/ How to

How To Add and Connect Accounts to OneDrive Cloud Storage

OneDrive is Microsoft’s file hosting service that lets you store your files in the cloud, share them, and access them from any device. With OneDrive, you can:

  • Store all your files securely in the cloud
  • Access your files from anywhere – web, desktop, mobile
  • Share files and folders easily
  • Set up automated backups
  • Collaborate on documents in real-time

OneDrive offers both free and paid plans:

Free Plan

  • Includes 5GB of storage
  • Great for basic backup and access needs

Paid Plans

  • Office 365 Personal – 1TB storage
  • Office 365 Home – 1TB storage per user (up to 6 users)
  • Standalone OneDrive plans – 100GB to 1TB options

One of the best things about OneDrive is that you can connect multiple accounts to the same computer or device. For example, you may have:

  • A personal OneDrive account
  • A OneDrive account provided by your work or school

This guide covers how to connect these accounts so you can access all your files from one place.

Add a Personal OneDrive Account

If you use Windows 10, adding your personal OneDrive account is simple. Just follow these steps:

  1. Go to the OneDrive folder in File Explorer
  2. Click Add an account in the top right
  3. Enter your Microsoft account credentials and click Sign in

That’s it! Windows will set up the sync and you’ll see your personal OneDrive files in File Explorer.

On Mac, you can add accounts through the OneDrive app:

  1. Open the OneDrive app
  2. Click the OneDrive icon in the menu bar
  3. Select Preferences
  4. Go to the Accounts tab
  5. Click Add an account and sign in

Your files will start syncing automatically.

Add a Work or School OneDrive Account

To add your work or school OneDrive provided by Microsoft 365 or Office 365:

  1. Go to the OneDrive folder in File Explorer
  2. Click Add an account
  3. Enter your work/school email and click Sign in

After signing in, your work files will appear in a separate OneDrive folder.

On Mac, follow the same steps outlined above for adding a personal account.

Managing Multiple Accounts

With multiple OneDrive accounts on one computer, it helps to organize your folders logically:

  • Keep work and personal files separate
  • Create a folder structure that makes sense
  • Name folders clearly

Also, set up selective sync so you only sync the folders you need locally. This saves disk space.

Sharing Files Between Accounts

You may want to share files between your personal and work OneDrive folders. Here is how to do it:

  1. Right-click on the file or folder you want to share
  2. Select Share
  3. Click Get a link
  4. Choose whether you want people to edit or just view the file
  5. Copy the link and paste it into the other OneDrive account

Now anyone with that link can access the shared file or folder!

Best Practices

Here are some top tips for using OneDrive to its full potential:

  • Use OneDrive as your main cloud storage solution
  • Setup automatic camera roll backups from mobile
  • Share files instead of sending attachments
  • Store important documents like passport copies for extra safety
  • Make use of the built-in Office apps for opening files directly
  • Set up two-factor authentication for better security

Conclusion

Connecting both your personal and work OneDrive accounts to the same computer is simple. Just add each account through the desktop app or File Explorer.

This gives you one place to access all your cloud files. Plus, you can easily share files between accounts when needed.

Following best practices for organizing your folders and syncing only what you need locally will ensure you have a streamlined experience with OneDrive.

Related Posts