How to Move Files from OneDrive to PC – Move Securely

Summary: A user notices that their OneDrive storage is almost full. Notification alerts start showing up, indicating potential syncing issues. Rather than paying for more storage, the user chooses a more affordable strategy. Therefore, to free up space in OneDrive storage, the user decides to move their files from OneDrive to their PC. But, how to move files from OneDrive to PC? In this professional blog, we will examine different ways to conveniently save OneDrive files directly to your PC. We will also introduce a professional OneDrive Backup Tool that provides a quick solution while also ensuring data accuracy and integrity. 

OneDrive is Microsoft’s cloud-based storage service that enables users to store, sync, and collaborate on files across devices. It uses synchronization techniques and, therefore, can be accessed from anywhere. 

Why Move Files from OneDrive to Local Drive?

A large number of users find it beneficial to transfer files from OneDrive to their PCs. Some of them are listed below:

• When you move files from OneDrive to your PC, it will give you offline access. This is helpful during travel or when in areas with poor internet connectivity.
• If you want to keep a local backup of important files, transfer files from OneDrive to your PC.
• If you’re not ready to upgrade your OneDrive storage, consider moving files to your PC to free up cloud space. 
• Users avoid keeping their sensitive files in the cloud to reduce the risk of unauthorized access, even with encryption. 

Now, that we have explored the benefits of this transfer process, let’s head towards both manual solutions as well as a professional solution.

How to Move Files from OneDrive to PC? 

Here’s we will explore easy and effective methods to move your files from OneDrive to PC. Each of the solution is explained in detail to ensure a smooth transfer process for all users. 

Manual Method 01: Using File Explorer

Make sure the OneDrive desktop app is installed and synced on your Windows PC. Then, only your OneDrive files will appear as a special folder in File Explorer. To manually move data from OneDrive to PC, copy it from the OneDrive folder to another folder on your PC.

Follow these steps to begin the process:

1. Open the File Explorer on your PC.
2. In the left-side panel, you will see OneDrive listed; click on it. 
3. Now, select the files or folders that you want to move.
4. Right-click on the selected items, and choose Cut (to move the files) or Copy (keep a copy in OneDrive).
5. Then, navigate to the folder on your PC where you want to move the files.
6. Right-click on the destination folder and choose Paste.

Manual Method 02: Using OneDrive Website

This approach involves accessing the OneDrive website in your browser and then manually move everything from OneDrive to PC. It is useful when OneDrive syncing isn’t set up on your PC, if your working on a temporary device. 

These are the steps to move files from OneDrive to PC:

1. First, open OneDrive on your web browser.
2. Sign in with your Microsoft account credentials.
3. Browse and select the files or folders that you want to move.
4. Now, navigate to the Download button and click on it.
5. The files will be downloaded in the Downloads folder by default.
6. Extract them and move them to your desired folder on PC. 

Shortcomings of the Manual Methods

• There is a risk of data loss while moving the files if they are not synced properly. 
• It is also a time-consuming process to manually move larger files.
• Users have to repeat this process each time to manually move Onedrive files to PC.

Reliable Software to Move Files from OneDrive to Local drive

The OneDrive Backup Tool is a powerful utility that transfers and migrates your OneDrive data quickly and accurately. It can move your complete OneDrive data to Google Drive or between OneDrive Personal and Business accounts. The tool can process multiple accounts at once. Moreover, the software also backs up OneDrive content to an external hard drive, ensuring data integrity. A date range filter enables selective migration of data based on the mentioned dates. 

Quick and simple steps to download OneDrive files to PC:

1. Download and install the software.
2. Open it and click on Next to continue.
3. Then, press Ok to verify your Microsoft account.
4. Now, tick the files or folders from the tree structure and click on Next.
5. Apply the additional filters, such as date range, duplicate files, etc, if needed.
6. After that, Select Destination Drive as OneDrive, Google Driv,e or Back up to Local Drive.
7. Verify the account, choose the destination path, and then, tap Next.

Conclusion

To sum up, this blog has answered the question: how to move files from OneDrive to PC. This is an easy process with multiple methods. One can use the OneDrive app for automatic syncing or download them via the web browser. For a more advanced solution, we recommend the OneDrive Backup Tool that offers a solution which is error-free and efficient. Each approach ensures that the files are saved locally and remains accessible.

Related Post: Backup OneDrive Files to External Hard Drive.

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About The Author

Rohit Singh

Rohit Singh is an Email Backup, Recovery, and Migration Expert with over 6 years of experience in the software industry. He specializes in data migration solutions for Microsoft Outlook, Office 365, Google Workspace, and other popular email clients. Rohit regularly shares practical insights and technical guides to help users simplify complex email management tasks.