Microsoft OneDrive is a great cloud storage solution for both personal and business use. OneDrive offers some unique features such as Annotate PDFs from your smartphone, Selective sync, Delve and more.
OneDrive on Mac Dark Mode. Files On-Demand and Storage Sense Integration. Begins rolling out to customers now. With Windows 10 October 2018 update Windows Storage Sense now has the capability to automatically free up disk space by making older, unused, locally available OneDrive files be available online-only. Your files will still be safe in.
But whenever OneDrive storage ticks the 5 GB mark, you start to worry about clearing the storage space to back up and save the new files from your personal computer or mobile.
To overcome this, planning a basic routine to clean the cloud storage helps you to work with ease using Microsoft OneDrive. Don’t worry, you need not buy a storage optimizer as we have come up with a manual optimizing routine to take care of your free OneDrive storage.
Why OneDrive file management is important?
The number of files backed up and stored gradually increases as the usage of your personal computer is more frequent. This makes your OneDrive storage cluttered with unwanted files overlapping your important documents, photos, audio and video files.
If you are not monitoring OneDrive storage regularly, there are chances of creating duplicate files due to multiple uploads of the same file or automatic back up and sync. To avoid such circumstances, you are advised to manage your storage space and use the available OneDrive features effectively.
Easy tips to manage your OneDrive storage space:
1)Delete unused files:
The first step towards managing your OneDrive is to delete the files that are no longer used by you. To do this Go to OneDrive.com -> Click Files -> Sort files according to size (Decreasing order). This shows files occupying the major portion of your OneDrive space. Select and delete the unused oversized files and other junk files from your storage. Most of the space will be occupied by Video or movie files uploaded accidentally. So cleaning these files results in an ample amount of storage space.
The first step towards managing your OneDrive is to delete the files that are no longer used by you. To do this Go to OneDrive.com -> Click Files -> Sort files according to size (Decreasing order). This shows files occupying the major portion of your OneDrive space. Select and delete the unused oversized files and other junk files from your storage. Most of the space will be occupied by Video or movie files uploaded accidentally. So cleaning these files results in an ample amount of storage space.
2) Categorize your files:
Once you have cleared up space for new files to get backed up and synced to your OneDrive space. Now it is the right time to organize the files and folders in your OneDrive for easy access. This automatically insists you to remove any file that is no longer needed to you.
Once you have cleared up space for new files to get backed up and synced to your OneDrive space. Now it is the right time to organize the files and folders in your OneDrive for easy access. This automatically insists you to remove any file that is no longer needed to you.
How to organize?
This is not big deal but initially, it takes time to set up the right folders for each file type. For example: Create a default folder for each file type. Whenever a new file is created in that particular file type that file is automatically saved in a default folder. This reduces your time to search one particular type of file all over your OneDrive storage. This will make file deletion easier.
This is not big deal but initially, it takes time to set up the right folders for each file type. For example: Create a default folder for each file type. Whenever a new file is created in that particular file type that file is automatically saved in a default folder. This reduces your time to search one particular type of file all over your OneDrive storage. This will make file deletion easier.
3) Compress files:
Easy way to reduce the usage of OneDrive storage space is by saving the compressed version of the files. Rarely used photos, documents can be compressed and saved in your storage. This increases the space to backup and saves your important files without having the fear of short of storage. Tools like Zip, RAR is available to compress your files into a folder.
Easy way to reduce the usage of OneDrive storage space is by saving the compressed version of the files. Rarely used photos, documents can be compressed and saved in your storage. This increases the space to backup and saves your important files without having the fear of short of storage. Tools like Zip, RAR is available to compress your files into a folder.
4) Remove duplicate files:
Sometimes you may end up uploading the same file multiple times into your OneDrive storage. This ends up in unwanted storage space usage and you will fall short to save your important files. Photos and documents are the most common file types that saved from multiple devices to a single OneDrive account.
Sometimes you may end up uploading the same file multiple times into your OneDrive storage. This ends up in unwanted storage space usage and you will fall short to save your important files. Photos and documents are the most common file types that saved from multiple devices to a single OneDrive account.
To remove the duplicate file manually is a difficult process, but to make this routine easier you can use a duplicate file remover tool to find and delete duplicates from your OneDrive storage. Sync your OneDrive account to this cloud-based software and follow the steps provided in the guide through to remove duplicate files.
