MS ONEDRIVE FOR WEB CHEAT SHEET

Cheat Sheet: Microsoft

OneDrive for Web
OneDrive for Web lets you manage files in the cloud. Here’s how to
use its new interface for a productivity boost. By HOWARD WEN

M
icrosoft’s cloud storage, these devices are signed in with the
OneDrive, works both as a web same Microsoft account.
app that you use through a OneDrive is handy when you’re
browser and as a storage drive integrated collaborating with others, too. You can
into File Explorer in Windows 10 and share files or folders in your OneDrive
11. When you upload a file or folder to with anyone by sending them a web
the OneDrive web app, it becomes link to it. If it’s a Microsoft Office file,
available on your Windows PC through then you and others can collaborate on
File Explorer, and vice versa. You can it in real time in the Excel, PowerPoint
also access it on your smartphone or and Word web apps. Users with certain
tablet (via the OneDrive app for Android, Microsoft 365 subscriptions can also
iPhone, or iPad) and even on a Mac use the desktop versions of these Office
(via the OneDrive Mac app) if any of applications to work together on the file.

CONTENTS
• Get started with OneDrive • Share files or folders in OneDrive
• Get to know the new OneDrive for Web
for Web interface • Share a file or folder with specific people
• Store or create files and folders • Share a file or folder with all your
in OneDrive for Web co‑workers
• Access your OneDrive files offline • Share a file or folder via public link
• Open OneDrive files on the web • Stop or manage sharing for a file
or in a desktop app or folder
• Create file shortcuts in OneDrive • OneDrive for Web: More features
for Web on the way
© FOUNDRY CO. (AN IDG, INC COMPANY)

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Microsoft recently introduced a new at $2 per month. Business customers

interface to the OneDrive web app that can subscribe to a 1TB OneDrive for
includes several features not available Business plan for $5 per user per month
in OneDrive in Windows. We’ve covered or opt for a Microsoft 365 plan. (See all
how to use OneDrive in Windows in a the Microsoft 365 plans for home, small
separate guide. This story explains how to business, and enterprise use.)
work with OneDrive in a web browser and
make the most of the new interface. GET TO KNOW THE NEW
We’ll focus on using OneDrive with a ONEDRIVE FOR WEB INTERFACE
Microsoft 365 subscription for business; The first step is to sign in to OneDrive
the version for personal use is similar but with your Microsoft user account. If
with fewer features. Also note that while you’re already signed in to your account,
you can use OneDrive for Web in any you can go directly to the OneDrive for
modern browser, some features seem to Web app in your browser.
work better in Chrome or Edge. After you sign in, the OneDrive for
Web home screen is shown. Along the top
GET STARTED WITH ONEDRIVE of the main pane are cards that highlight
To use OneDrive, you need a Microsoft files that may be important, as determined
account. If your company uses Microsoft by Microsoft 365’s AI. This may include
365 or you have an Outlook.com account, documents you’ve been working on with
then you have a
Microsoft account.
If not, you can sign
up for one for free.
With a free
Microsoft account,
you get 5GB
of OneDrive
storage. You can
upgrade to 100GB
storage or more
by subscribing
to a Microsoft The OneDrive for Web home screen shows important files (as
365 plan, starting determined by the AI) at the top, with recently accessed files below.

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 MS ONEDRIVE FOR WEB CHEAT SHEET

