OneDrive is making automatic backups seamless

Shawn Knight

Posts: 15,645   +199
Staff member
Why it matters: Backups are easiest when you don't have to put much thought or effort into them and Microsoft's new OneDrive folder protection feature certainly qualifies as easy. When disaster strikes (it's not a matter of if but when), you'll be happy you had the proper safeguards in place.

Microsoft this past June rolled out a new folder protection feature to OneDrive business users. Now, the handy feature is available to users with personal accounts. A Microsoft spokesperson told The Verge that the feature makes it easier to move content into OneDrive, have access to your important files on all your devices and keep files protected with features such as ransomware detection and recovery.

To enable folder protection, visit the OneDrive settings on Windows 10, head to the Auto Save tab and select “update folders” under “protect your important folders.” Make sure the folders you want to protect are marked then select “Start protection.”

Do note that some file types like Outlook database files (.pst) and OneNote files that aren't already stored in OneDrive (.one, .onepkg, .onetoc, .onetoc2) can’t be protected. Furthermore, OneDrive can’t sync files over 20GB in size and the entire file path can’t be longer than 520 characters in length on Windows 10 (under 260 characters for Windows 7).

Microsoft’s support page has additional information should you run into any issues setting up or using folder protection.

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Great....how about them fixing the BS that your local "copies" of your Onedrive taking up the space that it does. I have a 1TB monthly plan and I find it pretty stupid that right now if I have it synced it takes the storage that it does in use. Let us choose if we want to map a network drive or not!
 
...how about them fixing the BS that your local "copies" of your Onedrive taking up the space that it does.

Once you download the OneDrive app from the Store (I had to do that; I thought it came with Win10, but oh well), right click on your OneDrive in Windows Explorer (or from the System tray on the bottom right) > Select "Settings" > Select "Account" tab > Then click "Choose folders".
 
Assuming you have the current sync engine running, you can right click on any file or folder stored in OneDrive and choose "Free up space" to not have those files taking up drive space on that machine. The associated file symbol changes from a green check mark to a cloud. Pretty straight forward.
 
Assuming you have the current sync engine running, you can right click on any file or folder stored in OneDrive and choose "Free up space" to not have those files taking up drive space on that machine. The associated file symbol changes from a green check mark to a cloud. Pretty straight forward.

Thats pretty much what I do, since I have alot of photos on my samsung galaxy.
I let it back up automatically when it is on a wifi, if it beeps me thats it full.
I just cut the contents and paste it into my picures, the only the gripe about one drive.
It does get your login credentials wrong at times cries like a *****.
Until you fix it on your desktop/laptop end and on one drives settings end.
 
Thats pretty much what I do, since I have alot of photos on my samsung galaxy.
I let it back up automatically when it is on a wifi, if it beeps me thats it full.
I just cut the contents and paste it into my picures, the only the gripe about one drive.
It does get your login credentials wrong at times cries like a *****.
Until you fix it on your desktop/laptop end and on one drives settings end.

For sign-in, the Microsoft Authenticator app might be your ticket.
 
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