Syncing And Backing Up Files With Onedrive

OneDrive is the Microsoft cloud service that connects you to all your files. It lets you store and protect your files, share them with others, and get to them from anywhere on all your devices. The following instructions will show you how to use OneDrive to backup your files. 

Instructions for Windows Computers: 

1.) Open the OneDrive application on your computer and sign in using your UW email address. You can find it by searching "One Drive" in windows search. 

The image showcases a colorful interface for signing into Microsoft OneDrive, set against a dark background. On the left side, a stylized blue cloud with a slight gradient appears, emphasizing the concept of cloud storage. To the right, an illustration of a woman with long white hair is depicted, facing a laptop with an extended arm touching the device. She is dressed in a light blue top, creating a gentle contrast against the darker background. Below the illustration, there is a field labeled "Email address," where an email address is visibly input. Below this field, two options are presented: a button labeled "Create account" in a subtle grey, and another button labeled "Sign in" in a bright green, drawing attention to its importance in the login process.

Note: You may be redirected to the uwyo login portal. Enter your username and password to proceed. If you are logged into your Windows computer with a domain account, you may not see this. 

Wyo Login page displaying an error message indicating the username or password is incorrect, with fields for entering credentials and links for password recovery and login assistance.

2.) The default location for your OneDrive folder is C:\Users\username\OneDrive – University of Wyoming. If a OneDrive folder already exists, you will be prompted to choos it or create a new folder. 

The image displays a pop-up window from Microsoft OneDrive on a computer screen. The window is framed in a rectangular shape with rounded corners and features a dark background. The primary content of the window includes a notification that states, "A OneDrive folder already exists on this PC." Below this message, there are further instructions indicating that users should either choose to "Use this folder" or "Choose new folder," with the former option highlighted in green. At the bottom of the window, there is a button labeled "Next," also in a rectangular shape but in a lighter color. The user's folder location is displayed as "C:\Users\igrover\OneDrive - University of Wyoming" with an option labeled "Choose location" provided just below.

3.)  Click next and choose which folders you want to back up on OneDrive. By default OneDrive will select your Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders to be backed up and synced.

The image displays a computer interface for Microsoft OneDrive, focusing on folder backup options. At the top, a title states "Back up folders on this PC." Below, there is a message indicating that files will be backed up and protected, specifically mentioning the University of Wyoming. The interface includes three sections for different folders: "Documents," "Pictures," and "Desktop," accompanied by the amount of storage used for each folder—76.4 GB for Documents, 188 MB for Pictures, and 32.8 GB for Desktop. Each section features a toggle switch indicating whether the backup is activated or not. At the bottom, there is a summary showing "132.0 GB used of 1 TB," with two buttons labeled "Next" and "Start backup." The overall color scheme is dark, with a contrast between the text and the background for readability.

If there are other folders outside of your Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders that you would like to back up. You can click and hold on the folder and drag it into your OneDrive – University of Wyoming folder.

The image displays a screenshot of a Windows File Explorer window. The left pane showcases a directory tree with various folders. The highlighted folder is labeled "dsuret1," which is nested under "Users." The designated folder displays several subfolders, including "3D Objects," "Contacts," "Documents," "Downloads," "Favorites," "Links," "Music," "Pictures," "Public Pictures," "Videos," and "OneDrive - University of Wyoming." The right pane contains specifics about the folder's contents, showing that there are 12 items within "dsuret1," with one item selected, indicated by a blue highlight. The top of the window features a typical Windows title bar, displaying the folder path as "C:\Users\dsuret1" and includes search functionality. The date modified for the selected folder is shown beneath the title bar, indicating varying timestamps for different items.

4.) Once your files have been backed up to OneDrive you will see green checkmarks next to them under the status category. 

The image displays a user interface for Microsoft OneDrive, presented in a rectangular window set against a dark background. At the top, there is a horizontal title bar with the OneDrive logo, which features a small cloud icon. Below the title, there is a title text, "Your files, when you need them," in a large font. The main section of the window consists of three distinct segments containing icons and descriptive text. Each segment features a unique icon representing different file availability options: The first icon is a blue and white cloud with a document, labeled “Online-only,” indicating that files do not occupy space on the device, as they download as needed. The second icon is a document with a green checkbox, labeled “On this device,” stating that files download to the device when opened for offline editing. The third icon features a document with a green checkmark and a download symbol, labeled “Always Available,” explaining how to make files available offline by right-clicking. At the bottom of the window, there are two buttons: “Back” on the left and “Next” on the right, with the “Next” button highlighted in green.

8.) Once your files have been backed up and synced, you can access them from any device by going to https://onedrive.live.com/about/en-us/signin/ and logging in to your OneDrive account. Or by using the OneDrive application on any device. This is also a good way to verify that your files have been backed up successfully. 

Instructions for Mac Computers: 

1.) Open the AppStore application

​Screenshot of the macOS Launchpad with the App Store icon highlighted by a red circle in the upper-left corner. Other visible apps include Safari, Mail, FaceTime, Messages, Maps, Music, Podcasts, and Apple TV.

2.) Search the app store for OneDrive and click "get" to install it. 

Screenshot of the Mac App Store showing search results for "OneDrive." The OneDrive app appears as the top search result with a Get button. Other results include Microsoft 365, Microsoft Outlook, and Microsoft PowerPoint.

3.) Open the OneDrive app. It can be found by scrolling left or right in your Launchpad as shown below, or by hitting Command + Space and searching for 'OneDrive'.

Screenshot of the macOS Launchpad with the Dock visible at the bottom. A red arrow labeled "1" points to the Launchpad icon in the Dock, and a second red arrow labeled "2" points to the OneDrive app icon within Launchpad, indicating to open Launchpad and then select OneDrive.

4.) Sign in using your University of Wyoming email address. 

Screenshot of the Set Up OneDrive window prompting the user to sign in. The Email Address field is populated with "user@uwyo.edu," and the window includes Create Account and Sign In buttons.

5.) You will be redirected to the University of Wyoming login portal. Sign in with your University of Wyoming user name and password. 

Wyo Login page displaying an error message indicating the username or password is incorrect, with fields for entering credentials and links for password recovery and login assistance.

6.) Note that the default location for your OneDrive folder will be /Users/(your Mac username)/OneDrive

Screenshot of the OneDrive setup window showing the default location for the OneDrive folder on the Mac. The folder path is displayed, with a Change Location link below it and a Next button in the lower-right corner to continue setup.

7.) Click OK to allow the OneDrive application to start syncing. 

Screenshot of a macOS prompt asking for permission to allow OneDrive to start syncing automatically when you sign in. The dialog includes Don't Allow and OK buttons. The OneDrive setup window is visible in the background with a Next button.

8.) Open your OneDrive folder and click and hold to drag any files or folders you want to back up. 

Screenshot of the OneDrive folder open in Finder after setup is complete. The folder contains default subfolders including Attachments, Desktop, Documents, Other Folder, and Pictures, as well as a Music shortcut. The OneDrive location is selected in the Finder sidebar.

9.) Once your files have been backed up and synced, you can access them from any device by going to https://onedrive.live.com/about/en-us/signin/ and logging in to your OneDrive account. Or by using the OneDrive application on any device. This is also a good way to verify that your files have been backed up successfully. 

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