How to Backup OneDrive to an External Drive & Transfer Data
Ever since its introduction OneDrive has been one of the favorites in the arena of cloud storage. Despite all of One Drive’s wonderful features, relying solely on the cloud is not a reliable strategy for many. One way to mitigate this issue is knowing how to backup OneDrive to an external drive efficiently and regularly.
That’s exactly why we have prepared this write-up. It contains all the different ways in which users can move the OneDrive content onto a local storage. Before discussing the solution let’s first explore the reasons behind this request.
Reasons to Download OneDrive to External Hard Drive Explained
Here is a list of reasons why anyone would want to bring the data present on their OneDrive to an external storage unit.
- Free up cloud storage whenever you perform OneDrive backup external drive act.
- Reverting to an On-premise setup
- Avoid unwanted premium upgrades
- Ensure offline access to critical data
- Compliance with data retention policies
- Get rid of redundant files from the cloud
- Prioritizing personal storage over the cloud
- Faster recovery in case of cloud service outages
- Protect against accidental deletions or corruption
- Reduce dependency on internet bandwidth for large file transfers
- Streamline collaboration by sharing files directly from the external drive
- Maintain versioning control without relying solely on cloud mechanisms
- Guard against potential security breaches or data breaches in the cloud
Use the Web App Copy Files from OneDrive to USB
Step 1. Fire up a browser
Step 2. Change the default download setting.
Refer to the table below and make changes to your browser
| Browser | Steps |
| Crome | Click 3 verticle dots at top left >> scroll to find settings >> click Downloads on left pane >> click Change >> Browse and select folder |
| Safari | Go to Settings >> General >> click on “File download location” >> and change the location |
| Firefox | Click on the Hamburger menu at top left >> click settings >> scroll to find Downloads >> click Browse >> select folder |
| Edge | Press Alt + F >> click on settings >> click Downloads on left pane >> click Change >> Browse and select folder |
Tip: Most browsers have the option to “ask for the location after download”. You can also toggle it instead of changing the default location.
Step 3. Login to your OneDrive Account
Step 4. Select the files you want to download
Step 5. Click on the download option from the toolbar
Note: Multiple files are downloaded in a zip format.
Use OneDrive Desktop App as a Data Transfer Intermediary
You might be in one of two camps either you don’t have the app pre-installed on your computer or you have. If you belong to the former then download the app and directly skip to step. For those who already have the app, there are some changes to be made in the default configuration.
Backing up OneDrive to external hard drive is possible via these steps on any Windows PC.
Step 1. On the taskbar find and click on the OneDrive Icon.
Step 2. In the Dialog box click the gear icon on the top right.
Step 3. From the dropdown menu choose Settings
Step 4. In the new window that opens select the Account Tab
Step 5. Then press the “Unlink this PC” button
Step 6. Confirm the operation by hitting the “Unlink account” option
Step 7. It toggles the sign-in page to pop up. Leave it as it is.
Step 8. Go to the original One Drive desktop location it is usually the following
“C:\Users\admin\OneDrive” and copy all existing items.
Step 9. Then, open the sign-in portal and log in with your credentials
Step 10. On the next screen press the “Change location” and select the external drive.
Step 11. Afterward, continue to choose the following options on the upcoming screens.
Step 12. Next >> I’ll do it later >> Not now >> Next >> Next >> Open my OneDrive folder.
If manual backup seems tough we have some alternatives to the download process. However, none of them is a sufficient answer, we have provided the reasons for the same.
Don’t Know How to Transfer Files From OneDrive to a Hard Disk Try Out these Alternatives
Alternative 1: Increasing Cloud storage limit
Possible Problem: Purchasing additional cloud storage is not a one-time payment so users have to buy either a monthly or yearly subscription. How much one needs to spend is not predetermined but calculated based on a continuous cycle. As a result, costs can quickly rack up and become out of budget for individuals and small-scale businesses. Moreover, this is not a solution in the sense that it merely delays the storage issue further down the line.
