Large discrepancy between OneDrive storage usage and downloaded files

Question

Hi,
In my OneDrive account, the storage usage shown at the bottom left (under "Storage") indicates that I'm using about 22.8 GB of space. However, when I select and download all files—either from the OneDrive web interface or the desktop app—the total size of the files on my computer is only about 2 GB.

Is this discrepancy normal? Could it mean that some files weren't downloaded properly? Or does the storage usage include other data (e.g., file versions, cache, or metadata) that isn't part of the actual file download?

I'd like to make sure I've successfully downloaded all my data, and that the files are fully usable outside of OneDrive.

Thanks!

Answer 1

Hi

Good day! I hope you're doing well! 

It has been a while and i am writing to see how things are going with this issue. Have you had a chance to check the reply provided?  Please feel free to let me know if there are any updates or if you need any further support. 

If you think my reply is helpful to you, please remember to mark it as an answer so others with the same concerns can see it immediately when they need.   

  

Thank you so much for your time and kindness.  

Best regards,    

Phoebe-N - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Answer 2

Hi Chiara, 

Welcome to Microsoft Community! 

The discrepancy between the reported OneDrive storage usage (22.8 GB) and the actual downloaded file size (2 GB) can be due to several factors, namely: 

• Files Not Fully Synced or Downloaded Hidden or System Files
• Hidden or System Files (Recycle Bin items, Shared libraries, App data (e.g., from Microsoft Forms or Teams))
• File Versions and Metadata
• Cache and Temporary Files

To ensure you’ve downloaded everything, please do as follows. 

Use OneDrive Desktop App: 

• Open File Explorer.
• Right-click the OneDrive folder.
• Select “Always keep on this device” to force full download.

Check Storage Breakdown: 

• Go to OneDrive Storage Management.
• This shows which folders/files are using the most space.

Download from Web Interface: 

• Select all folders, then click Download.
• This creates a ZIP file with all contents (but may skip online-only files).

I hope you find the given information useful. Please let me know if there are any updates or other concerns. 

Best regards,    

Phoebe-N - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist