How to Sync a OneDrive Folder on PC or Mac

Co-authored by Mitch Harris

Last Updated: July 28, 2022 Tested

Using Windows

|

Using a Mac

|

Expert Q&A

This wikiHow teaches you how to select which folders you want to sync between your computer's local storage and your OneDrive cloud account, using a computer.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using Windows

1
Find and right-click the OneDrive icon on your computer's taskbar. The OneDrive icon looks like two white clouds on the taskbar. You can find it near the clock, language, and volume buttons in the lower-right corner of your screen.^{[1]
X
Expert Source

Mitch Harris
Consumer Technology Expert
Expert Interview. 23 June 2021.}
- This will open a pop-up panel on the bottom-right. You can view your OneDrive files and settings here.
2
Click the ⋮ button on the top-right. You'll find this button in the upper-right corner of the OneDrive panel. It will open a drop-down menu.

Advertisement
3
Click Settings on the drop-down menu. This will open your Microsoft OneDrive settings in a new window.^{[2]
X
Expert Source

Mitch Harris
Consumer Technology Expert
Expert Interview. 23 June 2021.}
4
Click the Account tab in the Settings window. This button is in the upper-left corner of the pop-up window.
5
Click the Choose folders button. This will open a list of all the folders you can sync to your OneDrive, and allow you to select which ones you want to sync.^{[3]
X
Expert Source

Mitch Harris
Consumer Technology Expert
Expert Interview. 23 June 2021.}
6
Check the box next to the folder you want to sync. Find the folder you want to sync on the list, and click the box next to it.^{[4]
X
Expert Source

Mitch Harris
Consumer Technology Expert
Expert Interview. 23 June 2021.}
- A checkmark will appear in the box when you click on it.
7
Click the OK button. This button is in the lower-right corner of the pop-up window. It will save your settings, and sync all the checked folders between your computer and your OneDrive account.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using a Mac

1
Open the OneDrive app on your Mac. The OneDrive icon looks like two blue clouds. You can find it on your Applications folder.
2
Sign in to your Microsoft account. You will have to sign in to OneDrive with your Microsoft or Live account.
- Enter your email address into the email field.
- Click Sign in.
- Enter your account password.
- Click Sign in.
3
Click Choose OneDrive Folder Location on the welcome page. This will allow you to select a main folder on your computer to store and sync other folders and files to OneDrive.
4
Select the folder you want to sync to your OneDrive. Find the folder you want to sync in the file explorer window, and click on the folder to select it.
5
Click Choose this location. This will create a new folder titled "OneDrive" in the selected main folder.
6
Click the Next button. This will open a list of all the subfolders you can sync between your computer and OneDrive.
7
Select all the folders you want to sync to your OneDrive. Click and check the box next to a folder on the list to sync it to your cloud storage.
8
Click Next. This will confirm your selection, and create your OneDrive folder on your computer.
9
Click the Open My OneDrive folder button. This will open your OneDrive folder in a new Finder window. Anything you copy or move here will be automatically synced to your OneDrive account.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do I backup my OneDrive data?

Mitch Harris
Consumer Technology Expert
Mitch Harris is a Consumer Technology Expert based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Mitch runs his own IT Consulting company called Mitch the Geek, helping individuals and businesses with home office technology, data security, remote support, and cybersecurity compliance. Mitch earned a BS in Psychology, English, and Physics and graduated Cum Laude from Northern Arizona University.

Mitch Harris

Consumer Technology Expert

Expert Answer

Go into your OneDrive settings and choose which computer folders you'd like to include in the backup.
Question

How do I share a OneDrive folder with someone?

Mitch Harris
Consumer Technology Expert
Mitch Harris is a Consumer Technology Expert based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Mitch runs his own IT Consulting company called Mitch the Geek, helping individuals and businesses with home office technology, data security, remote support, and cybersecurity compliance. Mitch earned a BS in Psychology, English, and Physics and graduated Cum Laude from Northern Arizona University.

Mitch Harris

Consumer Technology Expert

Expert Answer

Right-click on the folder and go to OneDrive selections, which will let you share it with a different person.