What Is OneDrive – Cloud Storage Explained

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OneDrive is a cloud storage service that allows you to store and access your files from anywhere with an internet connection. It's a part of Microsoft's Office 365 suite, but you can also use it as a standalone service.

OneDrive offers a generous amount of free storage, 5 GB to be exact, which can be expanded to 1 TB with an Office 365 subscription. You can also upgrade to a paid plan for additional storage.

OneDrive is accessible from any device with an internet connection, including Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android devices. This means you can access your files on your computer, phone, or tablet, wherever you are.

Features and Benefits

OneDrive has 7 key features that you must know to get the most out of it.

OneDrive is a fantastic tool for cloud storage, and its features are designed to make your life easier. With 7 key features, you can access and manage your files from anywhere, at any time.

Credit: youtube.com, Microsoft OneDrive Tutorial: All You Need to Know

One of the key features of OneDrive is that it allows you to access your files from any device, making it a great tool for collaboration and sharing.

OneDrive also offers unique benefits, such as automatic photo and file backup, which can be a huge relief for those who worry about losing their important files.

Benefits

OneDrive offers flexible sharing options, allowing administrators to control access to documents and set privileges for external users.

You can share individual files or entire folders with others, and even control whether they can edit or just view the files, which adds an extra layer of security and control.

OneDrive's powerful sharing capabilities make collaboration a breeze, and you can share files or folders with others without needing any special software.

Document access can be timed, so once the period elapses, the access to the document is restricted again, giving you peace of mind.

Files within the cloud storage are encrypted, preventing man-in-the-middle attacks and keeping your data safe.

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OneDrive integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Office, allowing you to directly open or save documents to the cloud, or simultaneously edit shared documents with other users.

Changes are synchronized when a document is saved, and you can choose which version to keep if conflicts occur.

You can also use multiple desktop and web programs to edit the same shared document, making collaboration a snap.

OneDrive's efficient document management features mean you don't have to worry about multiple versions of the same document.

OneDrive will manage your documents and add changes to the same document, with indications of what changes have been made.

This is especially useful for organizations that encourage working from home, as it keeps everything organized and up-to-date.

OneDrive keeps older versions of all files for up to 30 days, giving you a safety net in case something goes wrong.

This means you can revert to a previous version of a file if needed, and you'll always have a record of changes made.

With OneDrive, you can collaborate in real-time with team members using any Microsoft tool and many more document tools, making coauthoring a breeze.

A single version of the document is maintained, so you don't have to worry about multiple versions or conflicts.

You can even view the version history of Office documents stored on OneDrive, giving you a clear picture of changes made over time.

Photos and Videos

An artist's illustration of artificial intelligence (AI). This image represents storage of collected data in AI. It was created by Wes Cockx as part of the Visualising AI project launched ...
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OneDrive makes it easy to share memories with friends and family, automatically displaying a map of the location where a photo was taken.

You can tag people in photos uploaded to OneDrive, making it simple to identify who's in the picture.

OneDrive also supports the UWP app, Microsoft Photos, allowing you to access and manage your photos from a variety of devices.

Photos uploaded to OneDrive can be played as an automatic slideshow, making it easy to share a collection of photos with others.

If you've uploaded 360° images to OneDrive, you can view them in panoramic mode, just like you would with a 360° camera.

Key Features

OneDrive is a fantastic tool, and knowing its key features is essential to getting the most out of it.

OneDrive has 7 key features that you must know. OneDrive is a fantastic tool.

With these features, you can enjoy a seamless cloud storage experience. One of the key features of OneDrive is its ability to provide 7 features that you must know.

Formats

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OneDrive allows the viewing of documents in Portable Document Format (PDF) and Open Document Format (ODF), which is supported by many word processing applications.

You can view documents in PDF format, which is great for sharing and collaborating on files that need to be read by others.

OneDrive's search function supports search within PDF documents, making it easy to find specific information.

With ODF support, you can also view documents created with LibreOffice, Apache OpenOffice, and Corel's WordPerfect, among others.

This feature is especially useful for those who use multiple word processing applications and need to access files across different platforms.

The 7 Key Features

OneDrive is a fantastic tool, and to get the most out of it, you must know its 7 key features.

