Getting Started with OneDrive

  • Updated
 
FGCU-Workday-Banner.png QUICK 
OVERVIEW 		SYNC FILES WITH ONEDRIVE IN WINDOWS SYNC FILES WITH ONEDRIVE FOR
WEB 		SYNC FILES WITH ONEDRIVE IN 
MAC OS

ONEDRIVE  OneDrive Logo.jpg
FGCU'S SECURE CLOUD-BASED STORAGE SOLUTION

The OneDrive app syncs files between your computer and the cloud, providing access to your files from anywhere - your computer, mobile device, or OneDrive.com. Any changes made online or in your OneDrive folder are automatically synced. You can work offline in File Explorer, and updates will sync once you're back online. 

FGCU faculty, staff, and OPS employees receive 5TB of OneDrive storage (referred to as the Florida Gulf Coast University OneDrive account) for work-related files (excluding restricted data). Moving files from your hard drive to OneDrive ensures secure backup and access on or off campus. If your device fails, files stored in OneDrive remain safe. 

Restricted Data: Must not be stored in OneDrive (refer to the Restricted Data site for details).

  WHY ONEDRIVE?
 

The benefit to faculty, staff, and students is that you can access your files from anywhere. Other benefits to the campus community are:

  • Cloud-based access to your files from any device with an internet connection. Offline access is available for synced files.
  • Security and privacy with files encrypted both in transit and at rest. Supports two-factor authentication. Version history allows you to restore previous versions of files.
  • Seamless collaboration with real-time co-authoring in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. Easily share with permissions control (view/edit). Integrated with Microsoft Teams and SharePoint for team collaboration.
  • Automatically backs up desktop, documents, and pictures folders. Syncs changes instantly across devices. Helps prevent data loss from hardware failure or accidental deletion.
  • Comes with 5 TB of OneDrive storage for FGCU faculty, staff, and OPS employees.
  • Mobile app convenience to manage files and folders on the go.

How do I know which platform to use? Access the OneDrive vs. SharePoint vs. Microsoft Teams infographic to learn the distinction for the best use case with each platform.

Manager who received email notifications for Temporary Ownership of OneDrive for Business contents? Access the Microsoft OneDrive Ownership After Account Deleted from Active Directory knowledge base article.

 

 

University Help Desk: ITS Knowledge Base | Blue-Email-Icon.jpg helpdesk@fgcu.edu | Blue-Phone-Icon.png 239-590-1188
Monday-Friday from 7am to 10pm and Saturdays from 8am to 5pm

 

______________________________________________________________________

 

Quick Overview

How do I get started with OneDrive?

  1. Ensure that the OneDrive app is already set up on your computer (it is by default for any FGCU-managed device). If not, access the Sync Files with OneDrive in Windows article to learn how to install the OneDrive app.
  2. Log in to the OneDrive app to turn it on, if not already. You will know OneDrive is turned on by the color of the OneDrive cloud icon at the bottom right of your Windows taskbar. OneDrive on taskbar.PNG
    OneDrive gray cloud icon.png - The gray cloud indicates that you have not logged into the OneDrive app.
    OneDrive Logo.jpg - The blue cloud indicates that you are logged into the OneDrive app and will be listed as OneDrive - Florida Gulf Coast University when logged in with your FGCU credentials. 

    Note: If you don't see the OneDrive cloud icon, OneDrive might not be running. Go to Start, type OneDrive in the search box, and then click OneDrive from the search results.
     
  3. You're all set. Once your files are moved, they will appear in File Explorer in the OneDrive folder.

How do I know it's working?

Your files will have these statuses in File Explorer:

OneDrive blue circle status.PNG A blue circle means it's uploading.
OneDrive blue cloud status.PNG

A blue cloud icon next to a OneDrive file or folder indicates that the file is only available online. Online-only files don't take up space on your computer. You see a cloud icon for each online-only file in File Explorer, but the file doesn't download to your device until you open it. You can't open online-only files when your device isn't connected to the Internet.

Note: Desktop search can search for online-only files by name, but it cannot search the contents within online-only files because they aren't stored on the device.
OneDrive green checkmark circle status.PNG

A green checkmark means the file is done and safely stored in the cloud. This means that if you're not connected to the internet, you can still open this file.

When you open an online-only file, it downloads to your device and becomes a locally available file. You can open a locally available file anytime, even without Internet access. If you need more space, you can change the file back to online only. Just right-click the file and select "Free up space".

With Storage Sense turned on, these files will become online-only files after the time period you've selected.
OneDrive green circle white checkmark status.PNG Only files that you mark as "Always keep on this device" have the green circle with the white check mark. These always available files download to your device and take up space, but they're always there for you even when you're offline.