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To put OneDrive files on an external hard drive, download a small selection from OneDrive on the web and copy it to the drive, or use the OneDrive sync app to copy a larger collection from File Explorer or Finder. These steps create an external copy; they do not require deleting the files from OneDrive. Check the copy before removing anything from the cloud, because moving or deleting files inside the synced OneDrive folder can also affect OneDrive.
Choose the right method
| Method | Best for | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Download from OneDrive in a browser | A few files or folders | One or more selected items download to the computer. Multiple items download together as a ZIP file, which you extract before copying. |
| Copy from the OneDrive sync folder | A larger collection or many folders | Use File Explorer on Windows or Finder on Mac. Files that are online-only must first be downloaded to the computer. |
For either method, connect the external drive first and confirm that it appears in your computer’s file manager. The exact save and eject menus vary by device and operating system.
Download a few files or folders from OneDrive
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Connect the external hard drive and open it in File Explorer or Finder to confirm it is available.
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Open OneDrive on the web, select the files or folders you want, and choose Download. Microsoft says the Download command appears after you select items. Save the download somewhere outside the OneDrive folder so the local copy is not synced back to OneDrive. See Microsoft’s download instructions.
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If you selected multiple items, locate the downloaded ZIP file and extract it. Copy the extracted files and folders to the external drive.
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Open the external drive and check that the expected files and folders are present. Open a few files if practical to confirm they work.
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Eject the drive using your computer’s safe-removal option before unplugging it. Microsoft recommends verifying the copy before removing an external storage device; see its external-storage guidance.
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Copy a larger collection using OneDrive sync
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Open your OneDrive folder in File Explorer on Windows or Finder on Mac. If OneDrive is not syncing the folders you need, adjust the folders selected for sync using Microsoft’s folder-selection instructions.
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Make sure each file you plan to copy is available locally. With Files On-Demand, a file may appear in the folder even though its contents are not downloaded. Select the needed files or folders and choose Always keep on this device, then wait for them to download. Microsoft also documents a download-all option in its Files On-Demand guidance.
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In File Explorer or Finder, copy the downloaded files and folders from the OneDrive folder and paste them into a folder on the external drive. Use copy and paste rather than dragging items out of the synced folder if you want to retain the OneDrive copy.
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Wait for the copy to finish, then inspect the external drive and verify the files you need. Eject the drive safely before disconnecting it.
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OneDrive sync makes files accessible through your computer’s file manager, but changes to items in the synced folder can be reflected in OneDrive. Microsoft describes this relationship in its OneDrive file-storage guidance.
Keep the cloud copy until you are sure the transfer worked
Copying files to an external drive is different from moving them out of the synced OneDrive folder. Microsoft says moving files outside that folder downloads them to the new location and removes them from OneDrive. If your goal is an additional backup or an offline copy, copy the files, verify them on the external drive, and only then decide whether to delete the cloud copy. Deleting files in a synced location can also affect the cloud version.
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Download limits and exceptions
Microsoft documents these restrictions for OneDrive downloads. They are operational limits, not estimates of how long a transfer will take. Check the current download guidance if a large download fails.
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A single file can be up to 250 GB, and a download can include up to 10,000 files; a folder can contain up to 10,000 files for the documented download scenario.
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For the specified compressed-file download scenario, Microsoft documents a 10 GB limit per ZIP and a 20 GB overall limit.
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OneNote notebooks cannot be downloaded as ordinary files. A downloaded folder containing a notebook may instead include a text file reporting the error.
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In specified cases, files protected by sensitivity labels or information rights management (IRM) that are over 4 MB may be excluded from ZIP downloads. Try downloading affected files separately.
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Files cannot be downloaded directly from OneDrive’s Shared view under Microsoft’s instructions. Open the file and save a copy to a chosen location. If you use a shared folder regularly, Microsoft suggests adding it to your OneDrive and syncing it.
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External drive copying is not the same as moving the OneDrive sync folder
Microsoft’s instructions for installing OneDrive on an external drive concern where the live OneDrive sync folder is stored, not how to make a separate archive copy. Microsoft says removable USB drives are not supported as the OneDrive sync-folder location in that setup guidance. That limitation does not prevent you from copying downloaded files onto a removable external drive. See Microsoft’s external-drive setup information.
Also, OneDrive folder selection cannot be used to add locations outside OneDrive, such as an external USB drive. Folder selection controls which OneDrive folders sync to the computer; it does not make the external drive part of the OneDrive sync folder. See Microsoft’s folder-selection guidance.
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