Question about files on One Drive

Cynthia Dierks 80 Reputation points
2026-08-21T04:28:34.27+00:00

If I delete a file from One Drive, does it delete the file from my computer's hard drive?

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For home | Windows
Answer accepted by question author
EmilyS726 257.6K Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-08-21T05:08:37.57+00:00

Yes it can if OneDrive app is running and the folder is in sync.

To deactivate OneDrive sync for the computer, do following

  1. Right click on the OneDrive cloud icon on the lower right on your taskbar to go to Settings.
  2. On the "Sync and Backup" tab, click on "Advanced Settings" to expand that section. Then under File On-Demand, click on "Download all files".
  3. Give it plenty of time to allow the files to be downloaded from the online cloud. On your computer's file explorer, you can observe the OneDrive folder and its folders/files inside. You want all of the green checkmark icon to turn solid green with a white checkmark. Depends on how many files you have, this process can take a while, so please be patient.
  4. Once all of the folders and files turn into the solid green icon with white checkmark, you can go back to OneDrive Settings. Very important - click on "Manage Backup" button, then turn off all folders listed there.
  5. After you turn off the folders sync in Step 4, now go to Account tab, click on "Unlink this PC"

Restart the computer now.

Was this answer helpful?

1 person found this answer helpful.
Answer accepted by question author

AI answer

2026-08-21T04:28:46.3866667+00:00

Yes—if the file is in your OneDrive folder and sync is active, deleting it deletes it from both OneDrive and the computer.

If the goal is to delete it from OneDrive but keep it on the hard drive, first move the file out of the OneDrive folder to another folder on the computer. After that, delete it from OneDrive.

If the goal is to keep it in OneDrive but remove it from the computer, use Files On-Demand so the file stays visible but takes up zero local disk space.

Also, if a file is marked online-only, deleting it from the device deletes it from OneDrive on all devices and online.

References:

AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

Was this answer helpful?

1 person found this answer helpful.

0 additional answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.