How to Fix OneDrive Keeping Files Online-Only on Mac
Question details
The user wants to prevent OneDrive on macOS from automatically removing local file copies and reverting their status to online-only.
- Product
- OneDrive
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Trying to keep OneDrive files permanently downloaded and available locally for regular offline work on a Mac.
- Observed behavior
- OneDrive repeatedly removes downloaded local copies of files and changes them back to online-only status, even after the user selects to download all files.
Ensure your Mac is connected to the internet and the OneDrive desktop application is currently running and fully synced up to date.
Use 'Always Keep on This Device' to Retain Local Files
Applying the 'Always Keep on This Device' setting forces OneDrive to permanently store files on your Mac's hard drive, preventing macOS from offloading them to the cloud.
In newer versions of macOS, the operating system uses Apple's File Provider extension to manage cloud files. If you only select 'Download', the system may still optimize storage by removing local copies when disk space is low. To stop this, you must explicitly instruct OneDrive to keep the files permanently.
Open Finder on your Mac and navigate to your OneDrive folder from the sidebar.
Find the specific file or folder that keeps reverting to online-only status.
Right-click (or Control-click) the affected file or folder, and select 'Always Keep on This Device' from the context menu.
Wait for the file's cloud icon to change to a solid check mark. This solid check mark indicates that the file is permanently stored locally.
Restart your Mac to verify that the local status of the files remains unchanged after a reboot.
Edit Your Local Documents Seamlessly with WPS Office
If you are tired of cloud syncing issues and storage restrictions, try WPS Office. It provides a reliable, high-performance environment to create, edit, and save your documents directly to your Mac's local storage without unexpected cloud offloading.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS Office website and click 'Download WPS Office Free' for macOS.
- 2. Install the Application: Open the downloaded installer and drag the WPS Office application into your Mac's Applications folder.
- 3. Save Files Locally: Launch WPS Office to easily open, edit, and save your documents directly to your local hard drive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does macOS automatically remove my downloaded OneDrive files?
If you have Apple's 'Optimize Mac Storage' feature enabled, macOS monitors your disk space. When space is running low, it automatically removes older, infrequently used local cloud downloads to free up space, turning them back into online-only files.
Can I disable Files On-Demand entirely in OneDrive for Mac?
In macOS 12.1 and later, Apple enforces the File Provider API for cloud storage, meaning Files On-Demand is enabled by default and cannot be completely turned off in OneDrive preferences. You must use 'Always Keep on This Device' for folders you want offline.
Will selecting 'Always Keep on This Device' consume my Mac's hard drive space?
Yes. Marking files or folders to be kept on the device downloads a permanent local copy. This will use your Mac's internal storage, so ensure you have enough free disk space before applying this setting to large folders.
Why does 'Keep on this device' disappear from my context menu?
If the OneDrive Finder extensions are disabled, the context menu options will not appear. You can fix this by going to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Extensions > Finder Extensions, and ensuring OneDrive is checked.
