Onedrive sync - is it meant to work like this?

Hi

I have a onedrive account. The folder 'physics tutor enfield' in my documents has a pile of videos that I have made for youtube - so its big, and many of them I never really use. In order to free disc space I have put the folder like this:



My understanding of this is that the files will therefore live in the cloud but not on the c-drive of my computer.

However, my c-drive is filling up so I wanted to check where these files video actually were. I turned off the internet and I can pick any mp4 at random from within this folder and it will play on my laptop - which suggests that the files are downloaded onto my computer - which I don't want them to be.

What I really want is for all these files to live in the cloud, and then I can download as and when I want to use them.
Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks

Edward

maxelcat said:

...my c-drive is filling up so I wanted to check where these files video actually were. I turned off the internet and I can pick any mp4 at random from within this folder and it will play on my laptop - which suggests that the files are downloaded onto my computer - which I don't want them to be.

What I really want is for all these files to live in the cloud, and then I can download as and when I want to use them.
Am I doing something wrong?

Click to expand...

When you free up space all OneDrive files are held only in the cloud. However, if you then access a file, even if it's only to copy and upload it to somewhere else in the cloud, then it will be first downloaded to your PC. You'd then need to free up space again. For example, I've opened my portfolio.xls here and it's now on this device.

you know, that was so easy, so clear and so helpful. Thank you so much - I can't tell you the stress I have had trying to get an answer to this question

maxelcat said:

you know, that was so easy, so clear and so helpful. Thank you so much - I can't tell you the stress I have had trying to get an answer to this question

Click to expand...

yes, took me a while to realise it too. You just need to remember to free up space again if you ever access a file.

Oh, and welcome to Eleven Forum.

Yes, anything you access from OneDrive in the cloud, will be downloaded locally. It doesn't work on the file across the web to the cloud. It brings it locally and keeps it synced.

It should be pointed out that what's been talked about so far is the "Files On Demand" feature of OneDrive.

"Files On Demand" can be turned ON or OFF. The default is ON, thus "Files On Demand" works just as described in this thread.

If you turn "Files On Demand" OFF, then all files are kept in sync at all times, both in the local OneDrive folder and in cloud OneDrive.

"Files On Demand" turned OFF is how I use OneDrive. My C: drive is 1 Terabyte and my OneDrive cloud is 1 Terabyte. I keep all my data and photos in my OneDrive folder and I want everything to be available locally for the Macrium Reflect backup image I make every day. I also want all my data and photos to always be available locally if I happen to not be connected to the Internet.