One Drive basics

Question

This is probably so basic as not to merit a reply, but it is something that has been bugging me since onedrive showed up in my file explorer. I understand that onedrive puts files in the cloud, which is fine. But I do not want all my files to be moved to the cloud, only those I wish to have there. As I understand it, this is done automatically and I have no control over it. That is bad. Also, I need to know if I delete a file in Onedrive, does it delete it on my harddrive? That would be bad. I have found the user info for onedrive to either assume I know it all and it talks over my head or it never gets to the questions that bother me.

Answer 1

2. Select > Settings.
3. Select the Account tab, and select Choose folders

Hi

There is no Account tab for me here (Windows 11)

Can you help?

Thanks

Answer 2

Hello Phillip,

Welcome to Microsoft Community.

I am a Microsoft user just like you, I hope you are doing well?

With OneDrive, you can sync files between your computer and the cloud, so you can get to them from anywhere. However, if you don't want to sync all of your folders in OneDrive to your computer, you can specify which folders you'd like to sync.

1. Select the white or blue OneDrive cloud icon in the Windows taskbar notification area.
2. Select > Settings.
3. Select the Account tab, and select Choose folders.
4. In the Sync your OneDrive files to this PC dialog box, uncheck any folders you don't want to sync to your computer and select OK.

Note: You cannot add non-OneDrive folders (such as C: and D:).

Understand that if you uncheck a folder you are syncing to your computer, the folder will be removed from your computer. The folder and its contents will still be available online.

The sync settings you choose are unique to each computer unless you're syncing everything everywhere. Also, if you're choosing folders on two computers and you create a new folder on computer A that you want to sync to computer B, you'll need to go to computer B and select the new folder there.

Source: https://support.microsoft.com/help/98b8b011-8b94-419b-aa95-a14ff2415e85

Please let me know if you need more assistance.

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Warm Regards