I'm using Windows 11, and I've been having a lot of trouble with OneDrive. It seems to have removed my files from my local machine and now stores everything in the OneDrive cloud. I want my files to be saved locally by default unless I choose to upload them. Additionally, I keep getting this notification every ten seconds about 'Automatic file downloads', which is really distracting. I've also noticed two OneDrive icons in my File Manager, and I can't find my local machine locations anymore. Ideally, I'd like OneDrive to back up my Documents folder to the cloud, but only on a scheduled basis, maybe once or twice a week. I don't need all my work syncing in real-time. Can anyone help me adjust these settings?
4 Answers
If you're aiming to keep files locally instead of the cloud, you can stop OneDrive from syncing certain folders like Desktop, Documents, and Pictures. Just right-click the OneDrive icon, head to Settings, and in the Sync and backup tab, click Manage backup to turn off backup for the folders you don’t want synced. If you want to really cut ties with OneDrive, you might consider unlinking it completely from your PC.
It sounds like OneDrive isn't really the right fit for what you're trying to do. It's designed for continuous syncing, which isn't ideal if you want scheduled backups. You might want to look into a backup solution like Backblaze instead, where you can schedule backups more flexibly. If you still want to use OneDrive, consider running it only when you need to backup files.
To keep your files local, make sure you mark them as 'Always available on this device' in OneDrive. After waiting for the sync, you can also set a delay for how often OneDrive syncs your files. Just keep in mind that if you disable OneDrive at startup, you'll need to manually enable it occasionally to ensure your files sync properly. Overall, I find OneDrive useful but it does require some management to avoid constant syncing.
It seems like the automatic sync and Files On-Demand settings are messing things up for you. You can pause or turn off auto-sync in the settings, and ensure your local folders are not set to 'Always keep on this device.' Also, if you want everything stored locally, you can disable the Files On-Demand feature altogether in the settings. For scheduling backups, keep in mind that OneDrive doesn't have a built-in option, so you'd either have to sync manually or use Task Scheduler to automate it.
Exactly! If set up correctly, you won't even notice OneDrive working in the background. There's also an option in OneDrive settings to ensure everything stays local without having to click through each folder.