Table of Contents

Mastering Your OneDrive: A Guide to Controlling Upload Settings

Quick answer

This page answers How do I change my OneDrive upload settings? quickly.

Fast answer first. Then use the tabs or video for more detail.

Watch the video explanation below for a faster overview.
Game mechanics may change with updates or patches.
Use this block to get the short answer without scrolling the whole page.

Read the FAQ section if the article has one.
Use the table of contents to jump straight to the detailed section you need.
Watch the video first, then skim the article for specifics.

▶

Want to take charge of how OneDrive handles your files? You’re in the right place. Controlling your OneDrive upload settings is crucial for managing bandwidth, storage space, and ensuring a smooth syncing experience. Here’s a breakdown of how to tweak those settings to perfectly suit your needs:

The most common method to change your OneDrive upload settings is to use the OneDrive desktop app.

Access OneDrive Settings: Locate the OneDrive cloud icon in your system tray (usually in the bottom right corner of your screen). Click on it. If you don’t see it, OneDrive might not be running. Search for “OneDrive” in the Start menu and launch it.
Open the Settings Menu: Click the “Help & Settings” icon (it looks like a gear or a series of dots) within the OneDrive window. Select “Settings” from the menu.
Navigate to the Sync and Backup Tab: In the settings window, click on the “Sync and backup” tab. This is where you’ll find the most relevant upload control options.
Advanced Settings: Expand “Advanced settings”. This will give you the option to adjust the upload and download rates as required.
Manage Upload Speed: Under “Upload rate,” you can choose to limit the upload speed to a specific kilobyte per second (KB/s) value. This is useful if you want to prevent OneDrive from consuming all your bandwidth while uploading, especially if you’re on a limited or slow internet connection. You can also typically set this to “Don’t limit.”
Choose Folders to Sync: Navigate to the “Account” tab and select “Choose folders.” This allows you to specify which folders on your computer should be synced with OneDrive. By unchecking folders, you prevent them from being uploaded to OneDrive, saving storage space and bandwidth.
Control Camera Roll Uploads: Go back to the OneDrive settings window and, on the “Sync and back up” tab, look for a section related to camera roll or photo/video uploads. Here, you can disable automatic uploads of photos and videos from your device to OneDrive.
Manage Files Directly on OneDrive Website: You can also manage what gets uploaded by using the OneDrive website. Upload and save files and folders to OneDrive by choosing Upload > Files or Upload > Folder. Then, select the files or folder you want to upload by choosing Open or Select Folder.

By following these steps, you can customize your OneDrive upload settings to match your preferences and optimize your syncing experience.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About OneDrive Upload Settings

Here are some frequently asked questions to help you further understand and manage your OneDrive upload settings:

How do I completely stop OneDrive from uploading?

There are several ways to stop OneDrive from uploading:

Pause Syncing: The simplest method is to pause syncing. Right-click the OneDrive icon in the system tray and select “Pause syncing”. You can choose to pause for a specific duration (e.g., 2 hours, 8 hours, or 24 hours) or indefinitely.
Unlink Your Account: To completely stop syncing, you can unlink your account. In OneDrive settings (accessed via the system tray icon), go to the “Account” tab and click “Unlink this PC.” This will remove the connection between your computer and OneDrive, preventing any further syncing. Be careful because this may also remove local copies of files if you aren’t careful with the next steps.
Disable Automatic Uploads (Camera Roll): To prevent automatic uploads of photos and videos, go to the “Sync and back up” tab, then ensure the settings that pertain to camera roll and photo/video uploads are disabled.

How do I reset my OneDrive upload?

If you’re experiencing sync issues or want to start fresh, you can reset OneDrive:

Reset the App: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type wsreset.exe and press Enter. A blank Command Prompt window will appear, and after a few seconds, it will close. This clears the Windows Store cache, which can sometimes resolve sync problems.
Restart OneDrive: Close OneDrive completely (right-click the icon in the system tray and select “Close OneDrive”). Then, relaunch it from the Start menu.
Unlink and Relink Your Account: As a last resort, you can unlink your account (as described above) and then relink it. This forces OneDrive to re-establish the connection and resync your files.

Why isn’t OneDrive uploading everything?

Several factors can prevent OneDrive from uploading files:

Insufficient Storage Space: Check your OneDrive storage space. If you’ve exceeded your limit, you won’t be able to upload new files.
File Size Limits: OneDrive has a file size limit for web uploads (typically 250GB per file depending on the browser). For larger files, use the desktop app.
File Types and Restrictions: Some file types might be restricted by OneDrive. Additionally, filenames with invalid characters can cause upload failures.
Sync Issues: Connection problems or software glitches can disrupt the syncing process. Restarting OneDrive or your computer might resolve these issues.
Files in Use: If a file is open in another application, OneDrive might not be able to upload it until the file is closed.

What is the upload limit on OneDrive settings?

