How to Sync OneDrive on Windows 11

To sync OneDrive on Windows 11, select the OneDrive cloud icon near the clock, sign in with your Microsoft account, and follow the setup screens. After that, anything you save in the OneDrive folder in File Explorer syncs automatically whenever you are online. There is no sync button to press. Status icons next to each file show what has synced.

This guide covers the OneDrive sync app that comes with Windows 11. The steps follow Microsoft’s current instructions in Sync your computer’s files and folders with OneDrive.

What OneDrive Sync Does

Syncing means OneDrive keeps the files in the OneDrive folder on your PC matched with the copies stored in your OneDrive account online (the “cloud”). It works in both directions. If you add, change, or delete a file or folder in your OneDrive folder, the same thing happens on the OneDrive website, and the reverse is also true.

That last part matters. Sync is not a one-way backup. Deleting a synced file on your PC also deletes it from OneDrive online and from your other devices.

What You Need

• A Windows 11 PC. OneDrive comes already installed on Windows 11, so there is usually nothing to download.
• An account. A personal Microsoft account, or a work or school account.
• An internet connection. Changes sync when you are online.
• Enough OneDrive storage. Once you go over your Microsoft storage limit, you can’t upload, edit, or sync new files.

Install the OneDrive Sync App if It Is Missing

Windows 11 normally includes the OneDrive sync app. First search Start for OneDrive. If it isn’t there, use the download link in Microsoft’s explanation of the OneDrive apps to get the Windows sync installer from OneDrive’s official website.

Run the downloaded installer, open OneDrive, and follow the sign-in and folder-setup steps below. Check that the cloud icon appears and a test file shows up on the OneDrive website. The sync app adds a OneDrive folder to File Explorer; the website or a file-viewing app alone won’t sync that folder.

How to Set Up OneDrive Sync on Windows 11

1. Select the OneDrive cloud icon in the notification area, near the clock. If you do not see it, select the small arrow next to the clock to show hidden icons. If it is still missing, press the Windows key, type OneDrive, and open the OneDrive app.
2. Enter your Microsoft account, or your work or school account, and select Sign in. Finish any password or verification prompts.
3. On the This is your OneDrive folder screen, select Next to accept the default folder location. To store the folder somewhere else, select Change location first. Microsoft calls this the best time to make that change.
4. On the All your files, ready and on-demand screen, look at how files are marked as online-only, locally available, or always available. Select Next.
5. Follow any remaining screens. The setup may also offer to back up folders such as Desktop, Documents, and Pictures. You can turn that on now or later.
6. Open File Explorer and select OneDrive in the left pane. Your files appear there, and the cloud icon stays on the taskbar.

With more than one account, personal files appear under OneDrive – Personal and work or school files appear under OneDrive – [CompanyName]. You can add several work or school accounts, but only one personal OneDrive account.

Sync a File or Folder

Once setup is done, syncing a file takes one action: put it in the OneDrive folder.

1. Open File Explorer and select OneDrive in the left pane.
2. Drag a file or folder into it, or save a document there from an app.
3. Watch the status icon next to the item. Circular arrows mean it is syncing.

Dragging a file into the OneDrive folder from another folder on the same drive normally moves it instead of copying it. Copy and paste if you want to keep the original where it is.

Choose Which OneDrive Folders Sync to This PC

You do not have to keep every OneDrive folder on every computer. Before you change this, know what it does: unchecking a folder you are syncing removes it from your computer, but the folder and its contents stay available online.

1. Select the OneDrive cloud icon near the clock.
2. Select the gear icon (Help & Settings), then Settings.
3. Go to the Account tab.
4. Select Choose folders.
5. Uncheck any folders you do not want on this computer, then select OK.

A few limits apply. You can only pick folders that are already in your OneDrive. You cannot uncheck certain folders that are important to the PC, including Documents, Desktop, Pictures, and your Personal Vault. These choices apply only to this computer and this account. To undo the change, open Choose folders again and check the folder. See Microsoft’s Choose which OneDrive folders you want to sync for details.

Back Up Desktop, Documents, and Pictures

Standard Windows folders such as Desktop, Documents, Music, Pictures, and Videos are not automatically part of OneDrive. Folder backup adds them, so they sync like everything else.

1. Open OneDrive settings (cloud icon, gear icon, Settings).
2. Go to the Sync and backup tab.
3. Select Manage backup.
4. Turn on the switch for any folder that says Not backed up, then select Save changes.

To stop later, turn the folder’s switch off in the same place. OneDrive then asks whether to keep the files only in OneDrive or only on your PC, so read that prompt carefully before you choose. Microsoft’s Back up your folders with OneDrive explains both options.

If you want new files saved to a local drive by default instead, change the default save location in Windows 11.

Save Disk Space With Files On-Demand

Files On-Demand lets you see all your OneDrive files in File Explorer without downloading all of them. An online-only file takes no space on the PC and downloads when you open it. Starting with OneDrive build 23.066, Files On-Demand is turned on by default.

