Difference in the storage of "locally available files" and "always available files"

Question

Difference in the storage of "locally available files" and "always available files"

Michael Eidam 40

In the description for locally available files is said "If you need more space, you can change the file back to online only". So where are these files stored, if I can get more space (on my PC?), when changing them back to locally available.

I understand that always available files are stored on my device, but where?

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

0 additional answers

Your answer

Answer 1

Yep - in OneDrive on Windows 11, "locally available" means the file has been downloaded to your PC, so it consumes space on your local drive.

By default, OneDrive stores the local copies under your OneDrive folder, typically:

C:\Users<username>\OneDrive

For example:

C:\Users\John\OneDrive\Documents\Report.docx

or, if you are using a work/school account:

C:\Users\John\OneDrive - Contoso\Documents\Report.docx

The distinction is between the OneDrive cloud copy and the local copy. When a file is "online-only," you can see it in File Explorer, but its contents aren't taking up normal local disk space. When you select "Always keep on this device," OneDrive downloads the actual file into that OneDrive folder and keeps the local copy there. The file therefore consumes space on your C: drive unless your OneDrive folder has been moved to another drive.

If you later choose "Free up space," OneDrive removes the local copy while leaving the file in OneDrive in the cloud. The File Explorer entry remains, but it becomes online-only again, and the disk space previously occupied by the downloaded file is released.

You can verify where your OneDrive files are stored by right-clicking a file in File Explorer and selecting "Properties." The "Location" field shows the physical folder on your PC. You can also check OneDrive's configured location under OneDrive Settings > Sync and backup > Advanced settings, although the exact wording can vary slightly by Windows/OneDrive version.

If the above response helps answer your question, remember to "Accept Answer" so that others in the community facing similar issues can easily find the solution. Your contribution is highly appreciated.

hth

Marcin

Answer 2

Both locally available files and always available files are stored on the local device when they have been downloaded.

The difference is not where they are stored, but how OneDrive manages the local copy:

Locally available file: the file has been downloaded to the PC, so it can be opened offline. But OneDrive can change it back to online-only later to free disk space. That is why selecting Free up space gives space back on the PC.
Always available file: the file is also downloaded to the PC, but it is pinned to stay there. OneDrive does not remove the local copy automatically.

So in both cases, the storage being discussed is storage on the PC/device.

The status icons reflect that behavior:

Blue cloud = online-only, not stored locally
Green check mark = locally available, stored locally now, but may be removed later
Green circle with white check mark = always available, stored locally and kept there

A similar rule applies to folders:

If a folder is marked Always keep on this device, new files in that folder download to the device as always available files.
If a file is only locally available, it remains on the device until OneDrive or the user changes it back to online-only with Free up space.