error message that relates to One Drive

Belinda 40 Reputation points
2026-06-12T05:08:07.5266667+00:00

I dont know a lot about computers so please explain answers clearly and simply

I have a lot of icons on my desktop, some are folders and some are pdf or word files. Some have a white square with a blue arrow which I believe is a short cut to the actual file.

I have some that dont have an arrow or the one drive cloud icon. When I open a file that has no other icons it has in the location bar( if thats what its called)

circled in blue in the below image.

It says one drive but the cloud is crossed out. Does that mean it is stored locally on my computer or is it on my one drive?

I checked the one drive and it is on the one drive but i dont know if it is stored in both locations.

I want to free up space on my computer.

I thought if I copy the folder from my computer to a USB, then delete it. I could see if it was deleted from the one drive.

I tried to do that but then got this error message which is the other image below.

Please help me. I am very confused.

Thankyou for those that help.

location barScreenshot 2026-06-12 143002

Image for microsoft Q&A

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For home | Windows
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Answer accepted by question author
SD - IA 177.6K Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-06-12T05:48:01.36+00:00

Hi,

The blue cloud icon means "Available online" i.e. they aren't downloaded to your PC.

The cross symbol indicates that OneDrive isn't running, which is confirmed by the error code in the first screenshot. Is the OneDrive app active? Verify this by checking the Cloud icon on the Taskbar. See if OneDrive displays 'Signed in,' 'Syncing,' or 'Sign in required.' If OneDrive isn't running, open the Start menu, search for OneDrive, and launch the application.

To summarize:

  1. The files are in OneDrive.
  2. Some may also have local copies, but the blue cloud icon indicates that particular file is primarily stored online.
  3. Because OneDrive is currently not working properly, Windows cannot download or copy the file when you try to move it to the USB drive.

Do not delete the folder from File Explorer until you're sure whether it is inside OneDrive.

I’m eager to hear back and work together to find a solution.

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  1. AI answer

    2026-06-12T05:08:26.5166667+00:00

    The screenshots show that these files are stored in OneDrive using “Files On‑Demand.”

    1. In the top bar (path) it says Start OneDrive > Belinda – Personal > Desktop > 5 year video.
      • That means the folder is inside the OneDrive area, not a separate local‑only folder.
    2. The small blue cloud icon under each file name means the file is online‑only.
      • Online‑only = stored in OneDrive on the internet.
      • It does not take space on the computer until it is opened.
    3. The error The cloud file provider is not running. [Error 0x8007016A] appears because Windows is trying to download the online‑only file from OneDrive, but the OneDrive sync app is not working at that moment.

    How this relates to freeing space

    • Files with a blue cloud icon are already not using local disk space.
    • Files with a green circle and white check mark are stored both online and on the computer.
    • Files with no OneDrive icon at all are normal local files (only on the computer).

    To free space safely

    1. For files that are already in OneDrive:
      • In File Explorer, right‑click the file or folder.
      • Choose Free up space.
      • This keeps the file in OneDrive but removes the local copy, changing the icon to a blue cloud.
    2. Do not delete files directly from a OneDrive folder (like the one in the screenshot) if the goal is to keep them in the cloud. Deleting there removes them from OneDrive everywhere.
    3. If a file is only on the computer (no cloud icon, not inside a OneDrive path) and a backup is needed before deleting:
      • Copy it to a USB drive first.

    Fixing the 0x8007016A error so files can be copied or opened

    Follow the documented steps for error 0x8007016A:

    1. Check Windows for updates and install any pending updates.
    2. Make sure sign‑in to OneDrive is complete and the white or blue cloud icon appears in the notification area.
    3. Open OneDrive settings and temporarily turn off Save space and download files as you use them (this disables Files On‑Demand).
    4. Reset OneDrive as described in the documentation.
    5. After OneDrive is working again and files have synced, Files On‑Demand can be turned back on if desired.

    Once OneDrive is running correctly, the files can be opened, copied to USB, or marked Free up space without errors.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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