co-workers, items you open frequently, Pictures > Research” indicates that you’re
or projects that someone has tagged viewing files in the Research folder. You
your name to. You can click the action can click either Pictures or My files to go
button on a card (for example, Open or back up the folder hierarchy.
Go to task) to open that item inside the
corresponding app in a new browser tab. Shared: These are files that you are
In the left column, right below your sharing with others and that other people
name or username, you’ll see that Home are sharing with you. As in Home view,
has been selected. This view lists the files you can use the buttons above the main
you’ve recently opened in the main pane, pane to filter by document type, and/
whether they’re your own files or they’ve or you can type into the Filter by name
been shared with you. You can see at a or person box to search for filenames
glance who owns each file and recent containing a particular word or files
actions taken on each. Files with the shared by a particular person.
most recent activity appear first.
Above the main pane is a row Favorites: This shows all the files or
of buttons that let you filter items in folders you’ve marked as favorites in the
the files list by file type (Word, Excel, main pane. You can favorite your own
PowerPoint, or PDF). You can also type OneDrive files and folders as well as
a word into the Filter by name or person those shared with you in OneDrive.
box at the right to search for filenames To favorite a file or folder, move the
containing that word. pointer over the file or folder and click
Below Home in the left column are the star icon that appears to the right of
several options that let you display files it. Click the star icon again to un-favorite
in the main pane in the following ways: the file or folder.

My files: This view lists all your files and Recycle bin: Here you’ll see files you’ve
folders. When you click a folder name deleted from your OneDrive.
to open it, the files in it are shown in the
main pane. To navigate out of the folder, People: In this view, you’ll see a list of
click My files again in the left column, or people who have shared files with you,
click a folder name in the “breadcrumb” with these files listed to the right. This is
hierarchy path that’s shown above the handy when you remember who shared
main pane. For example, “My files > a file with you but not when or what

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CHEAT SHEET MS ONEDRIVE FOR WEB

happened yet will

also be listed.

Media: A new view

that’s rolling out
gradually (so you
may not have it
yet), Media lets you
browse the images
and videos you’ve
stored in OneDrive.
People view organizes files by who shared them with you.
Quick access: When
the filename is. To quickly zero in on you open files and folders stored in
a person, type their name in the Filter SharePoint document libraries, those
by person box at the upper right. libraries are added to the Quick access
list; click the name of any library to open
Meetings: These are files that were it and browse its files and folders.
shared in Microsoft Teams meetings you
started or took part in. Files attached Note that OneDrive for Web is
to scheduled meetings that haven’t integrated into the new Outlook for
Windows app,
the Outlook web
app, and the new
Microsoft Teams
app (for Windows,
macOS, and web).
The OneDrive icon
is on the vertical
toolbar at the
left edge of
each application.
Clicking it opens
OneDrive for Web is integrated into the new Teams app. OneDrive in the

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main pane of Outlook or Teams, with Click the

+ Add new
the same layout as described above.
button and
The new look is also present when you make a
open OneDrive in the microsoft365.com selection.
portal (formerly office.com).

STORE OR CREATE
FILES AND FOLDERS IN
ONEDRIVE FOR WEB
To upload a file from your computer to
OneDrive, click the large + Add new
button at the upper left. From the menu
that opens, click either Files upload or
Folder upload. The web browser will
open a file manager for you to select
the files or folders on your PC you want
to upload to OneDrive. Tip: OneDrive will upload or create files
From the + Add new menu, you can and folders wherever you happen to be
also select Folder. OneDrive prompts in your folder hierarchy when you click +
you to type in a name for the new folder. Add new. If you’re on the home screen in
You can optionally choose a color for OneDrive, for example, it will place the file
your folder as well, then click Create. The or folder at the top level of your OneDrive
folder will appear in the main pane. storage. If you want the file or folder to be
The + Add new menu also has options within another folder, click My files and
to create a Microsoft 365 file, such navigate to that location first, then click
as an Excel spreadsheet, PowerPoint + Add new. (You can also drag-and-drop
presentation, or Word document. files and folders to move them to another
When you select one of these, the location, just as you would in Windows
web version of that Microsoft 365 app File Explorer or Mac Finder.)
opens in a new browser tab with a blank When you add a file or folder to
spreadsheet, presentation, document, OneDrive for Web, it is stored in the
etc. inside it, so you can get right to work cloud and you can also access it through
creating content in it. This new file will File Explorer in Windows 10 or 11 or
immediately appear in your OneDrive. through Finder in macOS (if you have

