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Fix OneDrive Downloading SharePoint Files and Filling Disk Space
Question details
Users need to stop OneDrive for Business from automatically downloading large SharePoint directories to their local hard drive instead of keeping them online-only.
- Product
- OneDrive for Business / Microsoft 365
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Synchronizing SharePoint document libraries to a local computer using the OneDrive desktop client.
- Observed behavior
- OneDrive ignores the online-only configuration and downloads entire SharePoint folders, rapidly consuming all available local disk space and occasionally causing the application to crash.
Before applying these fixes, temporarily pause OneDrive syncing from the taskbar icon to prevent it from consuming more disk space while you configure the correct settings.
Enable Files On-Demand and Free Up Space
Use the built-in OneDrive settings to convert downloaded files back into cloud-only shortcuts, immediately recovering your local disk space.
The Files On-Demand feature is designed to let you see all your cloud files in File Explorer without actually downloading them until you open them. Occasionally, this setting gets disabled or desynchronized.
Click the OneDrive cloud icon in your Windows taskbar notifications area, click the gear icon in the top right corner, and select Settings.
Navigate to the 'Sync and back up' tab and click on 'Advanced settings'. Ensure that the 'Files On-Demand' feature is enabled to save space.
Open File Explorer and locate your synchronized SharePoint or OneDrive folder. Right-click the folder and select 'Free up space'. The status icons next to the files will change to a blue cloud, indicating they have been removed from local storage but remain safe in the cloud.
Apply the Windows Update Workaround
Address a known OneDrive disk-space bug triggered by recent Windows updates by having your IT department apply an official workaround.
Reinstall the OneDrive Client
If configuration changes fail to stop the automatic downloads, reinstalling the OneDrive application can reset corrupted synchronization states.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is OneDrive ignoring the Files On-Demand setting?
This usually happens due to known software bugs introduced in recent Windows updates (such as the July 2024 update). These bugs can override the online-only configuration and force the OneDrive client to download full directories locally.
Does selecting 'Free up space' delete my files from SharePoint?
No. Selecting 'Free up space' only removes the locally downloaded copy of the file from your computer's hard drive. The file remains safely stored in SharePoint and will appear as an online-only shortcut in your folder.
How do I completely stop a SharePoint folder from syncing to my computer?
To stop syncing a folder entirely, click the OneDrive taskbar icon, go to Settings, select the Account tab, and click 'Choose folders'. Uncheck the specific SharePoint directories you no longer wish to display or sync on your device.
