OneDrive desktop app for earlier versions of Windows (2024)

What does the OneDrive folder do?

When you install OneDrive for Windows, a copy of your OneDriveinstallation is downloaded to your PC and put in the OneDrive folder. This folder is kept in sync with your cloud-basedOneDriveinstallation. If you add, change, or delete a file or folder on the OneDrive website, the file or folder is added to, changed, or deleted from your OneDrive folder and vice versa.

For more information, see Upload photos and files to OneDrive.

You can also use File Explorer to rename and delete files, create new folders, and move files around in your OneDrive folder. The changes will automatically be made in OneDrive and on your other computers that have the OneDrive app installed.

Tip:If you use a lot of storage space in OneDrive, it might take a long time to download all your files when you first install the OneDrive app. For tips on maximizing the transfer speed, see Maximize upload and download speed.

How can I add and remove PCs from OneDrive?

When you install the OneDrive desktop app for Windows on a PC, that PC appears on the OneDrive website, in the left pane under PCs. This is how you can access the PC's files and folders that aren’t saved in your OneDrive folder. When you browse a PC remotely, you might be asked to enter a verification code. To remove a PC from OneDrive, go to the OneDrive website, select the PC, and then select Remove PC.

Do I have to install the OneDrive app on all my computers (PC and Mac)?

No. If you don't want to keep all the files in your OneDrivefolder on a computer, you can still work with your OneDriveaccount on that computer by going to the OneDrive website.

Can I choose other folders to sync besides the OneDrive folder?

You can't choose other folders to sync, but you can redirect certain folders such as your Desktop and folders in libraries to your OneDrive folder. Learn more.

To redirect a folder to your OneDrive folder

1. Close OneDrive:right-clickthe OneDrive icon in the notification area, at the far right of the taskbar, and then selectExit. (You might need to select the Show hidden icons arrow next to the notification area to see the OneDrive icon.)

2. Create a subfolder for the redirected files in your OneDrive folder. For example, to redirect the My Pictures folder, you might create a folder in OneDrive called "Pictures."

3. Right-click the folder you want to redirect ("My Pictures" in this example), and then selectProperties.

4. Select the Location tab, and then selectMove.

5. Browse to the location where you want to redirect this folder (for example, %userprofile%\OneDrive\Pictures).

6. Click Select Folder, and then selectOK.

7. In the dialog box that appears, selectYes to move all the files to the new location.

8. Restart the OneDrive service. To do this, select the Start button, enter OneDrive in the search box, and then selectMicrosoftOneDrive.

Can I change the name or location of my OneDrive folder after it's created?

You can only change the location. For more information, see Change the location of your OneDrive folder.

Can I choose folders in my OneDrive that I don't want to sync on my PC?

Yes. When you first set up OneDrive, selectChoose folders to sync. If you didn't do this when you set up OneDrive, you can do it in Settings. For more information, see Choose which OneDrive folders to sync to your computer.

Note:You can't choose individual files you want to sync, and you can't choose to sync files or folders shared with you.

Can I change the account I use with OneDrive?

You can change the account you use with OneDrive, but you can't use the folder with multiple accounts at the same time.

To change the account you use with OneDrive:

1. Right-click the OneDrive icon in the notification area, at the far right of the taskbar. (You might need to select the Show hidden icons arrow next to the notification area to see the icon.)

2. On the Accounttab, selectUnlink this PC.

3. Restart OneDrive and sign in with the account you want to use. You'll need to select the location for your OneDrive folder again. If you select the same location, the folders for both accounts will be merged. If the PC had the Fetch files feature turned on, you'll need to turn it on again.

Can I recover files or folders I deleted?

Yes, you can restore deleted files or folders in OneDrive.

Something in my OneDrive folder isn't syncing with OneDrive. How can I view more info about the problem?

For help with sync problems, see Fix OneDrive sync problems.

How do I uninstall the OneDrive app?

If you uninstall the OneDrive desktop app from your PC, your OneDrive folder will stop syncing. The OneDrive folder and your files in OneDrive won't be deleted. For more information, see Turn off, disable, or uninstall OneDrive.