" tab: Click on the "Settings" tab.
3. Go to "Sync and Backup", and locate "Files On-Demand", which is under "Advanced Settings"
4. Click "Free up disk space".

How "On-Demand" works:

- Files are stored in the cloud: When you enable "On-Demand," OneDrive only downloads files to your device when you need to access them. **An active and stable Internet connection with broadband or high-speed support is required for synchronization.** Files that are available only on-demand cannot be accessed if a device is offline.
- Placeholder files: Instead of downloading the entire file, OneDrive creates a placeholder file (also known as a symbolic link) that represents the file in the cloud.
- Download when needed: When you double-click a placeholder file, it will download the full file from the cloud. Files cannot be downloaded if there there is no network connection available, or the network connection is inadequate.

Additional Tips

- Manage storage: Regularly check your OneDrive storage usage and delete files that you no longer need. 
- Sync settings: Adjust the sync settings for specific folders to control which files are automatically downloaded to your device.
- Troubleshoot issues: If you encounter any problems with OneDrive, refer to Microsoft's support resources or contact the Help Desk.