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What is OneDrive?

What is OneDrive?

OneDrive is a part of Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365, or “Microsoft Office”), just like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. OneDrive is an internet-based service that can be accessed directly on your computer by installing the OneDrive App. OneDrive can also be accessed through a web browser if you are using someone else’s computer. OneDrive is compatible with Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. If you are using a Linux computer, like a Chromebook, you can access OneDrive through the browser as there is no official app for Linux. OneDrive is included in the university’s subscription to Microsoft.

This page is a plain language explanation of OneDrive. If you are confused about OneDrive, or how to use it, please give this page a read!

When students, faculty, or staff leave UConn, they lose access to their OneDrive files. 90 days after their UConn email account closes, their OneDrive and its contents are deleted.

Departing students should download any data they wish to keep before leaving UConn.

Advantages of OneDrive

OneDrive is hosted on the cloud (internet based, not physically on UConn campus), which means you don’t need a VPN to access your files. It also means that any computer connected to the internet can access the files, whether it is a university computer, a personal laptop, or even a smartphone/tablet.

OneDrive allows for multiple, simultaneous editors in Microsoft365 files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.). OneDrive can recognize when multiple users have the same file open and will allow multiple users* to edit the file at the same time. This means a user typing in a Word document will see their coworker typing along with them. This allows users to divide the work and to collaborate in real-time. Unlike in SharePoint, OneDrive is intended for temporary or limited collaboration, and you may have trouble if your sharing is complex or involves more than 10-12 other people.

When you share/email a OneDrive file, you’re giving access to the file instead of sending the file itself. The recipient of the share will have a link that they use to access your file; the updates they type are saved to the file in your OneDrive. This, along with real-time collaboration, solves the issue of sending files and creating discrete copies in the process. When you revoke access, their access link stops working, and they no longer have access to the file. In the past, when emailing a file to someone, they would have a copy on their own computer that would not update your original file. When it was time for them to send their updates back, you would then have two copies of the file.

Sharing files with another university member is as easy as knowing their name. If sharing with a university member, their name will appear in OneDrive share fields. However, if you’re sharing with someone outside of the university, you need to know their email address.

*Unlike SharePoint, OneDrive is intended for temporary or limited collaboration, and you may have trouble if your sharing is complex or involves more than 10-12 other people.

How much storage space do I have?

Every user has cloud storage available to them:

  • Undergraduates - 50GB

  • Graduate Students - 100GB

  • Faculty / Staff - 200GB

  • Affiliates - 100GB

  • Emeritus - 50GB

But how much space is this really?

1GB (gigabyte) is 1,000MB (megabytes), 1MB is 1,000KB (kilobyte)*. A typical Word document without pictures is less than 50KB.

*Depending on the computer system, the values above are expressed as either 1,000 or 1,024. This does not affect your usage of OneDrive or your computer.

How do I access my data?

ITS recommends that you “sync” OneDrive with your computer. Doing so will allow your OneDrive files to appear in File Explorer (Windows) and Finder (macOS) as if they were on your computer like any other, non-backed up file. However, if you are on a public computer, like one at your local library, you can simply use the OneDrive website to have full access to your files. Be sure to log out when you are done!

What does it mean to “sync” my computer?

As mentioned above, OneDrive is an internet-based system. However, completing the “sync” process will allow you to access your files without using a web browser. By following the "sync" help guide listed at the bottom of this page, you can have your files appear in File Explorer (Windows) and Finder (macOS).

Related Help Guides

To read about the group-data version of OneDrive, called SharePoint, visit this guide: https://uconn.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/IKB/pages/26042663096