How to disable Files On-Demand in OneDrive MacOS? It's enforced since the last update ...

What is the best way to register protest to this?

I am in the process of migrating to paid iCloud for my private files, but MS won't even know...

Stuck with OneDrive for work files as everything tied to SharePoint - but I have invested 20 years into creating some of the material stored and if my company ceases trading I would lose everything.

So going to be downloading c. 1Tb each month to re-archive (too difficult to work out which files have changed) needlessly hogging bandwidth. Again, MS won't know about this.

Need some of the files live too when away from internet connection - so having to sort out a separate file structure for on the go.

It's probably too late to go back to MS for personal. Even if they rectify now, this is the direction of travel - cloud only because they don't use files like people in the real world.

But it would be good for them to know they are losing business and I'm eating bandwidth needlessly.

Microsoft has gone radio silent because this was an intentional change as part of a broader business plan. They're not going to revert back to the way it was. They're just Justin Trudeau'ing the thread hoping it'll go away. The ball is in the users' court, whether you like it or not.

Exactly, I don't see how Microsoft will revert it. I did some research and they had to change their code, because they were using an obsolete API that will be removed in an upcoming MacOS update and they decided to use the new official cloud file API from Apple, which in itself doesn't sound wrong. Dropbox is doing the same AFAIK. Microsofts execution is what failed miserably, not informing their users and not testing their build. They will probably fix some errors and then sit it out.

Mia also didn't respond for 5 pages, so the message is clear anyways. It's time to move on. Microsoft deserves the loss, I just wish there was more terrible PR for them.

I want to just add on that I am in a enterprise setting at a university and this change has made onedrive absolutely unusable for me. I am working with my CIO right now to find alternatives for our entire university. The number of complaints is going to lead us to finding an alternative supplier for these services.

In the end, I decided to switch from OneDrive to Mega.io for good.

I have a Raspberry PI 4 with a 6TB HDD to make Time Machine backups and to store other data.

Since this weekend I am syncing that 6TB HDD with Mega and the files I previously had stored on OneDrive.

This way I have not only a good and reliable backup on the cloud but on my Time Machine storage too.

After all, this situation made me think about the best way to keep my data safe and accessible. Thanks for that Microsoft and goodbye!

Hi,

Thanks for posting in our community.

Based on the detailed description, we do understand the inconveniences it caused on your side with the latest updates in OneDrive for Mac desktop app that Files On-Demand will be enabled automatically. Kindly check the statement in the official article: Save disk space with OneDrive Files On-Demand for Mac (microsoft.com)

For the possible workaround currently, it is suggested to right-click on the offline-needed files/folders and select 'Always keep on this device'.

For this updated setting, we do understand that it would be better if there have another button/option to turn off the Files On-Demand feature instead of selecting all files/folders manually. As forum engineers here have limited resources to the building of OneDrive apps, kindly submit your feedback to the related OneDrive for Mac product team so that they can get informed that this can cause some inconveniences for users who need files locally when offline. See: How do I give feedback on Microsoft Office?

Your understanding is highly appreciated and hope a nice day for you!!

Best Regards,

Mia

This is an extremely customer hostile stance.

It means that I cannot reliably back up my OneDrive files on a Mac. If I make a mistake, delete a file in Onedrive, and the change syncs and I don't realize it, I have no backup. Surely, Microsoft can come up with a more customer friendly stance.

Moreover, if I am offline, have previously created a new file and forgotten to mark it, and apparently I must now do for every single file that I want local access to, I cannot get to it. This is truly ridiculous, and it enrages your customers. Why would you do such a thing?

Please, have mercy. Fix this problem. I can't even pretend to call it a feature. It's a problem.

Many regards,

Katherine