Half a Dozen Uses for OneDrive

☝️ OneDrive is a surprisingly powerful service that many people overlook or don't understand. I'll review six ways you can leverage OneDrive.
☝️ Uses for OneDrive
* Off-site backup
* Continuous backup
* Copying files between machines
* Copying work setups between machines
* Sharing files with others
* Collaborating with others
Updates, related links, and more discussion: askleo.com/43669
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✅ Watch next ▶ Why Is My OneDrive Full? ▶ • Why Is My OneDrive Full?
Chapters
0:00 Uses for OneDrive
0:44 What is OneDrive?
1:18 Off-site backup
2:15 Continuous backup
3:24 Copying files between machines
5:08 Copying work environments between machines
6:00 Sharing files with others
7:00 Collaborating with others
8:05 Sensitive data on OneDrive
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❤️ My Most Important Article: go.askleo.com/number1
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#askleo #onedrive #cloud

[@NickCassimon]

My first channel to go to when I have a problem. Most of the tilme i find what I'm looking for. Awesome

[@bobcarn]

Use #7: Access information remotely using your phone or tablet. The OneDrive app on my Android phone lets me call up spreadsheets and records and easily (the search function works well).

[@gwine9087]

One of my main reasons.

[@flipflopski2951]

You can do that with KDE Connect without putting your data on Microsoft's computer.

[@fr3ddyfr3sh]

Sir, your videos are exceptionally good. Keep up the good work. I say that as power user and C# developer. Greetings from Germany

[@nigelogilvie9450]

Very useful background information, cogently put across, thank you.

[@neuideas]

I use OneDrive to copy/backup my Keepass vault. It's also convenient for copying the file, and other small files, from one computer to the other.

[@flipflopski2951]

There are several ways of doing that without giving your data to a microsoft computer.

[@neuideas]

@@flipflopski2951 You are correct.

[@thejulesfather]

Great work mate!

[@infinitedonuts]

Good informative video!

[@debbiejester751]

GREAT info! thanks

[@ballybunion9]

You saved the most interesting piece of advice for last. Well done, sir! 👍🏻

[@best_creative_vids]

Hi Leo, thanks for your explanation, I love the clarity of it. In my opinion your story needs a nuance that is essential. Onedrive files are NOT downloaded to your PC by default. At least not when you are using the WIN11 backup functionality. They are when they are created uploaded to the cloud and stay there. So they do not also transfer between PC's. Every PC, you or your colleague's, is accessing that same file in the cloud.... ONLY if you state to your local Onedrive that files must be made available on your local drive, that file, a copy of it, is sitting in your C-drive. When it is being changed, Onedrive replicates it also to the cloud in sort of a sync. A green checkbox means it is replicated to the cloud, a fully green checkbox means it is also locally available.

[@flipflopski2951]

So... Microsoft now has control of your data and can limit or cut off your access to it right?

[@farmergal4253]

I recently updated Microsoft 11 Home. I really appreciate this video because I want to use OneDrive, but I find the set up on MS11 really confusing. Thanks for the excellent summary of how to leverage OneDrive and manage files efficiently. I'll be looking for how to deal with photos next.

[@kennethstephani692]

… another terrific video!

[@DavidM2002]

I would argue that if your computers are connected via Onedrive then that constant updating of files between locations is not a backup. If you corrupt a file in one place, it will copy that corrupt file to the others and overwrite the good copies. That's a sync and I would not rely on syncing files to be my backup.

[@sblack48]

So if I accidentally delete a file then onedrive will delete it on the cloud? That’s not that helpful.

[@paulyeomans1065]

@@sblack48 If you delete a file accidentally, it will probably be recoverable from your local wastebasket/trash. Even if you’ve permanently deleted it locally, OneDrive will keep a copy of it for 30 days, so it can be recovered. One other advantage of this is that OneDrive maintains copies of previous versions of your files, so if you really screw up e.g. a spreadsheet, you can find an earlier version of your document and restore it. This is especially helpful if you use Microsoft 365 apps with continuous save turned on.

