OneDrive & SharePoint

File sharing, sync fixes, storage cleanup, version history, and figuring out where your files actually live.

33 guides in this category.

How-To Guides

• How to Check Out and Check In Files in SharePoint - Check out a file in SharePoint to lock it while you make big edits, then check it back in with a version comment — and know when co-authoring is better.
• How to Choose Which OneDrive Folders Sync to Your Computer - Use OneDrive's Choose folders setting to keep a folder off this PC entirely, and learn when Files On-Demand is the better tool for the job.
• How to Create a Shared Folder in OneDrive - Share folders and files in OneDrive to collaborate with colleagues. Manage editing permissions and secure access links step-by-step.
• How to Follow Sites and Set Up Alerts in SharePoint - Stay updated on SharePoint changes. Follow team sites and configure email alerts for modified files and document libraries.
• How to Manage Files in SharePoint Document Libraries - Upload, move, and organize files in SharePoint Online document libraries. Learn folder structure and file collaboration basics.
• How to Manage Your OneDrive and SharePoint Storage Quota - Check your OneDrive and SharePoint storage usage, find large files, free up space, and avoid quota errors before they block you.
• How to Organize a Shared Drive Your Team Can Navigate - Give your team a shared drive they can actually navigate — a folder structure that works, dated file names that sort, and a safe way to migrate the mess.
• How to Request Access to a SharePoint Site or File - Request permissions for SharePoint sites, libraries, or files. Learn what to do when you encounter an Access Denied error.
• How to Restore a Previous Version of a File in OneDrive - Restore a previous version of a file in OneDrive or SharePoint. View version history to recover overwritten edits easily.
• How to Restore Your Entire OneDrive to an Earlier Time - Roll your entire OneDrive back to any point in the last 30 days with Files Restore — the self-service fix for mass deletes, overwrites, and ransomware.
• How to Scan Documents with OneDrive Mobile - Scan paper documents, receipts, and whiteboards to PDF using the OneDrive mobile app. Save scanned files directly to the cloud.
• How to Securely Share Files with Clients in Microsoft 365 - A simple guide to securely sharing OneDrive and SharePoint files with external clients without making them create a Microsoft account.
• How to Set Up a Shared Drive or Team Folder for a Small Group - Set up a shared drive or team folder in Microsoft 365 using OneDrive or SharePoint for small group file sharing without calling IT.
• How to Share Files and Folders via OneDrive - OneDrive makes it efficient to share files and folders with colleagues or external contacts by generating a sharing link or sending a direct invitation.
• How to Sync a SharePoint Library to File Explorer - Add shortcut to My files or Sync? Here is what each button does to File Explorer, which one to pick, and how to remove a library without deleting anything.
• How to Use List Views and Filters in SharePoint - SharePoint lists store structured data - such as tasks, issues, inventory, or contacts - in a table format.
• How to Use OneDrive Files On-Demand - OneDrive Files On-Demand lets you access all your cloud files in File Explorer without downloading them to your computer.
• How to Use Personal and Work OneDrive on the Same Computer - Add a second OneDrive account to one PC, tell the two folders apart in File Explorer, and stop work files landing in your personal account.
• How to Use SharePoint Approval Workflows with Power Automate - Stop chasing document sign-off by email — route a SharePoint file to a named approver automatically and see the decision recorded against the file itself.
• How to Use SharePoint Sites and Pages for Team Collaboration - Find your way around SharePoint sites, create and edit pages, add web parts, and share a site so your team has one hub for documents.
• How to Use Storage Sense with OneDrive - Storage Sense frees disk space on its own by clearing temporary files and making OneDrive files online-only when you start running low.
• How to Work Offline in Microsoft 365 - Going on a flight? Learn how to access your Outlook emails, Word documents, and OneDrive files without an internet connection.

Troubleshooting

• How to Fix "Access Denied" and Permission Errors in Microsoft 365 - Fix "Access Denied" or "You need permission" errors when trying to open files, SharePoint sites, or shared mailboxes in Microsoft 365.
• How to Fix Duplicate Conflict Copies of Files in OneDrive - Sort out OneDrive conflict copies that appear beside your files — find the authoritative version, merge the differences, and stop new copies appearing.
• How to Fix Guest Access "MFA Loops" in SharePoint - Resolve the frustrating issue where SharePoint repeatedly asks you to verify your identity (MFA) but never lets you view the shared document.
• How to Fix OneDrive Not Starting or Missing Icon - If the OneDrive cloud icon is missing from your taskbar, the application isn't running, which means your files are not being backed up.
• How to Fix OneDrive Storage Full Errors - When OneDrive is full, it stops syncing new changes.
• How to Fix OneDrive Sync Problems - Fix OneDrive when files show "Sync Pending," uploads get stuck, or the cloud icon shows errors — step-by-step without admin rights.
• How to Troubleshoot SharePoint "Access Denied" and Permission Errors - Troubleshoot "Access Denied," "You need permission to access this item, and other permission errors in SharePoint Online.

Explainers

• Understanding File Sharing and Permissions in Microsoft 365 - How sharing works in Microsoft 365: what each link type does, who can open it, and how to avoid sending a file to the entire company.
• Understanding Network Drives vs. Cloud Storage - The difference between mapped network drives like H: or S: and cloud storage in OneDrive or SharePoint, and which one to save your work in.
• Understanding Where Your Files Live - OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams all store files - but they are not the same thing.
• Understanding Why Your Desktop and Documents Moved to OneDrive - Your Desktop and Documents folders now sit inside OneDrive because of a setting called Known Folder Move. Here is what changed, what did not, and what to check.