5)Choose what to save:
By default, OneDrive has enabled autosave option to save all the files you download to OneDrive. If you don’t want to save the images, videos and screenshots to get saved in your OneDrive storage, follow these steps Go to settings -> Auto Save - > Change Document and Picture settings to This PC only -> Uncheck Photos and videos and Screenshots.
By default, OneDrive has enabled autosave option to save all the files you download to OneDrive. If you don’t want to save the images, videos and screenshots to get saved in your OneDrive storage, follow these steps Go to settings -> Auto Save - > Change Document and Picture settings to This PC only -> Uncheck Photos and videos and Screenshots.
6)Expand OneDrive storage for free:
If you are not ready to pay to buy extra OneDrive storage, there is an easy way to expand storage. Join Referral bonus program and earn 500 megabytes of storage for free. If you are able to invite 10 people to used OneDrive storage, you can earn extra 5GB as a reward. By this way, you can add up another 5.5 GB to OneDrive storage.
If you are not ready to pay to buy extra OneDrive storage, there is an easy way to expand storage. Join Referral bonus program and earn 500 megabytes of storage for free. If you are able to invite 10 people to used OneDrive storage, you can earn extra 5GB as a reward. By this way, you can add up another 5.5 GB to OneDrive storage.
7) OneDrive photo management:
Most of the users save large size images to their one drive storage. This occupies the major portion of the storage and gives very little space to save your important work-related documents. An alternate way to save your images is by reducing the picture quality of the image which automatically reduces the size of the image and occupies less OneDrive space.
Most of the users save large size images to their one drive storage. This occupies the major portion of the storage and gives very little space to save your important work-related documents. An alternate way to save your images is by reducing the picture quality of the image which automatically reduces the size of the image and occupies less OneDrive space.
8) Manage versions:
OneDrive allows you to save multiple versions of a file that you and your colleagues are working on. But saving multiple versions of file increases the file size and it proportionally occupies more space of OneDrive storage. So the best method to cut short the storage is to delete the older versions of the file that is no longer needed for you.
OneDrive allows you to save multiple versions of a file that you and your colleagues are working on. But saving multiple versions of file increases the file size and it proportionally occupies more space of OneDrive storage. So the best method to cut short the storage is to delete the older versions of the file that is no longer needed for you.
Above mentioned tips are some OneDrive usage hacks that you can follow to clean up the OneDrive storage space. By setting up this storage management routine your OneDrive will never fall short of storage space. This increases the file accessibility and reduces the risk of losing any of your important files in the clutter.
Optimized Storage in macOS Sierra and later* can save space by storing your content in iCloud and making it available on demand. When storage space is needed, files, photos, movies, email attachments, and other files that you seldom use are stored in iCloud automatically. Each file stays right where you last saved it, and downloads when you open it. Files that you’ve used recently remain on your Mac, along with optimized versions of your photos.
* If you haven't yet upgraded to macOS Sierra or later, learn about other ways to free up storage space.
Find out how much storage is available on your Mac
Choose Apple menu > About This Mac, then click Storage. This is an overview of available storage space on your Mac, as well as the space used by different categories of files:
Click the Manage button to open the Storage Management window, pictured below. (The Manage button is available only in macOS Sierra or later.)
Manage storage on your Mac
The Storage Management window offers recommendations for optimizing your storage. If some recommendations are already turned on, you will see fewer recommendations.
Store in iCloud
Click the Store in iCloud button, then choose from these options:
- Desktop and Documents. Store all files from these two locations in iCloud Drive. When storage space is needed, only the files you recently opened are kept on your Mac, so that you can easily work offline. Files stored only in iCloud show a download icon , which you can double-click to download the original file. Learn more about this feature.
- Photos. Store all original, full-resolution photos and videos in iCloud Photos. When storage space is needed, only space-saving (optimized) versions of photos are kept on your Mac. To download the original photo or video, just open it.
- Messages. Store all messages and attachments in iCloud. When storage space is needed, only the messages and attachments you recently opened are kept on your Mac. Learn more about Messages in iCloud.