[@pnachtwey]

it depends how you have one drive configured. Actually where you set the default location for directories like documents. If the default location is in the one drive then if you screw up a file the it is scared up everywhere. I keep my Documents in the the default location and must copy to the Documents in the one drive to she it. This uses more meo.

[@DavidM2002]

@@sblack48 That's exactly what happens.

[@flipflopski2951]

Backup is Orwellian speak for giving microsoft all your data just cloud is Orwell speak for a microsoft computer.

[@bijaytanty8434]

Thanks Sir

[@khensley]

I just learned something!!! Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks! I just got myself a brand new laptop. Now I'm wondering how to get my "stuff" from my old laptop to the new one. I have avoided One Drive, turned it off, don't use it, etc. blah, blah. Because I thought it was just another way for MS to spy. I'm retired now, but have lots of spreadsheets I like to work on for budget, medical, medicines, my dog's care and other stuff. After watching this video, I am going to view it again, and then stick my toe in the One Drive pond. Thank you so much for opening my eyes to this tool sitting on both my laptops (old and new) and my desktop PC as well. BTW, I also did the video "remove Bing from Search" with success after watching and following your video.

[@flipflopski2951]

Trusting Microsoft with your data is a very bad idea. Ask Leo what your recourse is when Microsoft denies you access to your own files or "loses" them.

[@alejandrodelavega9857]

@@flipflopski2951 I imagine that Leo will tell you that despite all the advantages of using OneDrive, you still need to be smart and have other backups of your files.

[@hd-ob1pj]

Thanks for doing these, you're very good at it! One thing I didn't notice addressed in the "sharing files" use case: is there a mechanism to "check-out a file for editing"? In other words, what happens when your assistant edits a file (then takes a coffee break without Saving) and you edit the same file and Save it? Are you warned that your assistant is editing? Is you assistant at least warned her edited copy is "stale" when she tries to Save her version or does she just clobber your edits?

[@askleonotenboom]

There's no "check out". Depending on the tool you're using, you may get no notification, but OneDrive will notice the conflict and save both copies for you to merge or handle with. Microsoft Office tools may allow for more direct and even simultaneous editing.

[@shanechiddy4303]

Hi Leo, great video. Can the second machine with OneDrive loaded only have cloud access, I.e. can the two PCs have different settings, the first PC has local files synced to OneDrive, the second PC only has access to the OneDrive files in the cloud and they are not saved locally.

[@alexmartin4650]

Hi Leo now that I have my data in “ the cloud” would you still back up your data on say a scheduled basis to an “ external hard drive”? Or alternatively would you use the Microsoft history and or system image as an internal storage area? If you have already done a video on this type of situation could you link it/them to me please! Carry on with the good work as an 84 year old novice I am learning a lot here!

[@askleonotenboom]

If your data is in only one place, it's not backed up. The cloud is ONE PLACE. If you lose access to your cloud account, for example, everything is gone. Poof. More here: askleo.com/can-rely-online-service-providers-backups/

[@alexmartin4650]

@@askleonotenboom Hi Leo that was an impressive reply. I have had a quick look at the advice and I think it is too much take on in one visit,so my plan is to save it,and go through it thoroughly and see how it fits in with what I am doing now e.g. I have MS365 ( =one drive),a 2 tb external HHD which I back up with Ease US.I am planning to back up ( twin) my 2nd PC which is also backed up to 2 tb using Aeomi on an HHD, plus I am using the inbuilt file history and restore software on each of my PCs. As I mentioned I plan on comparing your advice in conjunction with my current facilities and streamlining it all. Once again thanks for your advice! Alex

[@arosenston]

If I create or change a file that is in One Drive will it get replicated on my laptop whenever the laptop comes back online or must it be online when the change initially occurs?

[@askleonotenboom]

Whenever it comes back online.

