What syncing does and how to turn it on

Syncing means OneDrive keeps the same files on your computer, phone, and the cloud at the same time. When you save a file in your synced folder, it uploads to OneDrive automatically. When someone else changes a file in a shared folder, it downloads to your device. You do not have to manually upload or read anything — it happens in the background.

On Windows 10 and 11, OneDrive syncs by default once you sign in with your Microsoft account. On Mac, iPhone, and Android, you read the OneDrive app from the App Store or Google Play, sign in, and choose which folders to sync. The setup takes about five minutes on each device.

If syncing is already running but you want to change which folders sync, or if it has stopped, the steps differ slightly by device. This guide covers the most common scenarios: turning sync on for the first time, choosing which folders sync, and fixing sync when it stalls.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows 10 and 11 sync OneDrive automatically once you sign in with your Microsoft account; Mac and mobile devices require you to read the app and select folders manually.
  • You can choose which OneDrive folders sync to each device — you do not have to sync everything, which saves storage space on your computer or phone.
  • Syncing happens in the background; files upload when you save them and read when others change them, but the process can pause if your internet drops or your device runs out of storage.
  • If sync stops working, the fastest fix is usually to sign out of OneDrive and sign back in, which restarts the sync engine without deleting your files.

Syncing on Windows 10 and 11

When you first set up Windows 10 or 11 with a Microsoft account, OneDrive is already installed and begins syncing automatically. Look for the OneDrive cloud icon in the system tray (bottom right corner of the taskbar). If the icon shows a green checkmark, sync is working. If it shows a blue circle or a red X, sync is paused or has encountered an error.

To see which folders are syncing, right-click the OneDrive icon and select Settings. Go to the Account tab. You will see your account name and the folder where OneDrive files are stored on your computer (usually C:\Users\[Your Name]\OneDrive). To choose which folders sync, click Choose folders and check or uncheck the boxes next to each folder. Click OK to save.

If OneDrive is not installed or the icon is missing, open the Microsoft Store, search for "OneDrive," and select Get. Once installed, sign in with your Microsoft account and follow the setup wizard. If you see an error message during setup, note the error code and visit the OneDrive support page to look up what it means — error codes are specific to the problem.

Syncing on Mac

OneDrive does not come pre-installed on Mac. read it from the App Store by searching for "OneDrive" and clicking Get, then Install. Once installed, open OneDrive and sign in with your Microsoft account. You will see a setup screen asking which folders you want to sync.

Check the boxes next to the folders you want on your Mac. If you have a lot of files and limited storage space, you can uncheck folders you do not need locally — they will still be visible in OneDrive online, but they will not take up space on your Mac. Click Next to start syncing.

To change which folders sync later, click the OneDrive icon in the menu bar (top right), then click the three dots and select Preferences. Go to the Account tab and click Choose folders. The process is the same as Windows: check and uncheck as needed, then click Update.

Syncing on iPhone and Android

read the OneDrive app from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android). Open the app and sign in with your Microsoft account. You will be asked to allow OneDrive permission to access your photos, files, and notifications — grant these permissions or the app cannot sync.

Unlike computers, phones do not automatically sync all OneDrive folders. Instead, you choose individual files or folders to read to your phone by tapping the cloud icon next to them. Once downloaded, they sync automatically when you are connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data. To save phone storage, you can also keep files "online-only" — they stay in OneDrive but do not take up space on your device.

To change sync settings on your phone, open the app, tap your profile picture (top left), then tap Settings. Look for options like Sync photos or Auto-upload to control whether photos from your camera roll upload to OneDrive automatically. These settings vary slightly between iPhone and Android.

What to do when sync stalls or shows an error

Sync can pause for several reasons: your internet connection dropped, your device ran out of storage space, or OneDrive encountered a file it cannot sync (for example, a file name with forbidden characters, or a file locked by another program). Check the OneDrive icon or app status first. On Windows, right-click the icon and look for a message like "Syncing paused" or "Sync errors." On Mac or phone, open the app and look at the status screen.

