At the beginning of October 2023, Microsoft is planning a launch event during which a series of new features relating to its cloud storage service will be presented. Among the proposed innovations there is also OneDrive offline: users who access the contents of their cloud space on Microsoft servers from a browser can view, sort, rename, move, copy, delete files even without the availability of a network connection.
I file OneDrive stored locally (those marked as “always available offline”) can be opened, modified and managed by browser even without Internet access. All changes made offline are synchronized automatically when the connection is restored.
The technicians of the Redmond company make it clear in this note roadmap of OneDrive adding that OneDrive offline from the web is expected to launch by the end of December 2023.
OneDrive offline already available within the client for various operating systems
While Google has already offered the possibility of using Drive in offline mode for some time, a similar function was missing from the Web version of Microsoft OneDrive.
It is in fact possible to access OneDrive documents and files from anywhere using any device using the clients available for Windows PC, macOS, Android and iOS. As is known, moreover, both Windows 10 That Windows 11 they pre-install OneDrive and offer an “ad hoc” folder within which the files stored on the cloud storage are visible.
Unlike the web version of OneDrive, which does not yet support the offline modewith the client for Windows and other platforms, it is possible to decide to always have some documents and files available locally.
In Windows just go to OneDrive folder by selecting it from the left column in File Explorerchoose the files to make available offline (you can also select them non-sequentially by holding down the button CTRL), right-click on one of them and then use the item Always keep in this device. L’icona OneDrive shown in the column State it turns completely green with a check mark. The files that in the column State show a speech bubble, they are the ones available only on cloud Microsoft.
The differences between OneDrive icons are depicted in a Microsoft support document.
Right-clicking then selecting Free up spacethe files highlighted in File Explorer they are removed at the file system level on your computer and remain only online on OneDrive.
Download all files hosted on OneDrive locally
By clicking on the OneDrive icon shown in the traybar then onto the top right gear and finally up Settings, Synchronization and backup, Advanced settingsthe section is located Files on request. From here, clicking on Download all filesyou can activate OneDrive offline and make sure that everything saved on your cloud space is also accessible in lack of Internet connection.
The button Free up disk spacevice versa, ensures that all files previously stored locally (therefore also accessible in offline mode) are removed from the PC in use and made available only through OneDrive.
Obviously, a simple double click is enough to make a file available locally again and you can still use the command Always keep in this device presented previously.
OneDrive offline from mobile devices
Through theapp OneDriveon mobile devices it is possible to decide which files should be kept locally: just tap on the three dots to the right of the name of each file and choose Make available offline. You can also select multiple files and entire folders from the section File then choosing the same option from the main menu at the top right.
By touching the icon Me Therefore Files available offlineyou get the complete list of items downloaded to your mobile device and accessible even without an Internet connection.