Build your skills with Microsoft OneDrive

You can also share your files with others. Files stored in OneDrive can be shared via a link rather than an attachment. Everything is private. You control the permissions on who can view a document, or view and edit a document.

OneDrive documents are synced to the cloud so the most recent document on your mobile phone is the most recent document on your desktop computer.  As an added bonus, devices remember where in the document you were when you were on that device. And, every time you open a document you shared, your app will tell you what was changed and who made the change.

OneDrive's flexibility makes it an ideal tool to use while working remotely.

Use one drive in your browser:

1. In your browser, sign in to https://www.microsoft365.com/ using your UM email address and password.
2. Select OneDrive.

Use one drive on your desktop:

• If you use Windows 10, in File Explorer, select OneDrive - University of Manitoba.
• If you use a Mac, you will have to either install and set up the OneDrive sync app or add your work or student account to the OneDrive sync app on your computer.

Save and open files in your Office apps:

• If OneDrive is installed on your computer, you will see the option to save a file to your OneDrive folder from any Office 365 application.

Staff: Your personal H: drive on the UM shared servers will still be available to you. OneDrive provides you with an additional location to store your personal work files.

Staff and faculty may choose to transfer your entire H: drive to OneDrive or use the space to store your working documents only. It’s up to you!

Learn how to:

• Upload files and folders in OneDrive (work or school)
• Create files and folders in OneDrive (work or school)
• Restore a previous version of a file stored in OneDrive

OneDrive supports previewing many different file types. Review the file types you can open in OneDrive.

A note about syncing files

You may have sync conflicts if you are uploading multiple files to OneDrive Online at the same time, or if you are making changes in your OneDrive folder while it is syncing at the same time.

Sync issues can also occur if you edit files offline. To reduce sync conflicts, rename the edited files or folders to something new or unique, and save them again.

Instead of emailing a file to your colleagues, you can share a link to your working document. Any changes made to the file will be recorded as a new version. You will never have to keep track of multiple copies of the same file again!

Learn how to:

• Share files and folders with Microsoft 365 Business 
• Stop sharing OneDrive or SharePoint files or folders, or change permissions 
• See files you shared in OneDrive - OneDrive (work or school)

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File version history

Your OneDrive folder maintains a 30-day version history of all files. This means you can view and/or restore an older version of an individual file from any point in the past 30 days.

• Learn how to restore a previous version of a file stored in OneDrive

A note about sharing files

Please review the university's recommendations for using OneDrive, Teams and SharePoint to share files in the table below.

Data Sharing and Storage Guidelines-Quick Reference (PDF)

Easily restore deleted files and folders

In OneDrive, deleted files and folders are moved to the Recycle bin. Files you delete from OneDrive are stored in the Recycle bin for 30 days before they are permanently deleted.

• Learn how to delete and restore deleted files

If your OneDrive files were deleted, overwritten, corrupted, or infected by malware, you can restore your entire OneDrive to a previous time.

• Learn how to restore your OneDrive folder

Find your files and folders using intelligent search

You can access your Microsoft SharePoint or Microsoft Teams files on the web or in the mobile app without leaving OneDrive.

If you are logged in to Microsoft 365, you can also find your personal OneDrive files and files that are shared with you using the Bing search engine in Microsoft Edge.  

Don’t panic! The search is customized for your eyes only. No one else will find your personal files unless you have shared a file with them. Remember, you are in control of what others may see!

• Learn how to find your SharePoint and Teams files in OneDrive

Find out more about Microsoft's intelligent search and document security:

• Are my documents safe in the Discover view in OneDrive for work or school?

OneDrive is backed up by Microsoft twice daily and backups are retained for 30 days.

Your OneDrive storage is deleted when your account is deleted or de-licensed (i.e. when you leave the University of Manitoba). However, it may be recovered by an administrator within 30 days. 

Use Teams or SharePoint for collaboration or long-term file storage for continuity. Please review the Data Sharing and Storage Guidelines-Quick Reference for more information.