Setting up OneDrive on Mac or PC

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Quick Links: | PC Instructions | Mac Instructions | 

Introduction

You can turn your daily work into a seamless cloud experience with Microsoft OneDrive. By setting up OneDrive on your computer and designating it as the default save location, you effortlessly sync your files to the cloud, making them accessible from any device.

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. When you use OneDrive with an account provided by your company or school, it's sometimes called "OneDrive for work or school". It used to be known as "OneDrive for Business," so you may still see it called that in places.

Setting up OneDrive on a PC

  1. Start by locating the cloud icon in the tray. This should be near the bottom-right corner. If you can't find the cloud icon, click the ^ to view more items. 

    Cloud icon in Desktop Tray
     
  2. Enter your Chico State email again and proceed to the next screen. Please note that you will be prompted with Duo when you sign in.  

    Sign in to OneDrive
     

  3. Once signed in, the screen will show you the path of the OneDrive folder

    OneDrive path
     

  4. You'll also receive a prompt to back up folders in OneDrive. Toggle on all of the folders you want to back up and click "Start backup" 

    Backup folders​​​​​

Setting up OneDrive on a Mac 

  1. Launch OneDrive on your device. You can do this by clicking the Launchpad, and then looking for the OneDrive cloud icon. You can also click the magnifying glass in the top right corner, then search for OneDrive.


     
  2. When the application opens, you will be prompted to sign in. Enter your Chico State username, password, and approve the Duo prompt.


     
  3. Once signed in, the screen will show you the path of the OneDrive folder.


     
  4. You can enable OneDrive syncing with Finder by following the instructions here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/sync-files-with-onedrive-on-macos
    You can also back up folders by following instructions here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/back-up-your-folders-with-onedrive

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell if my folder is backed up by OneDrive on a PC?

You may see multiple (for example) "Documents" folders shown in your file explorer tree. While it may look confusing, they are all the same. To verify a folder location, use the File Explorer tree on your PC, right-click on "Documents", and then click "Properties". This will show you the path of the file or folder that you selected. If the location shows \OneDrive, it is synced to OneDrive. 

OneDrive in File Explorer

 

How do I back up folders not automatically selected by the OneDrive setup?

Downloads, Videos, and other custom folders are not synced by default. If you want to have Videos or other folders in OneDrive, you will have to add those folders manually:

  • Tap Windows Key + press R to open the Run box
  • Type %userprofile% into Run and hit Enter 
  • Find the Videos folder (or other desired folders) and drag folder(s) to the Chico OneDrive folder.

However, it is recommended to keep the default settings because these custom settings will not be the same on all computers unless you have duplicated these custom settings on all devices.

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