One drive overwrites newer local documents and loses work

Question

This has happened to me a couple of times now. I duplicate a document locally to make some changes, keeping the original in case I decide to revert to it. After I have worked on it for several hours I decide to make it the master version, so I rename the original to some kind of temporary backup name in case I need it for something (eg add a 'z' to the front) and then rename the new master file to the original name. I come back later, open the file and find all my work as vanished. No sign of it in the version history (the worked on copy probably never made it to OneDrive), and no sign of it in the recycle bin either. Why would OneDrive overwrite a local file with a modified timestamp many hours later than the remote version? This behaviour is infuriating.

Answer 1

It sounds like you're experiencing issues with OneDrive overwriting your local files unexpectedly. This can happen due to several reasons related to how OneDrive handles file synchronization and conflicts:

1. File Sync Conflicts: OneDrive may not recognize the changes made to your local file if it hasn't synced those changes before you rename or overwrite the original file. If the original file is still considered the latest version by OneDrive, it may overwrite your newer local document with the older version from the cloud.
2. Version History: If the worked-on copy did not sync to OneDrive, it would not appear in the version history. OneDrive typically tracks changes and maintains version history only for files that have been uploaded to the cloud.
3. Local Changes Not Synced: If you are working on a file locally and it hasn’t been synced to OneDrive, renaming or replacing files can lead to loss of unsynced changes. Always ensure that your files are synced before making changes to their names or locations.

To mitigate this issue in the future, consider the following best practices:

• Check Sync Status: Always verify that OneDrive has completed syncing before making changes to file names or locations.
• Use Version History: Regularly check the version history of your files in OneDrive to ensure that your changes are saved.
• Backup Important Files: Keep backups of important documents in a separate location or use OneDrive's Files Restore feature to recover files if needed.

If you continue to experience issues, it may be helpful to clear cached files or resync your libraries as suggested in troubleshooting documentation.

Answer 2

When working in the same folder, such as within Documents, make sure both files are saved to OneDrive under different names. If you want to keep the original name on a copy, I suggest adding the current date to the file name.

However, if you put files with the same name in different folders, you won't run into any overwriting issues. So put a copy in a different folder and give it any name you wish.