OneDrive keeps your files available on every device you own, but by default it can try to download your entire library to the hard drive. When your storage fills up, that behavior quickly becomes a problem. Selective sync solves it by letting you choose exactly which folders live on your PC, while everything else stays safely stored in the cloud and comes back on demand.
This approach works on Windows 11, Windows 10, and enterprise-managed devices that use OneDrive for Business. Instead of deleting files, you keep them all in the cloud and only pull the ones you actively use onto your local drive. The result is more free disk space and a faster, less cluttered file experience.
Before You Start
- Make sure OneDrive is installed and you are signed in with your Microsoft or work account.
- Confirm you have a stable internet connection, since files stored online-only need to download when you open them.
- Note which folders you use every day so you keep them local and move the rest to online-only.
With those basics in place, you are ready to configure selective sync.
Step 1: Open the OneDrive menu
Click the OneDrive cloud icon in your taskbar’s system tray. Look near the clock in the bottom-right corner of your screen. If you do not see the cloud, click the up arrow to reveal hidden icons, then find the blue or white cloud symbol.
Clicking the icon opens a small panel that shows your storage usage and recent files. You should see a green checkmark if your files are synced, or a sync icon if things are still catching up. From here you can access your OneDrive folder and settings.
Step 2: Open OneDrive Settings
Click the gear-shaped Settings icon in the top-right of that panel. This opens the OneDrive settings window. On the newer version of OneDrive, a separate window launches showing several tabs across the top.
If a small settings dialog pops up instead of the full window, look for a “More” or arrow option to open the complete settings. Either way, you reach the same controls for syncing and folders. The full window gives you access to everything you need for selective sync.
Step 3: Find the folder sync controls
Go to the Sync and Backup tab (or the Account tab on older versions). The newer OneDrive places folder controls under Sync and Backup, while the classic version keeps them under the Account tab. Locate the section that mentions folders or syncing.
On the Sync and Backup tab, look for a button labeled “Manage folders” or “Choose folders.” On the classic Account tab, you will see a “Choose folders” button directly. Clicking it opens a dialog listing every folder in your OneDrive.
Step 4: Choose which folders stay on your PC
Clear the checkboxes next to folders you want to remove from this computer. Every folder in your OneDrive appears with a checkbox. A checked box means the folder is synced locally; an unchecked box means it stays online-only.
Leave the folders you use daily checked, and uncheck large folders you rarely open, such as old projects, media archives, or backups. Think about which folders take up the most space first, since those give you the biggest space savings.
Step 5: Save your changes
Click Apply (or OK) to confirm your selections. OneDrive then begins removing the unchecked folders from your local drive. The files are not deleted from the cloud, so they remain accessible from any other device or your web browser.
You may see a progress indicator while OneDrive frees up space. Once it finishes, the removed folders disappear from your local OneDrive folder but stay available online. This is the core benefit of selective sync: reclaim disk space without losing anything.
Step 6: Verify the folders are online-only
Open File Explorer and check the OneDrive folder for cloud icons. Files that stay in the cloud show a small blue cloud icon next to their name, while local files show a green checkmark. This visual cue confirms which files are taking up hard drive space.
If a folder you unchecked still shows a checkmark, give it a minute to update, or right-click it and choose “Always keep on this device” or “Free up space” to force the change. The icons should match the choices you made in the previous steps.
Step 7: Free up more space with Files-On-Demand
Right-click any file or folder and select “Free up space.” Files-On-Demand lets you keep a file in the cloud while instantly removing its data from your hard drive. The file still appears in File Explorer, but it downloads again the moment you open it.
This is different from selective sync, which removes entire folders. Use “Free up space” for individual large files you need to see but rarely edit. Together, these two features give you fine control over how much space OneDrive uses.
Pro Tip: Keep your most-used folders local with green checkmarks, and let everything else stay online-only with blue cloud icons. This balance keeps your daily workflow fast while maximizing free disk space.
Troubleshooting
If selective sync is not behaving as expected, check these common issues before assuming something is broken.
- Folders still appear local after applying changes. Wait a few moments for OneDrive to finish processing, then refresh File Explorer with
F5. If they stay checked, right-click the folder and choose “Free up space” to force it online-only. - The “Choose folders” or “Manage folders” option is missing. This usually means you are using a simplified or managed OneDrive account. Update OneDrive to the latest version, or check with your organization’s IT admin, since managed accounts can restrict these controls.
- A removed folder will not come back. Open the OneDrive settings again, re-check the folder, and click Apply. The folder and its files will re-sync to your PC automatically.
Final Tips
- Review your storage usage periodically by clicking the OneDrive menu, which shows a bar graph of how much space you have used.
- Do not delete files from your local folder expecting them to vanish from the cloud—selective sync keeps everything safe, but manual deletion removes it everywhere.
- On enterprise devices, policies set by your IT team may override your folder choices, so contact your admin if options are grayed out.
With selective sync configured, your OneDrive now works the way you want it: your active files always at hand, and everything else stored safely in the cloud. You keep all your data while getting your hard drive space back.
Over to you: What is the largest folder you have moved to online-only, and how much disk space did it free up?