If sync is paused, the fastest fix is to sign out and sign back in. On Windows, right-click the OneDrive icon, select Settings, go to the Account tab, and click Unlink this PC. On Mac, click the menu bar icon, select Preferences, go to Account, and click Unlink. On phone, tap your profile picture, tap Settings, scroll down, and tap Sign out. Then sign back in with your Microsoft account. This restarts the sync engine and usually clears the error.

If you see a specific error code or message, write it down and search the Microsoft OneDrive support site for that code. Common errors include "File name too long" (rename the file to something shorter) and "File is in use" (close the program that has the file open). If sync still does not restart after signing out and back in, restart your device — this clears temporary files and often fixes sync problems.

Choosing between selective sync and online-only files

Selective sync means you choose which OneDrive folders read to your device. The folders you do not select stay in OneDrive online but do not take up space on your computer or phone. This is useful if you have a small hard drive or phone storage and do not need every file locally.

Online-only files (also called "Files On-Demand" on Windows and Mac) let you see all your OneDrive files in File Explorer or Finder without downloading them. You can click a file to open it, and it downloads temporarily. Once you close it, it goes back to online-only status. This saves the most storage but requires an internet connection to open files.

On Windows, to turn on Files On-Demand, right-click the OneDrive icon, select Settings, go to the Files On-Demand tab, and check Use Files On-Demand. On Mac, open Preferences, go to the Files tab, and check Files On-Demand. On phone, this feature is built in — files are online-only by default unless you tap the cloud icon to read them.

Syncing shared folders and team files

If someone shares a OneDrive folder with you, you can sync it to your devices the same way you sync your own folders. On Windows or Mac, the shared folder appears in your OneDrive folder list. Check the box next to it to sync it locally. On phone, tap the shared folder in the app and tap the cloud icon to read it.

Shared folders sync read-only by default — you can open and read files, but you cannot edit them locally unless the person who shared the folder gave you edit permission. If you have edit permission and make changes to a file in a synced shared folder, those changes upload to OneDrive and the other person sees them.

If you no longer want a shared folder on your device, uncheck it in the sync settings (Windows or Mac) or swipe left and tap Remove (phone). Removing it from your device does not delete the folder from OneDrive or affect the other person — it only stops syncing to that device.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sync OneDrive to multiple computers?

Yes. Sign in to OneDrive on each computer with the same Microsoft account, and each one will sync the folders you choose. If you sync the same folder to two computers, changes on one computer upload to OneDrive and read to the other automatically. Be careful not to edit the same file on two computers at the same time — OneDrive will create a copy of one version to avoid losing work.

What happens to my files if I unlink OneDrive from my computer?

Your files stay in OneDrive online and on any other device where you have synced them. They are not deleted from your computer either — they stay in the OneDrive folder. Unlinking just stops the sync process. You can sign back in anytime and sync again.

Why is my OneDrive taking up so much storage space?

If you have synced many large folders or files, OneDrive can use several gigabytes of space. To free up space, use selective sync to uncheck folders you do not need locally, or turn on Files On-Demand (Windows and Mac) to keep files online-only. On phone, delete files you have downloaded by swiping left and tapping Remove.

Can I pause sync temporarily without signing out?

On Windows, right-click the OneDrive icon and select Pause syncing. You can choose to pause for 2 hours, 8 hours, or until you restart your computer. On Mac and phone, there is no pause option — you must sign out to stop syncing, or turn off Wi-Fi and cellular to prevent uploads and downloads.

What if two people edit the same file at the same time?

OneDrive detects the conflict and creates a copy of one version with "(2)" in the file name, so both versions are saved. Open both files, copy the changes you want to keep from the copy into the original, and delete the copy. To avoid this, use co-authoring in Microsoft 365 apps like Word or Excel online — multiple people can edit the same document at once and see each other's changes in real time.