App Tips
6  min read

Top 9 Microsoft OneDrive Tips and Tricks for 2024

Abhishek Agrawal
By Abhishek A Agrawal
December 9, 2023
Table of Contents

    OneDrive is a powerful cloud storage and synchronization service from Microsoft. It syncs your files to the cloud so that you can access them from anywhere. You can also use OneDrive to share files and collaborate with others in real-time. However, most people only use a fraction of OneDrive’s potential. To help you, we’ll be sharing the top 9 OneDrive tips and tricks for you to take advantage of all the features available with this service.

    The Best Tips and Tricks for Using Microsoft OneDrive:

    Whether you’re sharing files with others or managing your storage space, these 9 tips will help you get the most out of OneDrive.

    Create a 2-way bridge between OneDrive and your local storage

    With OneDrive’s Folder Backup feature, you can backup your local computer files to the cloud. This guarantees your data recovery in case of crash or accidental delete.

    Similarly, OneDrive’s Sync feature keeps a local copy of your cloud files. It provides you quick access to the files and ensures that they’re always up-to-date.  

    These features collectively work as a 2-way bridge between your OneDrive and Personal Computer. You can set them by following these simple steps

    1. Click on the white or blue OneDrive icon in the Windows taskbar notification area

      Windown Taskbar
    2. Click on the OneDrive Help and Settings icon icon and select ‘Settings’ from the dropdown
    3. Then according to your requirement perform the below steps
    For PC Folder BackupFor Sync
    • Head over to the Backup Tab
    • Click on Manage Backup
    • Choose the folders you back up 
    • Click on Start Backup
    • Head over to the Account Tab
    • Click on Choose Folder
    • Tick the folders you want to Sync
    • Hit OK

    Get your Email attachments to OneDrive

    You can configure OneDrive to automatically save all attachments received in your Microsoft Outlook. This means that you’ll never have to worry about losing an attachment again.

    To link your Outlook with the OneDrive app, follow these simple steps in Microsoft Power Automate

    • Sign up for Power Automate Account
    • Click the template, “Save Outlook.com attachments to your OneDrive” as shown below, and follow the prompts.
    Office 365

    Sync Google Drive with OneDrive

    Google Drive has around 800 million daily active users.🤯 And it’s quite possible that your client, partner, or freelancer colleague is one of them. So, instead of asking them to switch to OneDrive, you can sync your OneDrive with Google Drive. This will provide them with a smooth collaboration experience. 

    And Integrately helps you easily connect OneDrive to Google Drive! This way, you can automate the process of saving your OneDrive files directly to Google Drive and vice-versa. That’s right folks, these ready-to-use 1-click automations do it all for you!👇

    Moreover, you can also connect your OneDrive account with over 1050+ apps using Integrately in just a few clicks. So what are you waiting for? Don’t let your game fall behind the curve. Jump on board and check all the powerful OneDrive integrations now.

    8 Million+ Ready Automations
    For 750+ Apps

    Recover previous file versions easily

    At times you accidentally delete something or make changes that you later regret. To save the day, OneDrive keeps a history of all the changes made to your files. So you can always go back and restore an older version if needed. To retrieve your data, perform these simple steps either on the cloud or on your local storage:

    1. Right-click on the desired file
    2. Select ‘Version History’ from the dropdown
    3. Right-click on the desired version and select ‘Restore
    Steps to restore older file versions in Microsoft OneDrive

    Access OneDrive files without consuming local storage

    Offline access and On-Demand files are extremely useful OneDrive features. However, it’s important to understand the difference between the two before you decide which one to use.

    Offline Access files are downloaded and synced to your personal computer. This way you can access them even when you’re not connected to the internet. 

    On-Demand files are available only in the cloud and they are not downloaded to your personal computer. However, you can easily access them through File Explorer on your personal computer if you’re online. This saves you the time to navigate between apps.

    How to check Microsoft OneDrive Offline Access and On-Demand Files

    You can learn more about these features and how to configure them using the Offline Access and On-Demand guides from Microsoft.

    Access OneDrive from mobile devices

    If you need to access your OneDrive files on the go, there are a few different ways to do it. You can

    • Install the OneDrive app for Android and iOS devices
    • Use the web interface on your mobile browser
    OneDrive Mobile App

    Connect with family and friends through Group Sharing

    You can add team members working on the same project in a OneDrive Family for better collaboration. This enables you to share files with the entire group at once instead of sending them individually. This way everyone within the group can access the files. 

    It keeps everyone on the same page and ensures that they have up-to-date files. Read this guide by Microsoft to get started with group sharing in OneDrive.

    Microsoft OneDrive Group Sharing with Friends, Team, and Family

    Add extra security with a Personal Vault

    If you’re storing sensitive information in your OneDrive account, you can add an extra layer of security by using the “Personal Vault” feature. This will encrypt your files and require additional authentication before providing access. 

    Microsft OneDrive Personal Vault

    When your Personal Vault is inactive for a certain length of time, OneDrive will automatically lock it. To know more about your Personal Vault, use this comprehensive guide from Microsoft.

    Scan and Share your docs on the go 

    At times, you need to quickly scan and share a document. These documents can include

    • A signed contract or a paper form
    • Whiteboards
    • Receipts
    • Academic/Professional transcripts
    • Business cards, etc.

    With the OneDrive mobile app, you can use your phone’s camera to scan and upload documents. You can crop, rotate, make adjustments, or even sign the scanned document before sharing. This is a great feature if you’re on the go and need to quickly scan and share a document. 

    To use this feature, follow these simple steps on your OneDrive mobile app:

    1. Click on the Scan Icon for Scan in OneDrive mobile apps icon
    2. Select the type of document
    3. Tap the white circle icon to start scanning
    4. Edit the image using editing tools
    5. Hit Done
    6. Name your file and click on Save
    Scan your documents using OneDrive

    Final Thoughts

    OneDrive is a powerful tool that can simplify your life by giving you easy access to your files from anywhere. It offers several features perfect for individuals and businesses alike. With top-notch security, ease of use, and flexibility, it’s no wonder that OneDrive is one of the most popular cloud storage services available today. To further level up your OneDrive experience, our tips provide you with many ways that you can use Microsoft OneDrive to your advantage. Try them out and see how things fall in place for yourself!

    Abhishek Agrawal
    Author - Abhishek A Agrawal
    Abhishek is the founder of Integrately, CompanyHub, and Dreamwares. He is passionate about technology and entrepreneurship. He is always looking to leverage technology for the growth of the business. He has a deep understanding of how businesses work and uses this knowledge to build products that help entrepreneurs grow their businesses.
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