OneDrive comes pre-installed with Windows. Provided that you’ve signed into your PC with a Microsoft Account, you should be ready to start using it.
In addition to syncing your files online, OneDrive also allows you to back up your most important directories—Desktop, Documents, and Pictures—to the cloud. But here are a couple of things to be aware of:
A symlink consists of a folder shortcut that points to a directory in another location. Creating a symlink in OneDrive prompts the cloud storage service to sync the files within the target directory.
To create a symlink in OneDrive, open an elevated Command Prompt console (type cmd into the Start menu and select Run as administrator). Then, enter and execute the following command after modifying the two file paths within it as needed:
mklink /J “C:\Users\username\OneDrive\Music” “C:\Users\username\Music”
Note: The first path instructs the Command Prompt console to create a shortcut folder (named Music) within the OneDrive directory. The second path contains the directory that the symlink should point at (in this example, to the Music folder in Windows 10). You can also create symlinks on Mac too.
Symlinks aren’t a perfect solution. If OneDrive runs into trouble syncing them, your only alternative is to move the target folders to the central OneDrive sync location itself. You can find this within the File Explorer sidebar
Feel free to ask any questions, Happy Learning!?
In addition to syncing your files online, OneDrive also allows you to back up your most important directories—Desktop, Documents, and Pictures—to the cloud. But here are a couple of things to be aware of:
- OneDrive moves the Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders to its sync directory should you choose to back them up.
- Unlike Google Drive, Microsoft’s cloud storage service doesn’t feature the option to back up additional folders on your PC. You can get around this limitation with symlinks (more on that below).
- Select the OneDrive icon on the system tray and go to Help & Settings > Settings.
- Switch to the Backup tab and select Manage backup .
- Pick the folders you want to back up—Desktop , Documents , and Pictures .
- Select Start backup.
- Select OK again to save your changes.
A symlink consists of a folder shortcut that points to a directory in another location. Creating a symlink in OneDrive prompts the cloud storage service to sync the files within the target directory.
To create a symlink in OneDrive, open an elevated Command Prompt console (type cmd into the Start menu and select Run as administrator). Then, enter and execute the following command after modifying the two file paths within it as needed:
mklink /J “C:\Users\username\OneDrive\Music” “C:\Users\username\Music”
Note: The first path instructs the Command Prompt console to create a shortcut folder (named Music) within the OneDrive directory. The second path contains the directory that the symlink should point at (in this example, to the Music folder in Windows 10). You can also create symlinks on Mac too.
Symlinks aren’t a perfect solution. If OneDrive runs into trouble syncing them, your only alternative is to move the target folders to the central OneDrive sync location itself. You can find this within the File Explorer sidebar
Feel free to ask any questions, Happy Learning!?