How to Download or Export All Files from a School OneDrive Account
Question details
The user needs to copy and back up all personal data from a school-managed OneDrive account before losing access.
- Product
- OneDrive
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A student is graduating and needs to secure personal files stored in a school-managed cloud account before the institution deletes the account.
- Observed behavior
- The user wants a straightforward method to export or download all files at once, ensuring no data is left behind before the school disables their Microsoft 365 access.
Ensure you have enough local storage space on your computer or an external hard drive to accommodate all the files from your school OneDrive before initiating the transfer.
Download Files Using the OneDrive Web Interface
The most direct way to export your data without setting up sync clients is by downloading files directly from the OneDrive website.
This method is ideal if your total OneDrive storage usage is relatively small (under 250GB). When downloading multiple files or folders at once, OneDrive automatically compresses them into a ZIP file for easier transfer.
Navigate to the OneDrive website in your browser and log in using your school email address and password.
Hover over the files or folders you want to keep and click the circular checkmark icon that appears. To select everything, you can press 'Ctrl + A' (Windows) or 'Command + A' (Mac).
Click the 'Download' button located on the top menu bar. OneDrive will begin compressing your files into a ZIP folder and download it to your default downloads location.
Once the download is fully complete, right-click the ZIP file on your computer and select 'Extract All' to unpack and access your documents.
Synchronize and Copy Files Using the Desktop App
For larger accounts, syncing files to your PC and copying them to a local folder ensures a more stable and complete transfer.
Keep Your Productivity Up After Graduation with WPS Office
When you lose access to your school's Microsoft 365 account, you'll need a new way to open and edit your exported documents. Switch to WPS Office, a free, lightweight, and easy-to-use alternative that lets you view, edit, and create documents seamlessly without an expensive subscription.
- 1. Install WPS Office: Download and install the free WPS Office suite from the official website onto your computer.
- 2. Open Exported Files: Navigate to the local folder where you saved your downloaded school OneDrive files and open your Word, Excel, or PowerPoint documents directly.
- 3. Edit and Save: Continue editing your documents with zero formatting loss, and easily save them to your local drive or back them up to WPS Cloud.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer files directly from my school OneDrive to my personal OneDrive?
Yes, you can manually download the files to your computer and then upload them to your personal OneDrive account. Alternatively, you can use Microsoft's Mover tool to migrate files directly from a school account to a personal Microsoft account without downloading them first.
How do I export my OneNote notebooks?
OneNote notebooks cannot be downloaded as standard folders from the OneDrive website. To back them up, you must open the notebook in the OneNote desktop application, go to 'File' > 'Export', and choose to export the entire notebook as a OneNote Package (.onepkg) file.
What happens to online-only files when I try to copy them?
If a file is marked as 'online-only' (cloud icon), copying it will automatically trigger a download to your device. You must ensure you remain connected to the internet and wait for the download to completely finish before signing out of your school account.
Will I lose access to Microsoft Office applications when my account is deleted?
Yes. Once your institution deletes your school account or removes your license, your Microsoft 365 software will switch to reduced functionality mode. You will need to purchase a personal subscription or switch to a free alternative like WPS Office to continue editing your files.
