OneDrive File Issues

How to Fix OneDrive Not Fully Uploading Files from External Hard Drive

John Wilson Oct 20, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user is unable to fully upload a massive folder (550 GB) from an external hard drive to OneDrive, with transfers stalling at 6-24 GB and consuming limited local laptop space.

How to Fix OneDrive Not Fully Uploading Files from an External Hard Drive

Product: Microsoft OneDrive
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Copying a large volume of data directly from an external hard drive to the OneDrive folder on a laptop with limited internal storage.
Observed behavior: The file transfer stops prematurely with thousands of image files missing, and OneDrive fills up the laptop's internal hard drive by attempting to store local copies of the uploaded data.

Before you start

Ensure your laptop has a stable and fast internet connection, and check how much internal storage space is currently available before initiating massive file transfers.

Solution 1Recommended

Enable OneDrive Files On-Demand to Save Local Disk Space

Turning on Files On-Demand prevents OneDrive from saving full local copies of your massive upload on your laptop's limited internal drive.

By default, OneDrive may attempt to cache newly uploaded files on your local drive. When copying 550 GB of files, this will instantly max out most standard laptop drives, causing the upload to fail.

Activating Files On-Demand instructs OneDrive to store the files strictly in the cloud while displaying a placeholder icon on your computer.

Open OneDrive Settings

Click the OneDrive cloud icon located in the Windows system tray (bottom-right corner of your screen), click the 'Help & Settings' gear icon, and select 'Settings'.

Navigate to Sync and Backup

Depending on your OneDrive version, go to the 'Sync and backup' or 'Settings' tab within the window.

Enable Files On-Demand

Locate the 'Files On-Demand' section and toggle on or check the box for 'Save space and download files as you use them'. Click 'OK' to apply the changes.

Resume File Transfer in Batches

Restart the OneDrive application. To prevent the sync engine from stalling, manually drag and drop your files from the external drive into the OneDrive folder in smaller batches (e.g., 20-50 GB at a time) rather than all at once.

Enable OneDrive Files On-Demand to Save Local Disk Space

Storage Saved: Your files will now display a cloud icon in File Explorer, confirming they are safely uploaded to OneDrive without taking up your laptop's hard drive space.

Solution 2

Relocate the OneDrive Folder to the External Hard Drive

If your laptop's internal drive is too small to even process the temporary sync cache, relocate your entire OneDrive folder directly to your external hard drive.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does OneDrive fill up my laptop's hard drive when uploading from an external drive?

By default, OneDrive processes uploads by creating local cached versions. If the 'Files On-Demand' feature is disabled, OneDrive attempts to store a full local copy of every file you upload on your laptop's internal C: drive, which rapidly depletes available space during massive transfers.

Can I permanently run OneDrive from a removable external hard drive?

Yes, you can set your OneDrive sync folder path to an external drive. However, the drive must remain permanently plugged into your PC while OneDrive is actively running. If the drive is disconnected, OneDrive will display error messages and immediately halt all syncing.

Why are thousands of my files missing after a massive OneDrive folder copy?

Transferring extremely large directories (e.g., hundreds of gigabytes or thousands of files) in a single drag-and-drop action can overwhelm the OneDrive sync engine or time out your network connection, causing the upload to stall silently. It is best practice to move large datasets into the OneDrive folder in smaller batches.

Does moving my OneDrive folder to an external drive affect my PC's backup settings?

Yes. If you have the OneDrive 'Manage backup' feature enabled for your PC's default folders, redirecting your OneDrive root folder to an external hard drive will also move your Windows Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders to that external drive.

Document & File Issues