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Back up your folders with OneDrive
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Every computer has standard folders such asDesktop, Documents, Music,Pictures, and Videos which you probably use but might not be included in your OneDrive. By backing up thesefolders to yourOneDrive, they're protected and available across all your devices.
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Learn how to manage your OneDrive backup preferences in four quick clicks. You'll see which folders are currently backed up in OneDrive, and you can make changes on the spot:
Set up PC folder backup
Open OneDrive settings (select the OneDrive cloud iconin your notification area, and then select the OneDrive Help &Settings icon thenSettings.)
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Open OneDrive settings (select the OneDrive cloud iconin your notification area, and then select the OneDrive Help and Settings icon thenSettings.)
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Go to theSync and back uptab.
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SelectManage Back up.
To start backing up a folder, toggle any folder thatsays Not backed up, and then select Save changes.
To stop backing up a folder, select the toggle for the folder to turn it off. A confirmation dialog will appear presenting some options:
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Continue backing up this folder will keep the folder being backed up.
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OneDrive only will keep the files in your OneDrive folder, and they won't be in your computer's folder.
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This computer only will move the files back from your OneDrive folder to the folder on your computer.
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Note:If the folder you wish to stop backing up contains cloud only files, then you won't see these options. Instead, you will see a message saying your files will remain in your OneDrive.
Important:
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When you stop backing up a folder, if you chose OneDrive only, the files will remain in your OneDrive.
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If you chose OneDrive only, there will be a shortcut in your computer's folder called Shortcut to Folder (OneDrive), but with the specific name of the folder, like Documents or Pictures. To see your files, select the icon and it will open the folder in OneDrive.
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When you stop backing up a folder, you can move files from OneDrive to your computer manually by opening the shortcut to OneDrive, selecting the files, and dragging them to the location on your computer. Any new files you add to your computer's folder will not back up to OneDrive.
Access your backed up folders on any device
When your files finish syncing to OneDrive, they're backed up and you can access them from anywhere in Documents, or Desktop. When you back up your Desktop folder, the items on your desktop roam with you to your other desktops where you're running OneDrive.
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If you're signed in to the OneDrive sync app on your computer, you can use File Explorerto access your OneDrive. You can also use the OneDrive mobile app to access your folders on any device.
Set up macOS folder backup
If you haven't already set up OneDrive on your computer, seeSync files with OneDrive in macOS.
If you're prompted to back up your important folders (Desktop, and Documents), selectthe prompt to start the folder backup wizard.
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Click the OneDrive cloud icon up in your Menu bar, click the three dots to open the menu, and selectPreferences.
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Go to theBackuptab.
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SelectManage Back up.
To start backing up a folder, select any folder that doesn't say Files backed up, and then select Start backup.
To stop backing up a folder, select Stop backup,and confirm your request.
Important:
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When you stop backing up a folder, the files that were already backed up by OneDrive stay in the OneDrive folder, and will no longer appear in your device folder.
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In the folder that you stopped backing up, you’llsee an icon titled Where are my files that’s a shortcut to your folders in OneDrive. To access your files, select the icon to open the folder in OneDrive.
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If you want those files back in your device folder and not in OneDrive,move them manually from the OneDrive folder back to your device folder. Note that any new files you add to that folder on your device won't be backed up by OneDrive after you stop the backup.
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To move the files,select Where are my files to open the folder in OneDrive, then selectthe files that you want to move to your device folder, and drag them to that location.
Access your backed up folders on any device
When your files finish syncing to OneDrive, they're backed up and you can access them from anywhere in Documents, or Desktop. When you back up your Desktop folder, the items on your desktop roam with you to your other desktops where you're running OneDrive.
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If you're signed in to the OneDrive sync app on your computer, you can use Finderto access your OneDrive. You can also use the OneDrive mobile app to access your folders on any device.
Fix problems with folder backup
Here are a list of errors you might see when you set up folder backup. Expand a section to seehow to resolve them.
A common reason for this error is that important folders onthat are connected to a domain can't be protected in a personal OneDrive account (when you're signed in with a Microsoft account). For info about data protection solutions, contact your IT administrator. You shouldn’t have this issue with a work or school account.
Make sure the entire file path, including the file name, contains fewer than260 characters. An example of a file path is:
C:\Users\<UserName>\Pictures\Saved\2017\December\Holiday\NewYears\Family…
To resolve this, shorten the name of your file or the name of subfolders in OneDrive, or select a sub-folder that's closer to the top-level folder.
File exceeds the maximum file size
OneDrive can't sync files over 250GB.Remove these files from the folder you want to protect and then try again.
File names can't start with a space or include any of these characters: \ : / * ? < > " |. Please move or rename the file to continue. Learn more.
The folder with the error is not syncing to your PC. To resolve this error, open OneDrive Settings (right-click the white or blue cloud icon in your notification area, and selectSettings), selectChoose Folders, and then make sure the folder you want to protect is selected. If Pictures is showing this error, make sure that Pictures, Screenshots, and Camera Roll are all selected (or don't exist). It's also possible that the OneDrive folder has a different name from the Windows important folder.
The folder with the error contains another important folder and can't be protected until the contained folder is moved. Important folders that may be contained within the folder include: Documents, Desktop, Pictures, Screenshots, Camera Roll, or the OneDrive folder.
If you receive error code0x80070005, the "Prohibit User from manually redirecting Profile Folders" group policy is enabled. You may find that the files from the folders you selected were moved to identically named folders in your OneDrive folder, and the original locations are empty. Move the folder contentsback to the original locationsand ask your administrator whether the policy can be changed.
The folder you want to protect contains a special file type that links parts of the file system together. These items can't be protected. To protect the folder, remove the file causing the issue.
OneDrive tries to automatically re-open notebooks that were previously open. In rare cases, some notebooks may not be automatically loaded in the OneNote desktop app after PC folder backup.Workaround for this issue istoreopen the notebooks in the OneNote app usingFile > Open.
Caution:Some applications may depend on these links to function properly. Remove only the links that you know are safe to modify.
Learn more
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Fixes or workarounds for recent issues in OneDrive
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If Microsoft Outlook or OneDrive is misbehaving and your PST file is in OneDrive, you might try removing the Outlook .pst data file from OneDrive.
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How OneDrive safeguards your data in the cloud
Need more help?
| | Contact Support For technical support, go to Contact Microsoft Support, enter your problem and select Get Help. If you still need help, selectContact Supportto be routed to the best support option. | |
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