Disabling OneDrive's Files on Demand feature

Question

I'm new to OneDrive, and I'm trying to get it working across 2 devices while keeping the files they already have installed locally untouched. To clarify, I want all files uploaded to OneDrive and accessible between all my devices, but I only want the files that weren't on my device before to be cloud-exclusive. However, while setting up OneDrive, I found that Microsoft automatically deletes all local copies of my files when they are uploaded to the cloud via its "Files on Demand" feature.

This is problematic because OneDrive saves everything across every device to the same few folders without also tracking which device each file was uploaded from, and I don't have the memorization skills needed to manually revert what OneDrive is doing. In OneDrive settings, the only options I have are to delete all my local files (which doesn't help me at all) or to download every file from OneDrive to 1 PC, regardless of the device they originally came from (which I also don't want). There is no option to stop Windows from deleting the local versions of my files when they get downloaded to the Cloud. What can I do about it?

Answer 1

Hello

If you go to the OneDrive settings to turn off OnDemand, it will indeed keep every file, no matter which device it was synced from, to your local computer.

If you want to only keep the files locally for those synced from said device, you will have to do it manually. Go through each folder, sort by the status. If it is this icon , it is synced from this device. If it is a cloud icon, then it is synced from a different device.

I know going through these manually can be taxing.. but unfortunately I cannot think of a different way.

Answer 2

Frankly, storing all files in the cloud and accessing them only when needed is the easiest way to use OneDrive with multiple devices. You have only one source for all your files. I find that keeping local copies on a single device spells disaster if these files are synced to OneDrive via a Windows Update and merge with their newer counterparts.

Sorry for commenting instead of answering your question.

Answer 3

OneDrive Files On-Demand cannot be selectively disabled only for “existing local files” while keeping it enabled for “new files.” The feature works per device and per file/folder, but not based on when or where a file originally existed.

From the current OneDrive behavior and settings:

1. Files On-Demand modes When Files On-Demand is enabled, OneDrive offers two main behaviors in its advanced settings:
   • Free up disk space (default, recommended):
     • New files from the cloud are online-only by default and do not take local disk space.
     • Files are downloaded and become local when opened or when “Always keep on this device” is selected in File Explorer.
     • Files created on the device are available offline by default.
   • Download all files:
     • Equivalent to choosing “Always keep on this device” for the entire OneDrive folder.
     • All cloud files are downloaded and kept locally, taking disk space.
     • This behaves like the old “turn off Files On-Demand” option, but with updated icons.
   There is no third option to “never make existing local files online-only” while still using Files On-Demand for others.
2. What happens to local files With Files On-Demand enabled and Free up disk space selected:
   • Files that are already on the device and in the OneDrive folder remain local unless:
     • “Free up space” is manually chosen on them, or
     • Windows/Storage Sense later converts them to online-only based on its rules.
   • Files created on the device in the OneDrive folder are local by default.
   • Files that only exist in the cloud appear as online-only until opened or explicitly marked as always available.
   OneDrive does not track “which device a file came from” in a way that can be used to automatically keep those files always local on that original device.
3. What can be controlled To approximate the desired behavior, the following controls are available:
   • Per-file or per-folder pinning:
     • In File Explorer, right-click a file or folder in OneDrive and choose:
       • Always keep on this device to keep it local (green circle with white check mark).
       • Free up space to make it online-only (blue cloud icon).
     • This must be done manually for the items that should remain local.
   • Global behavior choice (per device):
     • Use Free up disk space if the priority is saving space and allowing files to become online-only.
     • Use Download all files if the priority is keeping everything local on that device (similar to disabling Files On-Demand for that device’s OneDrive folder).
   • Folder selection for sync:
     • Instead of syncing everything, choose which OneDrive folders to sync to the PC. Only those folders will appear locally; others stay cloud-only. (See “Choose which OneDrive folders to show on your PC” in the referenced article.)
4. Practical implication for the scenario Given the current design:
   • It is not possible to have OneDrive automatically:
     • Upload all files from all devices,
     • Keep each device’s pre-existing files always local on that device,
     • And make only “new-from-other-devices” files online-only.
   • The closest options are:
     • On a device that should keep everything local: choose Download all files (equivalent to turning off Files On-Demand behavior for that device’s OneDrive folder).
     • On a device that should save space: use Free up disk space and manually mark critical folders/files as Always keep on this device.

There is no setting to stop Windows/OneDrive from ever converting local files to online-only while still using Files On-Demand’s space-saving behavior automatically. Control is per device and per file/folder, not based on original device or file history.

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References:

• Save disk space with OneDrive Files On-Demand for Windows
• Sync files with OneDrive Files on Demand
• How to fix "A newer version of OneDrive is installed"