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CHEAT SHEET MS ONEDRIVE FOR WEB

the OneDrive app installed). If you — and even lets you use the Home, My
rename, move, or delete a file or folder in files, Shared, Favorites, People, and
OneDrive via either the web app or File Meeting views offline. This feature is
Explorer/Finder, you’ll see those same just beginning to roll out to OneDrive
changes in the other interface; they’re business accounts.
just two different ways to access the
same content stored in the cloud. OPEN ONEDRIVE FILES ON THE
WEB OR IN A DESKTOP APP
ACCESS YOUR ONEDRIVE To open a Microsoft 365 file, such as a
FILES OFFLINE document, presentation, or spreadsheet,
Until now, if you wanted to make files from OneDrive, just click it. By default,
stored in OneDrive available on your it will open in a new browser tab in the
computer without an internet connection, corresponding web app. Click an Excel
you couldn’t do it from the web interface. file, for example, and the spreadsheet
Instead, you needed to go to File Explorer will open in the Excel web app.
or Finder on your computer, right-click If you’re subscribed to a Microsoft
the file, and select Always keep on this 365 plan that lets you use its desktop
device; that action downloads the file to applications, you can open the
your computer and stores it locally so spreadsheet in the Excel desktop app
it’s available when you’re offline. installed on your PC. To do this, right-click
However, Microsoft recently the Excel file in OneDrive for Web. From
announced a new offline mode in the menu that opens, select Open and
OneDrive for Web that lets you store then Open in app. (Note that ad blockers
files locally directly from the web interface and some browser privacy settings
may interfere with
this feature.)
This also works for
many other file types.
For example, you can
right-click a PDF and
select the desktop
app that you use to
edit PDFs (such as
Opening an Excel file from OneDrive for Web. Adobe Acrobat).

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file and click the

three-dot icon that
appears next to its
name or over its
thumbnail. On the
menu that opens,
select Add shortcut
and select the
folder where you
want the shortcut
Create shortcuts for quick access to key files. to be saved.

CREATE FILE SHORTCUTS SHARE FILES OR FOLDERS

IN ONEDRIVE FOR WEB IN ONEDRIVE FOR WEB
You can create a shortcut to any file you Move the mouse pointer over the file
have access to in OneDrive. For example, or folder you want to share and click the
you might want to create a shortcut to a icon of the arrow over the square.
file shared with you by another person. Or The Share panel opens. From this
say you want to have easy access to files point on, sharing works exactly as it
located in several different folders but does in OneDrive in Windows.
you don’t want to move the files or make Note that if you’re using a Microsoft
copies of them. You can create several 365 account that’s owned by your
shortcuts organized in a single folder. company, the options for sharing a
A shortcut is treated as its own file in web link to a file or folder in your
OneDrive. You can delete it or rename it, OneDrive may be restricted by your
but these actions won’t rename or delete IT administrator. Users with individual
the file that it’s linked to.
Think of a shortcut as a
file that works like a web
link. When you click it, it
opens the file it’s linked to.
To create a shortcut
to a file, move the
mouse pointer over the Click the Share icon to begin sharing a file.

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Microsoft accounts may see Sharing

and setting
slightly different screens and
access
options than those shown here, permissions
but the sharing process is similar. for a
OneDrive
file.
SHARE A FILE OR FOLDER
WITH SPECIFIC PEOPLE
In the Share panel, you can invite
specific people to access the file
or folder in your OneDrive. Enter
their email addresses in the first
field. If they’re in your Outlook contacts, changes to the original file or folder (or
you can start typing their name and its contents) in your OneDrive.
select from the suggestions that pop up.
Click the pencil icon to the right to Can’t download: Invitees can view the
change the access level to your file or file or folder but can’t download it.
folder. Depending on your Microsoft
account or Microsoft 365 account, you You can also enter a brief message
may see some or all of these options: for the recipients to read, then click the
Send button. An email will be sent to the
Can edit: The people you’ve invited can recipients that contains a link to your file
view your file or folder (and its contents), or folder that only they can open.
download it, forward its link to others,
and make changes to it (including SHARE A FILE OR FOLDER
contents in a folder). For example, if it’s a WITH ALL YOUR CO-WORKERS
Word document, then a person viewing If, instead of inviting specific people,
it can edit it with Word. This also means you want to share the file or folder with
that when they edit your file or folder, everyone in your organization, click the
their changes overwrite the original gear icon just to the right of the Copy
copy in your OneDrive. link button at the bottom of the panel.
A Link settings panel appears.
Can view: Invitees can view your file Under Share the link with, select
or folder, download it, and forward People in [your organization name]
its link to others, but they can’t make to share the file or folder with all your