The upload limit on OneDrive depends on how you’re uploading the files:

Web Browser: When uploading via a web browser, the limit is typically 250GB per file.
Desktop App: The desktop app is generally recommended for large files and batch uploads, as it handles them more efficiently.
Total Storage: Regardless of individual file size limits, you are still bound by your overall OneDrive storage quota.

How do I reset OneDrive permissions?

Incorrect permissions can sometimes interfere with OneDrive’s ability to sync files. Here’s how to reset them:

Check App Permissions: Go to your Microsoft account online. In the top right, click on your profile picture and go to My Account.
Navigate to App permissions.
Revoke the permissions for OneDrive app.
Sign out from OneDrive.
Sign out of the Workspace and log in again.
Go to the Files tab and try opening the drive again to see if the issue is resolved.

How do I choose which folders not to upload to OneDrive?

As mentioned earlier, you can use the “Choose folders” feature in OneDrive settings.

Right-click the OneDrive icon in the system tray.
Select Settings.
Go to the “Account” tab.
Click on “Choose folders.”
Uncheck the boxes next to the folders you don’t want to sync.
Click “OK.”

Why are my files automatically saving to OneDrive?

OneDrive is designed to automatically save files to the cloud for backup and accessibility. This behavior is often enabled by default when you install OneDrive. To prevent this, you can:

Change Default Save Locations: In applications like Microsoft Word or Excel, change the default save location from OneDrive to a local folder on your computer.
Disable “Save Documents to OneDrive by Default”: In Windows settings, go to PC settings and select OneDrive. On the File Storage tab, turn off the switch at Save documents to OneDrive by default.

Does deleting files from OneDrive delete from computer?

Yes, deleting files from OneDrive can delete them from your computer if those files are synced. OneDrive operates as a mirror between your cloud storage and your local device. If you delete a synced file from OneDrive, it will also be deleted from your computer and vice versa.

To avoid this, you can:

Move Files Outside the OneDrive Folder: Move files you want to keep locally but not sync to a folder outside the OneDrive folder.
Unlink Folders from Syncing: Use the “Choose folders” feature to prevent specific folders from syncing.

How do I fix my upload rate?

If you’re experiencing slow upload speeds, consider the following:

Check Your Internet Connection: Ensure you have a stable and fast internet connection. Run a speed test to verify your upload speed.
Limit Bandwidth Usage: Close any applications that might be consuming a lot of bandwidth, such as streaming services or online games.
Update Your Drivers: Ensure your network adapter drivers are up to date.
Adjust OneDrive Settings: In OneDrive settings, you can limit the upload speed to a specific value to prevent it from consuming all your bandwidth.
Optimize File Sizes: Reduce the size of the files you’re uploading by compressing them or removing unnecessary data.

How do I select folders not to upload to OneDrive?

Refer to the instructions for “How do I choose which folders not to upload to OneDrive?” above.

How do I fix OneDrive sync problems?

If OneDrive isn’t syncing properly, try these troubleshooting steps:

Restart OneDrive: Close and relaunch the application.
Check Your Internet Connection: Ensure you have a stable internet connection.
Update OneDrive: Make sure you’re using the latest version of the OneDrive app.
Run the OneDrive Troubleshooter: Windows has a built-in troubleshooter that can automatically detect and fix common OneDrive problems.
Repair OneDrive: In the taskbar notification area, right-click or press and hold the OneDrive menu icon, and then click Repair.

Can you stop OneDrive from syncing everything?

Yes, you can stop OneDrive from syncing everything by using the “Choose folders” feature. This allows you to selectively sync only the folders you need, reducing bandwidth consumption and storage usage.

How do I see permissions on OneDrive?

To manage access to a file or folder in OneDrive:

Select the file or folder in OneDrive.
Click Share.
In the “Shared with” list, you can see who has access and what permissions they have (e.g., view only, edit). You can then manage the access by changing the permissions or removing users.

What is the difference between SharePoint and OneDrive?

While both SharePoint and OneDrive are Microsoft cloud storage solutions, they serve different purposes:

OneDrive: Primarily designed for personal file storage and sharing. It’s ideal for individuals who want to store and access their files from anywhere.
SharePoint: Primarily designed for organizational document management and collaboration. It’s ideal for teams who need to share files, manage workflows, and collaborate on projects.

In essence, OneDrive is your personal cloud drive, while SharePoint is a collaborative workspace for teams and organizations. Microsoft 365 integrates both to ensure all files are safe and accessible.

What is the default OneDrive storage limit?

The default OneDrive storage limit varies depending on your Microsoft 365 subscription. For most subscription plans, the default storage space for each user’s OneDrive is 1 TB. However, some plans offer more storage space, and you can purchase additional storage if needed.

Controlling your OneDrive upload settings empowers you to optimize your cloud storage experience, manage bandwidth, and ensure your files are synced according to your preferences.

For those interested in the intersection of gaming and education, be sure to check out the innovative work being done at the Games Learning Society: GamesLearningSociety.org.