Saving User Data to One Drive

Backing Up One Drive Files and Folders
Your standard folders (Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos, etc.) are not backed up to OneDrive automatically by default. This means if something happens to your device, files in those folders may be lost.

Solution: Enable folder backup in One Drive so those important local folders sync to the cloud.

1. Click the One Drive cloud icon in your system notification/menu bar area, then click the Help & Settings (three dots) icon, and choose Settings.
2. In the Settings dialog, go to the Sync and backup (or “Backup”) tab.
3. Click Manage backup.
4. Toggle on the folders you want backed up (Desktop, Documents, Pictures, etc.), then click Save changes.
5. One Drive will sync the contents of those folders. After sync completes, the files are backed up and accessible via One Drive on other devices.

Turning off Backup on One Drive
You want to stop backing up a folder (e.g. you no longer want Desktop or Documents backed up).

Solution: Turn off backup for that folder and optionally move files back to local storage.

1. Open the One Drive Settings dialog (via the cloud icon → Help & Settings → Settings).
2. Navigate to the Sync and backup / Backup tab.
3. Click Manage backup.
4. Toggle off the folder(s) you no longer want backed up.
5. Optionally, open the One Drive folder (via shortcut “Where are my files”), select files, and drag them back to your local folder on your device. New files added to the local folder will no longer sync to One Drive.

Common Errors
You see errors when enabling or managing folder backup (e.g. “file path too long,” “file name not allowed,” “folder not syncing,” or “policy prevents redirection”).

Solution: Address common error causes using the following checks.

1. **File path length**: Ensure the full path (including file name) is under ~260 characters. Shorten folder or file names or move items to a less nested folder. 
2. **File size too big**: Remove any files that exceed the OneDrive limit (e.g. > 250 GB) from the folder you want to protect
3. **Invalid file name**: Files with invalid characters (\, /, :, *, ?, <, >, "|, or starting with space) cannot sync. Rename or move those files.
4. **Folder not selected for syncing**: The folder might not be included in your OneDrive sync settings. Go to Settings → Choose Folders and ensure it’s included. 
5. **Policy restrictions**: On domain-joined devices or under certain group policies (e.g. “Prohibit User from manually redirecting Profile Folders”), folder backup may be blocked. Contact your IT administrator to see if policy changes are possible.

Notes & Additional Info

• Once files finish syncing, you can access your backed up folders (Desktop, Documents, etc.) from other devices using OneDrive. 
• On macOS, folder backup requires using the standalone sync client (not the Mac App Store version) and granting OneDrive Full Disk Access under System Preferences.
• If you stop backing up a folder, any files already in OneDrive stay there. New files added locally won’t sync unless you re-enable backup.
• In rare cases, notebooks in OneNote may not reopen automatically after enabling folder backup; reopen them manually via OneNote’s File → Open.