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co-workers. In the More settings area up the Link settings panel. In the More
below, you’ll see the same access settings area, you can change the access
permission options as on the main Share permissions, set an expiration date after
panel — so you can, for instance, change which the public link will no longer work,
Can edit to Can view. After you’ve made and/or password-protect the file or folder.
your selections, click the Apply button. (Or, if you change your mind about
This returns you to the Share panel, sharing the link publicly, you can choose
where you can click Send to send the a different recipient group: people in your
invitation email. organization, people who already have
access to the file or folder, or people you
SHARE A FILE OR FOLDER specifically invite.)
VIA PUBLIC LINK After you’ve made your selections,
Another way to share a OneDrive click the Apply button, which returns
file or folder is with a public link. We you to the Share panel. Click the Copy
strongly recommend not using this link button. You can now share this link
method with files or folders that contain with other people by pasting it into a
sensitive data. (Some organizations document, email, message, etc.
turn off this capability.)
On the Share panel, you can click Note: For the quickest way to create
the Copy link button, and a link to your a link to publicly share a file or folder
file or folder is copied to your PC
Use the Link
clipboard. You can then share settings panel
this link with other people — but to change who
you invite and
before you do, it’s wise to think fine-tune access
about sharing permissions. By permissions.
default, anyone who clicks the
public link can view your file or
folder (and its contents), download
it, forward the link to others, and
make changes to the file or folder
(including contents in a folder).
To change this access setting,
click the gear icon just to the right
of the Copy link button. This calls

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CHEAT SHEET MS ONEDRIVE FOR WEB

in your OneDrive, right-click the file or example, simply click the trash can icon
folder and select Copy link from the by the link. Or click the gear icon if you
menu that appears. want to change the access settings for
the file or folder.
STOP OR MANAGE SHARING
FOR A FILE OR FOLDER ONEDRIVE FOR WEB: MORE
Select My files in the left column. Move FEATURES ON THE WAY
the pointer over the shared file or folder, As Microsoft continues its inexorable
click the three-dot icon, and select push to the cloud, it has poured
Manage access. On the Manage Access considerable resources into beefing up
panel that opens, click Stop sharing to the web versions of its Microsoft 365
stop sharing the file or folder completely. apps, and OneDrive is no exception.
You can also manage the access The new interface turns OneDrive for
permissions for any individual or group Web into a robust tool for productivity
with access to the file. On the People tab, and collaboration — and Microsoft
click the permission next to any person’s isn’t done yet.
name to change it — for instance, from In addition to the aforementioned
Can edit to Can view. You can do the same offline mode, Microsoft has announced
for groups by going to the Groups tab. several powerful new features coming to
To manage shared links, click the OneDrive for Web later this year, including
Links tab. To stop sharing a public link, for enhanced search with additional filters;
the ability to use templates when creating
You can
manage access new Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files;
permissions or and a slew of generative AI capabilities
stop sharing a
file or folder at
with Copilot for OneDrive (for users with
any time. a Copilot subscription).
Using OneDrive from within
Windows is convenient and covers all
the basics, but if you haven’t used the
web app in a while, it’s worth another
look. You just might find that the new
web interface boosts your productivity
— and may do so even more as
additional features roll out. 

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