OneDrive File Issues

How to Remove OneDrive Files from Mac Finder Without Deleting Them Online

Muhammad Talha Oct 9, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to remove local copies of synced OneDrive files from their Mac to save disk space, while ensuring the files remain safely stored in the cloud.

Remove OneDrive Files from Mac Finder Without Deleting Them Online

Product: Microsoft OneDrive
Device & OS: macOS
Scenario: Running out of local disk space on a Mac due to large synced OneDrive files and folders.
Observed behavior: OneDrive files are consuming significant local storage on the Mac, and manually deleting them in Finder causes them to be deleted from the cloud storage as well.

Before you start

Ensure your Mac is connected to the internet and that OneDrive is actively running so that any sync changes are properly registered before you clear local files.

Solution 1Recommended

Free up space using OneDrive Files On-Demand

Use the built-in Files On-Demand feature to keep files visible in Mac Finder but only stored in the cloud, freeing up your local disk space.

Files On-Demand allows you to see all your files in Mac Finder without having to download them. When you make a file 'online-only', it stops taking up space on your Mac.

Open OneDrive Preferences

Click the OneDrive cloud icon in your Mac menu bar, click the Help & Settings gear icon, and select 'Preferences'.

Enable Files On-Demand

Navigate to the 'Sync and back up' or 'Preferences' tab and expand the 'Advanced settings' section. Under 'Files On-Demand', click 'Free up disk space' to remove local copies of all your synced files.

Free up space for specific files

To remove local copies of specific files instead of all of them, open Finder, right-click the file or folder in your OneDrive directory, and select 'Free Up Space'.

Free up space using OneDrive Files On-Demand

Cloud Icon Indicator: Files marked with a cloud icon in Finder are online-only and take up zero local space on your Mac.

Solution 2

Unlink your OneDrive account to remove the folder entirely

Unlinking stops the sync process entirely, allowing you to safely delete the local OneDrive folder without affecting your files in the cloud.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why did deleting a file from my Mac Finder also delete it from OneDrive online?

If Files On-Demand is not enabled, your local OneDrive folder is fully synced with the cloud. Deleting a file locally tells the sync client to mirror that action and remove it from the cloud as well. To avoid this, always use the 'Free Up Space' right-click option instead of deleting the file.

How do I access online-only files on my Mac once they are removed locally?

Online-only files appear in Finder with a small cloud icon next to them. Simply double-click the file while your Mac is connected to the internet, and OneDrive will quickly download and open the file.

Can I use OneDrive Files On-Demand on older versions of macOS?

Files On-Demand requires macOS 10.14 (Mojave) or later. If your Mac cannot run a supported operating system, you will not have this feature. Instead, you will need to unlink the account and use a web browser to access your OneDrive files without downloading them.

Document & File Issues