[@alejandrodelavega9857]

Great stuff, Leo. Thank you. Q: if my files are in the OneDrive folder, and if I copy and paste that OneDrive folder to my external hard drive backup, will it actually copy those files, or just copy a link to OneDrive?

[@askleonotenboom]

It should copy them all. Is there anything preventing you from just trying it? Give it a try, see what happens.

[@garynudd174]

@@askleonotenboom 👍

[@Joe_P593]

Thank you for your informative videos. If I encrypt an Excel file using Excel's built in password / encryption capability (on a Mac: File/Passwords) is this as secure as using BoxCryptor?

[@askleonotenboom]

I believe so, with the exception that the file name is still visible. The contents are securely encrypted.

[@marceloot]

Interesting comments about encryption. However, Boxcryptor would not protect you in case your pc is stolen, will it? In that case thieves will have access to your local data which is not encrypted yet. I understand Boxcryptor encrypts the data only when it is uploaded to the cloud.

[@askleonotenboom]

No. When BoxCryptor is not running (as in when your computer is off, or you are not signed in), then your local data IS encrypted.

[@scottperkins3696]

I want to turn off all automatic featurres of ONE DRIVE and use it as a remote logical drive that I can manually move or copy files to from my physical hard drives on my desktop using FILE EXPLORER in Win 10. I am having trouble turning off the auto synch features and have found that there is a hidden directory on my desktop hard drive that contains a copy of everything I have stored on the Cloud Onedrive. This is using up way too much disk space on my desktop Logical C drive. You may be wondering why I am doing this and the reason is that I have two physical hard drives on my desktop and a total of eight Logical hard drives. This is to help organize all my files going back 20 years etc.. So you see, I really just want a remote logical drive for backup of my files to be copied only manually.

[@askleonotenboom]

Then you don't want OneDrive. It is not JUST a remote drive. Neither are dropbox, or Google Drive, or others. They all syncronize with folders on your PC. (The folders are not hidden, by the way.)

[@ms7165]

Can you encrypt files that are already in the OneDrive cloud with BoxCryptor? Don't want to have to encrypt/upload files that are already there; would take weeks and weeks with my upload speeds.

[@askleonotenboom]

The encryption happens on your machine, and would involve uploading the encrypted results.

[@ms7165]

@@askleonotenboom what I afraid of. Thanks for the reply.

[@dongunderson9352]

Once you have set up the one drive account, can you just put a file in the one drive folder & expect that it will be uploaded to the cloud or do you have to stay signed into onedrive in order for that to happen? ie: What if you are not signed into one drive. Will any files you add to the one-drive folder only be uploaded when you re-sign in?

[@askleonotenboom]

The OneDrive app on your computer must be signed in to your OneDrive account.

[@dongunderson9352]

@@askleonotenboom Thank you.

[@JimE6243]

👍👍 Does this relate to access by an iPhone in any way or computer only? Thanks. JimE

[@askleonotenboom]

Not sure your question, really, but there is a OneDrive app for iPhone.

[@JimE6243]

@@askleonotenboom That answers it. Wanted to know if what's on my computer could be accessed from my iPhone. Thanks! JimE

[@MrVidification]

If you can train AI to decrypt then perhaps in the very near future using one tool for encryption won't be a good idea

[@kkoz83]

How do you compare using BoxCrypter vs OneDrive's Vault?

[@askleonotenboom]

BoxCryptor is significantly more flexible.

[@Matschbacke25]

@@askleonotenboom This answer is not enough. Boxcryptor is something completely different than just the OneDrive Vault, because Microsoft is still in the possession of the encryption key, when you choose to use the vault.

[@arlenezimmerly718]

Would adding a strong password to sensitive files provide adequate security?

[@askleonotenboom]

It depends on exactly what technology you use to add that password. It can be.