OneDrive is a fantastic tool. We've identified 7 features that you must know to get the most out of it.

One of the most useful features is its ability to provide 1TB of cloud storage for free.

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You can also use OneDrive to access your files from anywhere, on any device, as long as you have an internet connection.

OneDrive integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Office, allowing you to edit and save documents directly from the cloud.

OneDrive has a robust security system, including two-factor authentication and encryption, to protect your files from unauthorized access.

You can also use OneDrive to collaborate with others in real-time, making it a great tool for team projects.

OneDrive also has a feature that allows you to share files and folders with others, either by sending them a link or by inviting them to edit the file.

Pay Attention to 'File on-Demand'

The "File On-Demand" feature is enabled by default, so be aware of it when working with Teams files.

If you have the sync client installed, you might think you can access files offline, but it won't be available until you open the file.

You can keep an important file or folder on your computer by right-clicking on it and choosing "Always keep on this device".

Disabling the Files On-Demand function is also an option, accessible by opening the OneDrive client and going to "Help & Settings" -> "Settings", then unchecking the function's checkbox.

Cloud Storage

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OneDrive is a cloud storage platform provided by Microsoft, and it's available to everyone with a Microsoft account.

You can sign up for OneDrive with a free account that gives you 5GB of storage, or you can upgrade to Microsoft 365 for 1TB of storage.

OneDrive is more than just cloud storage – it's also a storage space for document management systems and a backup for important files.

Organizations use OneDrive for sharing files with flexible share options that allow administrators to control access to sensitive information.

Administrators can set privileges for external users and even time limit access to documents, ensuring that information is not shared with the wrong people.

Files stored on OneDrive are encrypted for added security, protecting against man in the middle attacks.

With OneDrive, you can be sure that your data is safe and secure, thanks to Microsoft's continuous efforts to improve data protection.

Usage and Integration

OneDrive is a versatile tool that integrates seamlessly with various applications and services. You can transfer documents from one app to another or connect them for automated workflows.

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Microsoft Office, starting with Office 2010 and Office for Mac 2011, allows users to directly open or save documents to OneDrive, or simultaneously edit shared documents with other users.

OneDrive also allows users to embed their Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents into other web pages, enabling others to interact with them. This feature is particularly useful for presentations and spreadsheets.

Some of the apps and services that OneDrive integrates with include:

  • Outlook.com
  • Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn
  • Bing
  • Windows Live Groups (discontinued)
  • Samsung Gallery

OneDrive also provides a secure personal space called the Personal Vault, where you can keep files under lock and key. This feature is particularly useful for sensitive documents or files that require extra security.

Download as Zip

You can download entire folders from OneDrive as a single ZIP file, which is super convenient for large file transfers.

There's a limit of 15 GB for a single download, so be mindful of that if you're working with massive files.

OneDrive also has a total ZIP file size limit of 20 GB, so don't try to pack too many files into one ZIP.

Up to 10,000 files can be included in a single ZIP file, which is a lot of files if you ask me.

Client Apps

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OneDrive client apps are available for various platforms, including Android, iOS, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows 10 Mobile, Windows Phone, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.

The OneDrive client app for Windows allows users to access documents, photos, and videos stored on their OneDrive account, and is integrated with Microsoft Office 2010 and later.

OneDrive is also integrated in the Office and Photos hub of Windows Phone, and can sync user settings and files through either the included OneDrive app or File Explorer.

The OneDrive app was updated to include a local file manager, and users can access files directly from OneDrive as if they are stored locally using reparse points.

OneDrive client apps for Android and iOS also allow camera photos to automatically be uploaded to OneDrive, and users can invite others to view or collaborate on files directly from their mobile devices.

The OneDrive mobile app is available for download on Android and iOS devices, and users can log in with their business accounts to unlock its full potential.

Here are the latest versions of the OneDrive client app for Android and iOS:

How to Use?

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To use OneDrive, start by visiting the OneDrive website and choose Sign Up for free. Follow the prompts to create an email address and password.

Once you complete that process, you will have a Microsoft account along with a OneDrive and Outlook profile as well. You can now sign in to OneDrive and choose what you would like to upload to your new personal cloud storage.

