How to Manage OneDrive Files: Organize & Recover

Get Your OneDrive Folder Set Up

Before you can manage your files, you need to know where they live. These guides help you set up your OneDrive folder location and understand how files are stored on your PC.

1 How to Change the location of your OneDrive folder Moving your OneDrive folder lets you choose where your files are stored on your PC. This is helpful if your main drive… 5 min read

Organize and Protect Your Files

Once your OneDrive is set up, you'll want to keep your files tidy and secure. Learn how to add shortcuts to shared files, remove ones you no longer need, and protect sensitive documents.

1 How add Shortcuts to Add a Shared Folder in Your OneDrive Adding shortcuts to shared folders in OneDrive puts important files right at your fingertips. OneDrive shortcuts let you create a quick link… 3 min read

2 How to Remove a Shared Folder Shortcuts on OneDrive.com Removing a shared folder shortcut from OneDrive.com tidies up your file list without deleting anyone's files. A shared folder shortcut on OneDrive.com… 4 min read

3 How to lock your OneDrive Personal Vault OneDrive Personal Vault locks automatically after a period of inactivity to keep your sensitive files safe. OneDrive Personal Vault is a special… 3 min read

4 How to Unlock your OneDrive Personal Vault OneDrive Personal Vault is a protected area within your OneDrive that adds an extra layer of security for your most important files.… 2 min read

5 Uploading Files or Folders to your OneDrive Personal Vault OneDrive Personal Vault protects your most sensitive files with an extra layer of security. OneDrive Personal Vault functions as a special folder… 4 min read

Control What Stays on Your Computer

1 How to Delete Files from Your Computer but Keep Them in OneDrive on Windows 11 Keeping files on both your computer and in OneDrive at the same time uses up storage space on your PC. OneDrive syncs… 4 min read

2 How to Delete Files and Folders from Your OneDrive But Not Your Computer in Windows 11 OneDrive file deletion in Windows 11 lets you remove files from cloud storage without deleting them from your PC. OneDrive creates a… 2 min read

Recover Lost or Deleted Files

Mistakes happen, and sometimes files get deleted. These guides will help you get back files that were removed from your computer or from OneDrive online.

1 How to Restore Deleted OneDrive Files from Your Computer Restoring deleted OneDrive files from your computer is possible because Windows stores them in the Recycle Bin first, just like other deleted… 3 min read

2 How to Restore deleted files or folders from OneDrive online OneDrive's Recycle Bin feature allows users to restore deleted files and folders. Microsoft OneDrive provides this Recycle Bin for up to 30… 3 min read

Common questions

How do I stop OneDrive from taking up so much space on my computer?

You can choose which files and folders sync to your computer. Right-click the OneDrive icon in your taskbar, go to Settings, then 'Account', and click 'Choose folders'. Uncheck items you don't need local copies of.

Can I access my OneDrive files if I don't have an internet connection?

Yes, if you have chosen to keep certain files or folders available offline. Files marked with a green checkmark are stored locally and accessible without internet. Files with a cloud icon need an internet connection.

What is OneDrive Personal Vault?

Personal Vault is a special protected area in OneDrive that offers an extra layer of security for your most important files. It requires a strong password or a second verification step to access.

How do I move my OneDrive folder to a different drive?

You need to unlink OneDrive from your account, then move the existing OneDrive folder to the new location. After that, re-link OneDrive and choose the new folder location during setup.

What's the difference between deleting files from OneDrive online and from my computer?