I am comfortable with Dropbox and it’s paradigm. I know how to sync selected folders, but keep other folders cloud-only.
OneDrive is a different story. I can’t seem to wrap my head around which files are syncing, which are local, how to tweak the settings, etc. I have tried RTFM, but it’s not clicking for me.
Can anyone recommend a good intro/primer for me. Thanks!
Just use perplexity ai to answer your specific questions or ask it for a tutorial.
Surprisingly good use case for AI.
If you have downloaded OneDrive from the App Store and sign in to your Microsoft account, I believe it automatically sets all to Files on Demand. It should install a Finder extension as well.
After it syncs the structure, you should be able to see all of the files. If they have cloud by them, they are just in the cloud. If they have a gray check mark with a line under it and a circle around the check mark, the file/folder is downloaded.
If you right-click on the file/folder, you will see actions below Quick Actions. If you would like the file/folder to always stay on the device, choose, “Always Keep on This Device.” If you have already downloaded the file/folder and don’t want to keep it downloaded, choose “Free Up Space.” It will sync correctly within a short time. The icon next to the file/folder name will change to the setting you chose.
If you want to keep all of the files on your device, the OneDrive cloud icon is in your menubar. Click on it. Click on the gear icon in the upper right, choose Preferences. You can click, Download all OneDrive files now. Make sure you have enough space on your hard drive as it will download all of your files…
Lastly, if you have certain folders you do not want to see, in the Preferences area, click on “Account “ and click on “Choose Folders.” If you uncheck any of the folders, it will stop syncing the structure and files from that folder. It is important not to try this until after the initial full sync as it doesn’t always save the uncheck until it syncs.
Sorry for the long reply. Hopefully, this helps a little. I actually prefer OneDrive and use it quite frequently. Similar settings are available on the phone and iPad apps.
Very helpful; thank you.