OneDrive Personal Vault is a secure personal space where you can keep files under lock and key - or password.

You can use OneDrive to backup files, add it as another drive on your PC, store photos, music, and videos so you can access them anywhere, share heavy files with other people by simply sharing the link through email, use it as a document management tool for business documents, or use it as a database for document automation.

Here are some ways to get started with OneDrive:

  • Use OneDrive to backup files.
  • Add it as another drive on your PC.
  • Store photos, music, and videos so you can access them anywhere.
  • Share heavy files with other people by simply sharing the link through email.
  • Use it as a document management tool for business documents.
  • Use it as a database for document automation.

Pricing and Plans

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OneDrive comes with 5 GB of free storage, which is a great starting point for most users.

You can upgrade to a paid plan to get more storage space, with options ranging from $1.99 a month for 100 GB to $99.99 for a Microsoft 365 Family plan that includes 1 TB of storage for six users.

The Microsoft 365 Personal plan offers 1 TB of storage space for $69.99 a month, which is a good option for individuals who need more space.

For enterprise customers, OneDrive for Business offers four plans with different prices and features, starting at $5 per user per month for Business Plan 1.

Each plan in OneDrive for Business increases the features and amount of storage space with cost, with the highest plan offering up to 25 TB of storage per user.

You can get 1 TB of free storage if you subscribe to Microsoft 365, which is a great deal for individuals and organizations alike.

Alternatively, you can recommend OneDrive to a friend and get rewarded with extra space up to 15 GB depending on the number of people you entice to use the service.

Business and Personal Use

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OneDrive is perfect for both business and personal use. You can download the app on your smartphone or tablet to access your files on the go, and even invite others to collaborate on files directly from your mobile device.

The OneDrive mobile app is available for both Android and iOS devices, making it easy to stay connected and productive no matter where you are. With just a few taps, you can create new folders, upload or edit files, and manage your data directly from your smartphone or tablet.

Whether you're an individual or an organization, OneDrive offers extra storage space to help you stay organized. You can choose from 5GB, 100GB, or 1TB of storage, depending on your needs.

Personal Vault

Personal Vault is a protected area in OneDrive where users can store sensitive files and photos securely.

It's designed for storing your most important or sensitive information, and it's not available in the macOS app.

To access Personal Vault, you'll need a strong authentication method or a second step of identity verification, such as fingerprint, face, PIN, or a code sent via email or SMS.

This extra layer of security gives you peace of mind knowing your sensitive files are protected.

For Business

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OneDrive for Business is a game-changer for companies, allowing them to efficiently manage their objectives and store sensitive business data securely.

Each team member gets allocated storage space, ranging from 1 TB to unlimited storage per user, depending on the type of Microsoft 365 license acquired.

Having extra storage is a must for any business, especially those with multiple devices accessing and editing documents. An extra 1 TB of storage can solve the problem of running out of space.

The integration with SharePoint in Microsoft 365 enhances storage capabilities and optimizes collaboration processes, empowering teams to collaborate effectively on diverse projects and documents. This is a huge advantage for businesses that need to work on multiple projects simultaneously.

Companies can seamlessly organize, store, and share documents among team members with OneDrive, fostering smooth real-time collaboration. This is especially useful for teams that need to work together on projects remotely.

Important Information

Onedrive is a cloud storage service that allows you to store and access your files from anywhere.

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You can store files of all types, including documents, photos, and videos.

OneDrive offers 5 GB of free storage, which is a great starting point for most users.

It's also possible to upgrade to a paid plan for more storage space.

OneDrive integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Office, making it easy to access and edit documents on the go.

With OneDrive, you can share files with others and control who can view or edit them.

You can also access your OneDrive files from the OneDrive mobile app, making it easy to stay organized on the go.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I don't use OneDrive?

Uninstalling OneDrive won't delete your files, but you'll need to access them through OneDrive.com instead. If you don't use OneDrive, your files will still be safe and accessible online

Jeannie Larson

Senior Assigning Editor

Jeannie Larson is a seasoned Assigning Editor with a keen eye for compelling content. With a passion for storytelling, she has curated articles on a wide range of topics, from technology to lifestyle. Jeannie's expertise lies in assigning and editing articles that resonate with diverse audiences.

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