Are my files in OneDrive?

It may not always be clear whether your files are safely backed up to OneDrive, or if they are sitting solely on your computer’s storage drive. Students, faculty, and staff can follow this guide to figure out where their files reside.

Windows

1. Open File Explorer.

   1. If the folder icon is not sitting in your Start Bar, you may open the Start Menu and search for “File Explorer” to open it.

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2. Click on This PC in the left-hand menu.

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3. Click on the (C:) drive → Users → Your user profile (either NetID or your logon name)

4. Take a look at your user profile folder.

   1. You will see “OneDrive - University of Connecticut”

      1. The contents of this folder are in OneDrive.

   2. All of the other folders are not backed up to your OneDrive.

How do I investigate further?

There are still some aspects to understand about this user folder.

Documents folder

• There is a Documents folder in your user folder and in your OneDrive folder.

  • The “Documents” folder is a special folder recognized by your computer. It is the default save location for many different programs.

  • If you ask OneDrive to backup your existing Documents on your computer:

    • OneDrive creates its own Documents folder and takes on the designation of “Documents” (the default save location)

    • OneDrive moves the contents of the original Documents folder into its own Documents folder

  • Find out which “Documents” is the special folder:

    • The special folder will have a unique icon:

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• The above is true for the Desktop and Pictures folders as well, each having their own special icon to differentiate them.

Desktop

The “Desktop” folder is another special folder. All of the icons and files that sit on your desktop are actually sitting in your Desktop folder. You can think of your desktop, when you see your wallpaper and all of your icons, as an open folder. You’re always looking at the contents of the Desktop folder. OneDrive can backup this folder just like the Documents folder described above.

Learn more about the Desktop Sync: https://uconn.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/IKB/pages/26238091386

macOS

1. Open Finder

   1. The application should be in your dock on the bottom left

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2. On the left hand hand menu, find locations and under find OneDrive

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3. Open the OneDrive folder. These items are backed up to your OneDrive.
   Continue to find files that are not backed up to OneDrive.

4. In the top bar find Go and select Computer

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5. Click on Macintosh HD

6. Click on Users

7. Click your user folder

8. Take a look at your user profile folder.

   1. You will see “OneDrive - University of Connecticut”

      1. The contents of this folder are in OneDrive.

   2. All of the other folders are not backed up to your OneDrive.

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