How to Access OneDrive Files Offline on a Windows PC
While OneDrive has made a name for online cloud storage, many people are unaware of its offline file storage capacities. Generally, you use OneDrive to sync your files between your computers and the cloud, which then lets you access your files from anywhere—smartphone, laptop, office computer, etc.
However, in some cases, you might also want to access your Windows files offline. So let’s look at all the possible avenues at your disposal right away.
Why You Should Keep Your OneDrive Files Available for Offline Access
As we said above,OneDriveis a cloud storage service that puts your files on the cloud for, among other things, its ease of access. So why would you want to go out of your way and try to make your files accessible for offline use as well? As it turns out, for a host of reasons. Here are a few of them:
The points we’ve listed above are just a few use cases of making your OneDrive data available offline. Plenty of others, such as reduced latency, a bump in your productivity, etc., make storing your OneDrive files offline a good option.
If you haven’t already done so, check outhow to link OneDrive to your Windows account. Then, once you’ve OneDrive all set up, jump below for the different ways to bring your OneDrive data offline.
1. OneDrive File-on-Demand
OneDrive’s File-on-Demand feature, as its name suggests, lets you access your files on OneDrive without having to download them and keep them in your storage space.
However, with a few tweaks, you can make your files available for offline use as well. Here’s how:
As soon as you double-click the file, OneDrive will begin the download, and your file will also be available for offline use. If the Status section changes to a green tick instead of a cloud icon, then it means your file is available for offline use as well.
2. Always Keep Offline
If the above method doesn’t work for whatever reason, don’t worry. There’s another, quicker way to make your OneDrive files available for offline use. Simply head to the OneDrive folder on your file explorer, right-click on your file, and selectAlways keep on this deviceoption.
That’s it—your file will be made available for offline use from here. You can confirm this by looking for the dark green check sign under theStatussection. Also, if you change your mind later on and want to free up some space later, right-click on the file again and selectFree up space.
Accessing Your OneDrive Files Offline on Windows
Using your OneDrive offline doesn’t have to be complicated. If you follow one of the tricks from above, you can access your files without an internet connection. In fact, this is just one of the many features that make using OneDrive a pleasure. So make sure you check out all the existing features to make the most out of all of them.
Microsoft OneDrive offers several great features for storing and sharing files. Learn everything you need to know about it!
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