• Keep a file offline: right-click a file or folder in the OneDrive folder and select Always keep on this device.
• Remove the local copy: right-click it and select Free up space. The file stays in OneDrive. It is not deleted.
• If the option is off: open OneDrive settings, go to Sync and backup, expand Advanced settings, and turn on Files On-Demand.

You cannot open an online-only file without an internet connection, so mark anything you need on a trip as Always keep on this device before you leave. More detail is in Microsoft’s Files On-Demand guide for Windows.

Check That OneDrive Is Syncing

Status icons appear on the OneDrive taskbar icon and next to files in File Explorer.

Icon	Meaning
Circular arrows	Sync is in progress.
Blue cloud	Online-only. The file is not stored on this PC.
White circle with a green check	Locally available. The file was opened and downloaded.
Green circle with a white check	Marked Always keep on this device.
Red circle with a white cross	A file or folder cannot sync.
Pause symbol on the cloud	Syncing is paused.
Gray cloud with a line through it	You are not signed in, or setup is not finished.

Every status icon is explained on the OneDrive icons reference page.

For a quick test, save a small file in the OneDrive folder, wait for the circular arrows to go away, and then look for the file on the OneDrive website or another device signed in to the same account.

Pause and Resume Syncing

OneDrive has no manual “sync now” control because it syncs on its own. You can pause it, though, which helps on a slow or metered connection.

1. Right-click the OneDrive cloud icon on the taskbar.
2. Choose Pause syncing and pick 2, 8, or 24 hours. The icon shows a pause symbol.
3. To start again early, select the paused icon and choose Resume syncing. Otherwise, syncing resumes when the time runs out.

OneDrive also pauses on its own when the PC enters battery saver mode or is on a metered network. Pausing and resuming can also help when OneDrive shows “Processing changes” for a long time. See How to pause and resume OneDrive sync. To uninstall the app, follow the steps for completely removing OneDrive from Windows 11. To stop it for good, you can turn off OneDrive on Windows 11 instead.

Switch the Account Used by OneDrive

Check that the old account has finished syncing, and verify important files on its OneDrive website. Download any online-only files you need offline. Select the cloud icon, open its gear menu and Settings > Account, then select Unlink this PC > Unlink account. This stops that connection; it does not close the online account or transfer its files. The full unlinking process is on the unlink and re-link OneDrive page.

Open OneDrive from Start if the sign-in screen does not appear, and sign in with the new account. Choose a separate local folder for it when asked, finish setup, and check its account name and a small test file on the website. Be careful not to merge the old account’s folder into the new one by accident. To undo the switch, unlink this connection and sign back in with the old account. OneDrive supports one personal account at a time; see the setup notes above for work or school accounts.

If OneDrive Is Not Syncing

Work through these checks in order. Each one matches a known cause of sync trouble.

• No cloud icon: the icon may be hidden, or OneDrive may not be running. Check the hidden icons arrow, then open OneDrive from Start.
• Gray cloud with a line: you are signed out or setup is not finished. Open the OneDrive app and sign in.
• Pause symbol: select the icon and choose Resume syncing. Also check whether battery saver or a metered connection is on.
• Storage is full: new files will not sync until you free up space or get more storage.
• A file name is not allowed: names cannot start or end with a space or include any of these characters: " * : < > ? / \ | Rename the file. In Windows, select it and press F2.
• A file is too large: OneDrive cannot sync a file over 250 GB.
• Red cross: select the OneDrive icon to read the specific error.

Microsoft’s Fix OneDrive sync problems page sorts fixes by the icon you see, and the full naming rules are in Restrictions and limitations in OneDrive and SharePoint.

If sync is still stuck, a reset is the next step. Resetting OneDrive won’t cost you any files or data, but it disconnects your sync connections, runs a full sync afterward, and makes you choose your folders again. The walkthrough for clearing the OneDrive cache on Windows 11 covers the process, and the official steps are on the Reset OneDrive support page.

Red Crosses and Green Checks on Desktop Files

If OneDrive backs up Desktop, its status symbols can appear on desktop files too. A red circle with a white cross indicates a sync problem: select the taskbar OneDrive cloud icon, read the specific error, and use the troubleshooting checks above. Hiding the symbol does not fix the error. A green check instead describes local availability: a white circle with a green check means locally available, while a solid green circle with a white check means Always keep on this device. Each icon’s meaning is listed on the OneDrive icon reference page.

To make a fully synced file online-only, right-click it and choose Free up space. Check that the online copy opens first. The icon changes to a blue cloud. Don’t unlink OneDrive or stop Desktop backup just to change an icon. The item check boxes in File Explorer are a separate setting and don’t affect OneDrive status icons.

Frequently Asked Questions

Next Steps

With sync running, turn on folder backup for the folders you use most, and mark travel files as Always keep on this device. If OneDrive starts filling your drive, use Free up space or move the files from OneDrive to your PC.