OneDrive File Issues

How to Copy All OneDrive for Business Files to Azure Blob Storage

Huda Qurayshi Oct 12, 2026 868 views

Question details

Organizations need to continuously back up or copy new and modified files from every user's OneDrive for Business account to Azure Blob Storage for compliance and data retention purposes.

How to Copy All OneDrive for Business Files to Azure Blob Storage

Product: OneDrive for Business, Azure Blob Storage
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Enterprise data retention and compliance archiving across multiple user accounts.
Observed behavior: A standard cloud flow created under a single user account does not automatically grant access to every user's OneDrive, preventing automated organization-wide archiving without proper permissions and architecture.

Before you start

Ensure you have Microsoft 365 global administrator or appropriate delegated administrative permissions, as well as an active Azure subscription with the target Blob Storage account provisioned.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Microsoft Graph API and Azure Data Factory

This is the recommended enterprise-scale approach for enumerating users and continuously transferring large volumes of data securely.

Because accessing multiple users' OneDrive accounts requires tenant-level administrative privileges, standard user flows are insufficient. Integrating Azure Data Factory with the Microsoft Graph API provides the necessary application-level access and scalability for compliance archiving.

Register an application in Microsoft Entra ID

Navigate to the Microsoft Entra admin center, register a new application, and grant it application-level permissions for 'Files.Read.All' and 'User.Read.All' via the Microsoft Graph API.

Provision Azure Blob Storage

In the Azure portal, navigate to Storage Accounts, select or create your storage account, and set up a new Blob container to act as the destination sink for the organizational files.

Configure Azure Data Factory pipeline

Set up an Azure Data Factory instance and create a new data pipeline. Use an HTTP linked service authenticated with your registered app's credentials to connect to the Microsoft Graph API.

Set up Delta Queries and Copy Data activity

Configure a recurring trigger in Azure Data Factory to query the Microsoft Graph API for modified OneDrive files using Delta Queries, and use the Copy Data activity to route the fetched files directly to your Azure Blob Storage container.

Use Microsoft Graph API and Azure Data Factory

Solution 2

Use Power Automate for Targeted Folders

Use Power Automate for smaller environments or specific shared folders where a service account holds delegated access.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a standard user account to back up all organization OneDrive files?

No. A flow created under a standard user account only provides access to that specific user's files. You must use an account with Microsoft 365 administrative privileges or set up application-level permissions via the Microsoft Graph API.

How can I only copy files that are new or modified to save bandwidth?

You can utilize Microsoft Graph API Delta Queries, or rely on the 'When a file is created or modified' trigger in Power Automate. This ensures you only process incremental changes rather than re-copying the entire drive every time.

Is Power Automate suitable for continuous enterprise-wide backups?

While Power Automate can handle basic file transfers, it may face API throttling limits and complex permission management at an enterprise scale. For large organizations, using Azure Data Factory and Microsoft Graph is highly recommended by Microsoft community experts for better robustness and scalability.

Document & File Issues