Storing files in iCloud uses the storage space in your iCloud storage plan. If you reach or exceed your iCloud storage limit, you can either buy more iCloud storage or make more iCloud storage available. iCloud storage starts at 50GB for $0.99 (USD) a month, and you can purchase additional storage directly from your Apple device. Learn more about prices in your region.
Optimize Storage
Click the Optimize button, then choose from these options.
- Automatically remove watched movies and TV shows. When storage space is needed, movies or TV shows that you purchased from the iTunes Store and already watched are removed from your Mac. Click the download icon next to a movie or TV show to download it again.
- Download only recent attachments. Mail automatically downloads only the attachments that you recently received. You can manually download any attachments at any time by opening the email or attachment, or saving the attachment to your Mac.
- Don't automatically download attachments. Mail downloads an attachment only when you open the email or attachment, or save the attachment to your Mac.
Optimizing storage for movies, TV shows, and email attachments doesn't require iCloud storage space.
Empty Trash Automatically
Empty Trash Automatically permanently deletes files that have been in the Trash for more than 30 days.
Reduce Clutter
Reduce Clutter helps you to identify large files and files you might no longer need. Click the Review Files button, then choose any of the file categories in the sidebar, such as Applications, Documents, Music Creation, or Trash.
You can delete the files in some categories directly from this window. Other categories show the total storage space used by the files in each app. You can then open the app and decide whether to delete files from within it.
Learn how to redownload apps, music, movies, TV shows, and books.
Where to find the settings for each feature
The button for each recommendation in the Storage Management window affects one or more settings in other apps. You can also control those settings directly within each app.
- If you're using macOS Catalina, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Apple ID, then select iCloud in the sidebar: Store in iCloud turns on the Optimize Mac Storage setting on the right. Then click Options next to iCloud Drive: Store in iCloud turns on the Desktop & Documents Folders setting. To turn off iCloud Drive entirely, deselect iCloud Drive.
In macOS Mojave or earlier, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click iCloud, then click Options next to iCloud Drive. Store in iCloud turns on the Desktop & Documents Folders and Optimize Mac Storage settings. - In Photos, choose Photos > Preferences, then click iCloud. Store in iCloud selects iCloud Photos and Optimize Mac Storage.
- In Messages, choose Messages > Preferences, then click iMessage. Store in iCloud selects Enable Messages in iCloud.
- If you're using macOS Catalina, open the Apple TV app, choose TV > Preferences from the menu bar, then click Files. Optimize Storage selects “Automatically delete watched movies and TV shows.”
In macOS Mojave or earlier, open iTunes, choose iTunes > Preferences from the menu bar, then click Advanced. Optimize Storage selects “Automatically delete watched movies and TV shows.” - In Mail, choose Mail > Preferences from the menu bar, then click Accounts. In the Account Information section on the right, Optimize Storage sets the Download Attachments menu to either Recent or None.
Empty Trash Automatically: From the Finder, choose Finder > Preferences, then click Advanced. Empty Trash Automatically selects “Remove items from the Trash after 30 days.”
Other ways that macOS helps automatically save space
With macOS Sierra or later, your Mac automatically takes these additional steps to save storage space:
- Detects duplicate downloads in Safari, keeping only the most recent version of the download
- Reminds you to delete used app installers
- Removes old fonts, languages, and dictionaries that aren't being used
- Clears caches, logs, and other unnecessary data when storage space is needed
How to free up storage space manually
Even without using the Optimized Storage features of Sierra or later, you can take other steps to make more storage space available:
- Music, movies, and other media can use a lot of storage space. Learn how to delete music, movies, and TV shows from your device.
- Delete other files that you no longer need by moving them to the Trash, then emptying the Trash. The Downloads folder is good place to look for files that you might no longer need.
- Move files to an external storage device.
- Compress files.
- Delete unneeded email: In the Mail app, choose Mailbox > Erase Junk Mail. If you no longer need the email in your Trash mailbox, choose Mailbox > Erase Deleted Items.
Learn more
- When you duplicate a file on an APFS-formatted volume, that file doesn't use additional storage space on the volume. Deleting a duplicate file frees up only the space required by any data you might have added to the duplicate. If you no longer need any copies of the file, you can recover all of the storage space by deleting both the duplicate and the original file.
- If you're using a pro app and Optimize Mac Storage, learn how to make sure that your projects are always on your Mac and able to access their files.