Many of us store a lot of files on cloud storage like OneDrive.It is practically impossible for everyone to keep all files downloaded. If you choose to download only a few files, it becomes difficult to figure out the rest of the files available online. OneDrive offers a Files On-Demand feature, aka Place Holders, which makes it possible to see the list of files available online. However, they do not take storage space. In this post, i will show how you can enable Files On-Demand Feature for OneDrive in Windows 10 and macOS.
How to Enable OneDrive Files On-Demand Feature in Windows 10
Files on Demand Feature make it easy for anyone to figure out a list of files available in thier cloud storage. Since they are just markers, when you need the file, you can download the files manually by selecting them. The idea here is to save space on your drive, but still, let you see all the data without going online.
- Launch OneDrive, and then right-click on it from the System tray.
- next click on the three dots on top of More > Settings
- Switch to the Settings tab, and “Save Space and download files as you use them”
- Click on OK, and then close it.
Done that, it will list all the files available on the cloud. Those which are available on the computer will have a green tick. The files which you chose to keep it on the cloud will have a cloud icon.
Right-click on any file or folder to download them instantly. To free up space, right-click, and choose the option of Free up Space.
How to Enable OneDrive Files On-Demand Feature in macOS
- Click on OneDrive icon to open the Flyout, and then click on the three dots on top of More.
- Switch to Preferences and then click on Turn on Files On-Demand feature.
- When you turn on Files On-Demand, you’ll see all your files in Mac Finder and get new information about each file.
New files created online or on another device appear as online-only files, which don’t take up space on your device. When you’re connected to the Internet, you’ll be able to use online-only files like every other file on your device. Here is how it will look like:
The folders with a red circular cross icon mean that these files are not available on the computer. On the contrary, if there is a green circular tick mark, they are available on the computer.
You can download any of these files anytime. Right-click on file or folder, and then choose “Always keep on this device.” It will instantly download the file. If you want to remove it from the computer, select the option of Free up Space. Files available on the cloud will have a cloud icon.