[@arlenezimmerly718]

@@askleonotenboom Thank you, Leo. I'm using Microsoft 365's ability to add a password upon saving a file; for example, in Word: File, Save As, browse to desired location, More options, Tools, General Options, Password to open, [fill in desired strong password], OK, Reenter password, OK, Save. Microsoft certainly makes it obtuse to add a password, but I use passwords on all my sensitive files and add a password clue that only I will understand at the end of my file name.

[@peterjackson2625]

On Windows 7, Onedrive messed up my files and folders. Will take weeks to sort it out. Google cloud storage is 1000 time better.

[@martinbecklen6486]

Leo, I wonder if you made a mistake when, at mark 10:30, you say '... as a result, OneDrive never sees the unencrypted data....' I think you meant to say, ' as a result, OneDrive never sees the encrypted data. . . . ' OR, do I misunderstand what OneDrive is doing with unencrypted data you haven't encrypted with BoxCryptor?

[@askleonotenboom]

No, it's accurate. BoxCryptor (no longer available, now Cryptomator) encrypts the data on your machine before it gets uploaded to OneDrive. Thus OneDrive never sees the UNencrypted data.

[@Digmen1]

I trust Microsoft I just wish they would let me control my own PC

[@XNiFo]

How about 7zip the file with a password?

[@askleonotenboom]

How about it? What's your question?

[@XNiFo]

@@askleonotenboom haha leo I meant putting the sensitive files in a 7zip protected with a password after that uploading it to OneDrive?

[@askleonotenboom]

I'm still not exactly sure what it is you're asking, since of course it's quite easy to do that. If you're asking if that's safe, then yes, provided you use an appropriately secure password.

[@XNiFo]

@@askleonotenboom thank u for the answer , yes when u suggested to use boxcryptor for the sensitive files , so i can use 7zip to do the same thing

[@XNiFo]

After that i upload it to one drive

[@whiz3528]

One drive is just another way for Micro Soft o gather your data and make it subject to hackers then One Drive is for you. Time another operating system be offered to the public to defeat Micro Soft.

[@relaxingnature2617]

Free Cloud storage is too small ..extra storage is too expensive ..buying extra harddrives is much cheaper

[@flipflopski2951]

If you have to explain to people why they need it they probably don't need it.

[@billlee5679]

Dear Leo, I can't say enough that I am your big 😘💕 fan but you missed out one very important security point. MS allows employers using One Drive Business share point and One Drive - IN to hack into home personal account installing hidden virtual cameras via our USB ports. Such hacking is often made possible due to administrative tools sold by MS to any organizations. Bear in mind, MS is business oriented, never taking care of end users despising us not contributing any revenue to MS. Always rmb MS isn't a charity organization. Worse still, my former employee made use of all these accessible privileges to peep and record all my lady visitors peeing in my home restroom, which case was brought to court and legal enforcement. One Drive is an extremely dangerous and terrible existence to user's experience. It brought irreparable and irreversible scars to sexually assaulted victims online! My girlfriend has got nightmares and has been seeing psychiatrist for full 5 years. Avoid it anyway...😖

[@lynetteford6063]

I need helo

[@brockparker1617]

Just a Microsoft money grab.

[@heynowutube2]

Nothing is safe!

[@MichaelDomer]

Don't use it, absolutely no need for it.

[@engjds]

Powerful my arse, 5gb big deal and slow as Fk, there is NO good reason to use cloudstorage.

[@drbenirusani]

Great video! I have 1 question -- I already subscribed to the online Onedrive / Microsoft 365. Do I still need to install the Onedrive app on my MacBook? What advantage would it have over the online version? Thank you

[@askleonotenboom]

If you install it on your Mac it'll allow you to automatically upload/download to and from your Mac's hard disk.

[@drbenirusani]

@@askleonotenboom Oh thanks! But that is not ideal ya. As it will eat up our SSD storage without our consent.

[@johnmiller0000]

@@drbenirusaniIf it's like the Windows version, you can tell it what folders online not to replicate on your Mac and/or you can tag files so they are only in the cloud.

[@drbenirusani]

@@johnmiller0000 oh cool, that makes sense. Thank you so much.