How to back up your computer to OneDrive?

Whether you are worried about losing your important files/folders or are looking for free storage options, OneDrive can be a useful tool to solve both of these problems.

Unlike traditional storage devices like hard disks or SSDs, OneDrive stores copies of your files on its servers. Therefore, you can back up your computers to OneDrive to restore them in case your device is lost or damaged.

So don’t hesitate any longer, check out how to back up your computer to OneDrive.

How to back up your computer to OneDrive on Windows

There are two ways to use OneDrive for backups. One is to install the OneDrive app on your local computer and the other is to use the web app version.

Using the desktop app, you can have local files available on your PC while keeping them in sync with OneDrive. However, it also takes up some space on your memory.

Web apps, on the other hand, allow you to store files without taking up space on your PC. However, you have to log into your account from the browser and download the file every time you need it locally.

However, here’s how to back up your files using both the desktop app and the web app.

Using the Desktop Application

If you are using Windows 10 or 11, OneDrive comes pre-installed on your computer. However, you must install the OneDrive app from its official page for older versions of Windows.

To backup using the desktop application,

1. First, search and open the OneDrive app on your PC and click little cloud icon in the notification area on the taskbar. If you don’t see it there, you may need to click Show hidden icons(small up arrow) on the taskbar.
2. If you’re not signed in, sign in with your OneDrive account credentials. If not, move on to the next step.
3. Then click gear icon from the OneDrive window and select Setting right to buy.
4. Under Backup click Backup Management button. Also, select the checkboxes below Photos and videos and Screenshots section to save photos and videos automatically whenever you connect a device such as a phone or camera to the OneDrive folder.
   
5. Now, select the folders you want to backup on OneDrive and click “Start backup. “
6. You can find all the backup content on A disk folder to the left of Data management program.

Note: Even if something is deleted on your OneDrive folder after syncing, you can restore them from the Recycle Bin in the OneDrive web app. However, restore them as soon as possible as they only stay there for 30 days.

Using OneDrive web app

To back up using the web app, you must upload files to the OneDrive dashboard. Here’s how you can do it.

1. Open a browser and log in OneDrive account.
2. Then click “Upload” on the top bar and select Files / Folders right to buy.
3. Next, select the files you want to back up and click Open for upload on the OneDrive cloud. Alternatively, you can drag and drop your files/folders directly into the OneDrive dashboard.

How to change backup location

In general, OneDrive creates a folder named “A disk” about you system disk (C: drive for most people) to store its files. Everything you save on that folder will then be backed up automatically, as long as you’re connected to the Internet.

However, if you want to change the directory, you can follow these steps.

1. Open A disk application.
2. Then, click on the OneDrive icon (it looks like a small cloud) on the taskbar.
3. Click the little gear icon in the upper-right corner of the OneDrive window, then click the Settings option.
4. Under Account tab, click Unlink This PC or Unlink this Mac, depending on your device. Then click Unlink the account on the prompt window.
   
5. Now, on Set up OneDrive prompt, enter your email address and click Log in.
6. Next, enter your PIN or security code if required.
7. Above Your OneDrive Folding Screenr prompt window, click “Change Location” and select your preferred disk location. Then click Next and follow the on-screen instructions.

How to restore files from OneDrive Cloud to your PC

If you want to access OneDrive synced files from another computer, you can download them from the OneDrive web app. Here’s how you can do it.

1. Open a web browser and sign in to the official OneDrive site.
2. Click My files on the left sidebar and select the file/folder to download.
3. Next, click “Download”, appears in the top toolbar after selection. To select everything at once, you can use the keyboard shortcut Control + One for Windows and Request + One for Mac.
4. Select the destination folder above Save as prompt and click Save. Generally, downloaded files are in Download directory unless you have changed it.

How to get more space in OneDrive

OneDrive offers only 5GB Storage for a free account is not enough in this digital age. So it can fill up pretty quickly.

For more storage, you must upgrade to their premium subscription, which offers up to 1TB of cloud storage.

On the other hand, if you have .edu account, you can have maximum 5TB OneDrive storage for free.

Related question

How can I back up files from one OneDrive account to another?

If you have multiple OneDrive accounts, you may want to move files from one account to another. Although OneDrive doesn’t provide a direct way to do it, you can still do it in the following way.

1. Open a browser and sign in to the OneDrive account, which contains the files you want to back up.
2. Next, select the required files/folders and click Download.
3. Now, sign out of that account or open another browser and sign in to the OneDrive account you want to transfer those files to.
4. Then drag and drop the downloaded files into the OneDrive dashboard.

Alternatively, you can use third-party tools like MultCloudcloudHQ, cloudHQ, cloudfuze, etc., to move content directly between two OneDrive accounts. Moreover, you can even do it for different cloud hosting providers.

How to backup files to OneDrive on Mac?

Since your Mac doesn’t have OneDrive installed, you must download its Desktop app. Then copy/move your files to OneDrive folder for backup. On the other hand, you can use OneDrive Web App if you don’t want to install the app.