I recently bought a new PC and a standalone Microsoft Office Home 2024 license. I initially created a new Microsoft account, but then signed in with my older account, which had only been used with the free version of Microsoft services. I activated Office and installed Word, Excel, and the other applications successfully.
However, OneDrive only shows the standard 5 GB of storage, and I can't find a normal OneDrive application on the PC. I tried downloading and running the official installer several times, but the app still doesn't appear separately; I only see OneDrive in File Explorer. I was told that my setup should include 1 TB of storage, and I need reliable cloud backup for my university files before exams. What am I missing, and can this license be fixed to provide 1 TB?
3 Answers
If you only need a modest amount of space, compare other services before subscribing. Google Drive offers 15 GB free, and some iCloud plans provide more than 5 GB if you already use Apple devices. Whichever service you choose, check that it synchronizes your university folders and keep an additional local backup for important files.
Office Home 2024 is a one-time purchase and does not include the 1 TB OneDrive allowance. The 5 GB you see is the standard free storage included with a Microsoft account. The 1 TB storage benefit comes with a Microsoft 365 subscription, not the standalone Office 2024 license.
The OneDrive entry in File Explorer may already mean the desktop client is installed or integrated into Windows; it does not indicate that you have 1 TB of storage. Installing the client again will not upgrade the account. To get 1 TB, you would need Microsoft 365 or a separate paid storage plan.
I understand now—the missing storage was the real issue, not necessarily the File Explorer entry. I appreciate the explanation.
That explains it. I was told by the person who helped me buy the PC that the license included 1 TB, so I assumed something had gone wrong. Thanks for clearing it up.