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Fix Out of Disk Space Error Uploading External Drive to OneDrive on Mac
Question details
The user needs to upload files from an external drive to OneDrive on a Mac but encounters an out of disk space error during the process.
- Product
- Microsoft OneDrive
- Device & OS
- Mac / macOS
- Scenario
- Uploading a large volume of data from a connected external hard drive to Microsoft OneDrive.
- Observed behavior
- OneDrive synchronization through Mac Finder uses local Mac storage to process and cache the files, causing the local drive to fill up and the upload to fail before completion.
Verify your current local Mac storage in Disk Utility, and ensure your external hard drive remains securely connected throughout the entire troubleshooting and upload process.
Enable OneDrive Files On-Demand and Upload in Smaller Batches
Activating Files On-Demand prevents OneDrive from keeping downloaded copies on your Mac, while uploading files in batches stops the local cache from filling up during the synchronization process.
When you drag files from an external drive to the OneDrive folder in Finder, macOS temporarily caches these files on your local startup disk to process the upload. Enabling Files On-Demand helps minimize this local storage consumption.
Click the OneDrive cloud icon in your Mac menu bar at the top of the screen, click the gear icon, and select 'Preferences' or 'Settings'.
Navigate to the 'Sync and back up' or 'Preferences' tab, locate the 'Files On-Demand' section, and ensure the feature is turned on by selecting 'Free up disk space'.
Open your external drive in Finder, select a small batch of files (e.g., 5 to 10 GB), and drag them into your local OneDrive folder.
Monitor the OneDrive status icons next to the files in Finder. Wait until they display a cloud icon or a solid green checkmark before transferring the next batch of files.
Upload Files Directly Using the OneDrive Web App
Uploading your external drive files through a web browser bypasses the macOS Finder caching system, requiring significantly less local storage space during the upload.
Edit Cloud Files Seamlessly with WPS Office
If you frequently struggle with local disk space limits while handling large Office files on your Mac, consider streamlining your document workflow with WPS Office. It is a lightweight, fully-featured alternative to Microsoft Office that handles cloud files exceptionally well without unnecessarily clogging your local storage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does OneDrive consume my Mac's local storage when the files are on an external drive?
When you move or copy files into the OneDrive folder via Finder, macOS must locally cache the data on your primary hard drive to process the background synchronization to Microsoft's cloud servers, temporarily reducing your available disk space.
Is it safe to unplug my external drive while OneDrive is still uploading?
No. You must keep the external drive connected until the synchronization is completely finished. Disconnecting the drive prematurely will interrupt the sync process and can lead to incomplete uploads or corrupted files.
How do I confirm my files are fully uploaded to OneDrive before I delete them locally?
You can check the status icons next to your files in Finder; a cloud icon means the file is safely stored online and not taking up local space. You can also log into the OneDrive website via a browser to manually verify the files are present in the cloud.
