OneDrive File Issues

How to Free Up Mac Storage After Downloading All OneDrive Files

Maira Mehtab Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to reclaim local Mac storage space after accidentally or intentionally downloading all OneDrive files, as reverting to Files On-Demand does not remove the local copies.

Product: OneDrive
Device & OS: macOS
Scenario: The user selected 'Download All OneDrive Files Now', which stored everything locally. They then switched back to 'Files On-Demand', but the disk space remained occupied.
Observed behavior: Downloaded OneDrive files remain stored locally on the Mac's hard drive and continue to consume significant storage space, even after the Files On-Demand setting is re-enabled.

Before you start

Ensure your Mac is connected to the internet and the OneDrive app is running so that changes to file sync statuses can communicate with the cloud.

Solution 1Recommended

Use the Free Up Space Option in Finder

Manually convert your locally downloaded files back to online-only files to instantly release Mac storage space without deleting them from the cloud.

Switching back to Files On-Demand stops future files from downloading automatically, but it doesn't undo previous downloads. You must manually tell macOS to remove the local copies.

Open OneDrive in Finder

Launch Finder on your Mac and click on your OneDrive folder located in the left sidebar.

Select Files or Folders

Highlight the specific files, folders, or the entire OneDrive directory that you want to remove from your local drive.

Free Up Space

Right-click (or Control-click) your selection and choose 'Free Up Space' from the context menu. The files will transition to online-only, denoted by a cloud icon.

Do Not Delete Files Directly: Do not drag the files to the Trash or press the Delete key unless you want them permanently removed from your OneDrive cloud storage.

Solution 2

Review System Data and Clear Local Caches

If freeing up space doesn't immediately reflect in your available storage, macOS caches may need to be cleared or recalculated.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why didn't switching to Files On-Demand delete my downloaded files?

Enabling Files On-Demand only changes the default behavior for newly created or synced files. It tells the system to keep new files in the cloud, but it does not actively delete files that have already been downloaded to your local drive.

Will clicking 'Free Up Space' delete my files permanently?

No. Selecting 'Free Up Space' only removes the physical file from your Mac's local hard drive to save space. The file remains safely stored in your OneDrive cloud and will appear in Finder with a cloud icon.

How do I know which OneDrive files are taking up local Mac space?

Open your OneDrive folder in Finder and look at the status icons next to your files. Files with a solid green checkmark icon are downloaded locally and taking up space, while files with a cloud icon are online-only.

Document & File Issues