Alternative 2: Create a new OneDrive Account to transfer ownership or share files
Possible Problem: This is a rather unorthodox strategy as companies have limits on how many accounts can belong to a single individual. Moreover, users might have heard the news about Google already announcing that it is pulling back the support from inactive accounts.
This means that they are going to delete inactive accounts (not accessed for 2 years in a row) irrespective of the data present in them. It is done as a cost-saving measure. So it is highly likely that other companies (like Microsoft) follow in their footsteps and do the same.
Alternative 3: Migrating to different cloud storage
Possible Problem: If users want, they can use these smart techniques for OneDrive to Google Drive transfer. However, migration is a permanent change and comes with its own set of issues. Additionally, after getting used to OneDrive a new cloud interface may feel foreign.
None of these alternatives work according to the requirements. We should look into a better way to back to the backup on a hard drive. So let’s see how.
Automated Way to Download OneDrive Backup to External Hard Drive or USB
Regardless of the situation the only tool trusted by IT every admin is the SysTools Office 365 export software. With a legacy of successful clients, professional utility is the best choice present on the market.
To put it simply, it’s a blend of user-friendly design and powerful algorithms that ensures swift and accurate backups for all users.
Step 1. Install the software. Upon opening it, select Office 365 as your source and File System as the destination.
Step 2. Then, navigate to Workload selection, check the box next to ‘Documents,‘ and apply any desired date filters for precise answer on how to backup OneDrive to an external drive.<br />
Step 3. Validate both the Office 365 source and destination folders one after the other.
Step 4. Fetch users directly, Import pre-made CSV file, or Download and modify the template for seamless user mapping.
Step 5. Review your selections, adjust priorities if needed, validate once more, and click “Start Export” to initiate the backup process.
Features of the Utility that Make it the Best Answer on How to Backup OneDrive to an External Drive</h3>
Here is a list of reasons that support the fact that the tool is the best answer of how to back up OneDrive to an external drive.
- Efficiently Export Documents from OneDrive to Your Device
- Download All OneDrive Files and Folders Concurrently
- Copy items present in OneDrive Account of Multiple Users Together
- Use Date Filters for Targeted File Exports
- Define Your Preferred Storage Destination
- Activate Concurrent Backups for Enhanced Speed
- Track Progress in Real-Time Through the Dashboard
- Easily Retry Export for Any Unsuccessful Items
- Delta Backup Feature for Recent OneDrive Additions
- Preserves Original Folder Structure and Data Integrity
- Supports all Windows 11, 10 (64-bit), Platforms.
Conclusion
With this, the discussion on the topic of how to backup OneDrive to an external drive is now complete. Moreover, here users got to know all the different ways in which they can bring the data located inside the OneDrive platform onto their local storage. Apart from the obvious manual methods we also provided some distinct alternatives to the transfer.
At last, we gave a detailed tutorial on how to use the automated utility for the task. We hope that with the software at hand, all user queries on data copying from OneDrive can be put to rest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use any keyboard to speed up the OneDrive to External Drive transfer?
Hold Shift to select multiple items in continuation or Hold Ctrl and use your cursor to make a distributed multi-selection.
You can also toggle the main checkbox at the top or Press the Ctrl + A key together to select all items in your OneDrive Account.
The download option is disabled in the OneDrive Web app; why so?
While making mass selections, keep in mind that you don’t select the Personal Vault with the rest of the items.
As you can’t download the Personal Vault, selecting it disables the download button. It doesn’t matter if you have other downloadable items selected alongside it.
Another reason for not seeing the Download icon is selecting an empty folder. OneDrive does not allow you to download a hollow shell folder. However, if a parent folder has a child folder that is empty, you will still be able to download the parent folder, with the empty child folder inside.
In professional setups, admins may disable users from downloading files on their own; contact your admin to check if such a policy is applied in your organization.
Are there any other methods that can be used to perform bulk downloads of items from OneDrive?
Yes, one other possibility is to build your own script that uses the Microsoft Graph API for OneDrive and puts the items from the cloud onto a local hard disk. However, this is a highly technical procedure and should only be done if you have prior experience or know what you are doing. Any mistake may lead to permanent deletion of files from OneDrive with no chance of recovery.
