Sometimes, users have to shift files from OneDrive to their computers for several reasons. This blog will share the common reasons and solutions for shifting files from OneDrive to an old, new, or personal computer.

Why Do People Shift Files from OneDrive to Computers?

• Insufficient Storage: When OneDrive storage is full, users transfer files from their accounts to their computers to make room in their OneDrive.
• Offline Access: Users can get direct access to their files even when they don’t have an active internet connection.
• Backup and Redundancy: Having local copies of your files on your computer provides an extra backup.

Four Ways to Move Folders Out of OneDrive

1. Manually Download

1. Sign in to your OneDrive account on the website.
2. On the left side, press My files.
3. Tick all the files or folders you wish to download.
4. Click the Download option from the right-click menu or top menu.
5. Once the download is complete, you will have a zip folder.
6. Unzip it and shift it to the directory on your computer.

This method works great to download all files from OneDrive, but it’s not possible to download OneNote files from OneDrive. Moreover, it’s not possible to download files and folders simultaneously in the OneDrive root folder. Lastly, it’s also not possible to download an empty folder in OneDrive.

2. Download All Files 

You can download all OneDrive files on your computer via the Files On-Demand feature.

Follow these steps on the OneDrive desktop app:

1. Sign in to your OneDrive account.
2. Click the OneDrive icon.
3. Press the Help & Settings icon.
4. Tap on Settings.
5. Press Advanced settings on the Sync and backup tab to expand.
6. Toggle on Files On-Demand to restart OneDrive.
7. In the Files On-Demand section, tap on Download all files.
8. Click on Continue.

This method works to download all OneDrive files, including the online-only files. Make sure that your computer has sufficient disk space for these files. Otherwise, the process will be unsuccessful.

3. Pick Folders Available on PC

You can also utilize the account settings to shift OneDrive files to your computer. Afterward, you can add OneDrive files to your browser.

1. Sign in to your OneDrive account in the computer app.
2. Click the OneDrive icon.
3. Pick the Help & Settings icon.
4. Click on Settings.
5. Choose the Account tab on the left.
6. Tap on Choose folders.
7. Tick the Make all files available option.
8. Confirm OK.

Success! All OneDrive files will be downloaded to your computer. It’s possible to make them online-only anytime.

4. Copy the OneDrive folder to another location

After installing the OneDrive desktop app, the folder titled OneDrive will be automatically added. By default, it will be present in the C:\Users\yourusername\OneDrive folder. This folder saves all files from the OneDrive server. Therefore, users can utilize the Copy & Paste feature to copy OneDrive folders and files to another computer directory.

1. Launch the OneDrive folder from the browser.
2. Choose the OneDrive files and folders.
3. Click Ctrl + X to cut them or Ctrl + C to copy them.
4. Visit another directory on your PC.
5. Utilize Ctrl + V to paste them.

This method will erase files from OneDrive or make duplicate files on your PC. Both are inconvenient.

Conclusion

If you need the fastest and most reliable way to transfer files or folders from OneDrive, try using Easy Cloud Manager. The web app can swiftly transfer data between all major cloud-based platforms, including OneDrive.