Store photos and docs online. Access them from any PC, Mac or phone. Create and work together on Word, Excel or PowerPoint documents. Access and protect your business and school work with this intelligent files app. Share and collaborate from anywhere, on any device. Easily store, access, and discover your individual and shared work files in Microsoft 365, including Microsoft Teams, from all your devices. Your offline edits will.
- This beginner's guide will help you understand the purpose of Microsoft OneDrive and will teach you how to set it up on a Mac computer and how to use it on a.
- Become an Insider: be one of the first to explore new Microsoft 365 features for you and your business.
Download Official Microsoft SkyDrive App for Windows, Mac and Mobile Phones - SkyDrive is a file hosting and synchronization service from Microsoft which allows you to upload and sync your data easily and quickly to their server.
By default, the OneDrive sync app installs per user, meaning OneDrive.exe needs to be installed for each user account on the PC under the %localappdata% folder. With the new per-machine installation option, you can install OneDrive under the 'Program Files (x86)' or 'Program Files' directory (depending on the OS architecture), meaning all profiles on the computer will use the same OneDrive.exe binary. Other than where the sync app is installed, the behavior is the same.
The new per-machine sync app provides:
- Automatic transitioning from the previous OneDrive for Business sync app (Groove.exe)
- Automatic conversion from per-user to per-machine
- Automatic updates when a new version is available
The per-machine sync app supports syncing OneDrive and SharePoint files in Microsoft 365 and in SharePoint Server 2019.
Requirements
- All Windows versions supported by the sync app. Learn more
- Sync app builds 19.174.0902.0013 or later. For info about which sync app build is available in each ring, see New OneDrive sync app release notes.
- To apply sync app updates, computers in your organization must allow the following URLs: 'oneclient.sfx.ms' and 'g.live.com.' Make sure you don't block these URLs. They are also used to enable and disable features and apply bug fixes. More info about the URLs and IP address ranges used in Microsoft 365.
Deployment instructions
- Download OneDriveSetup.exe.
- Run 'OneDriveSetup.exe /allusers' from a command prompt window (will result in a UAC prompt) or by using Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager. This will install the sync app under the 'Program Files (x86)Microsoft OneDrive' directory.When setup completes, OneDrive will start. If accounts were added on the computer, they'll be migrated automatically.
FAQ
Do I need to move to the per-machine sync app?The per-machine sync app is helpful especially for multi-user computers and when you don't want exe files running from the user profile. Gradually, it is recommended that more and more customers switch to per-machine installation.
With per-machine installation, will a single OneDrive.exe process be shared by all users on the computer?No, although a single version of OneDrive.exe is installed, a new process is created for every OneDrive account syncing on the computer.
Will the same update rings apply to per-machine?If you selected the Insiders ring (via the Windows Insider program or Office Insider programs) or are in the default Production ring, you are in the same ring as before.
In the past, you may have used a user group policy (under HKCU) to select the Deferred ring (Receive OneDrive sync app updates on the Deferred ring). This group policy won't work with the per-machine install. To select the ring, use the computer group policy (under HKLM) instead (Set the sync app update ring).
Does the per-machine sync app follow the same update process/cadence as the per-user sync app?Yes, the per-machine sync app will auto-update on the same cadence as the per-user sync app and the same rings are supported (see question above). The release notes are the same. More info about the sync app update process
The sync app is an extension of the service and a thin client. So auto-updating to the latest version is critical to maintaining a high-quality sync experience. As a result, we recommend that you keep your users in the default Production ring and rely on auto-update to take care of updating to the latest version.
If your organization requires you to deploy updates manually through Configuration Manager, we recommend that you select the Deferred ring, and deploy the upcoming builds before auto-update takes effect as described here.
Do automatic updates of the per-machine sync app require user intervention?User intervention is not required for the per-machine sync app to update itself. Elevation is required when you first set it up. During setup, we install a scheduled task and a Windows service, which are used to perform the updates silently without user intervention since they run in elevated mode.
How do I revert back to the per-user sync app if necessary?We don't support automated migration from per-machine to per-user. To revert back after installing per-machine, uninstall the sync app and install the latest released version without the '/allusers' parameter.
How can I detect if I have a per-machine installation through Configuration Manager?
You can use the following registry detection rule:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Hive | HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE |
| Key | SOFTWAREMicrosoftOneDrive |
| Value | Version |
| 32bit on 64bit | TRUE |
| Type | REG_SZ |
| Value | 19.043.0304.0007 |
There are two basic ways that you, as an administrator, can deploy the OneDrive sync app to Mac users in your organization:
Install and set up the OneDrive sync app by following the instructions in Sync files with OneDrive on Mac OS X. To install the OneDrive sync app for Mac, a user has to be an administrator on the Mac or know an administrator account name and password.
Download the installer package file to your local network, and then use your software distribution tools to deploy the app to your users. By using a software distribution tool, you have more control over the deployment, including which users get the sync app and when. The OneDrive sync app for Mac uses the Apple Installer technology for installation allowing you to use the software distribution tools that you normally use to deploy software to Mac users. You can use Microsoft Intune. Other common tools are Jamf Pro, Munki, and AutoPkg. You can also use Apple Remote Desktop and AppleScript.
Manage OneDrive settings on macOS using property list (.plist) files
After the OneDrive sync app for Mac is installed, users can configure settings for the app. These settings are called preferences. As an administrator, you might want to provide users in your organization with a standard set of preferences. Preferences for the OneDrive sync app for Mac are stored in preference files. These files are often referred to as '.plist files'.
| Standalone | Mac App Store | |
|---|---|---|
| Plist location | ~/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.OneDrive.plist | ~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.OneDrive-mac/Data/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.OneDrive-mac.plist |
| Domain | com.microsoft.OneDrive | com.microsoft.OneDrive-mac |
Configure sync app settings
Configure the settings on macOS as follows:
Quit the OneDrive app.
Define the settings you want to change by creating a Plist file with the values. You can also use a script to set the default values.
Deploy the settings onto the local computer.
Refresh the preferences cache.
On the next start of OneDrive, the new settings will be picked up.
Overview of settings
Use the following keys to preconfigure or change settings for your users. The keys are the same whether you run the standalone or Mac App Store edition of the sync app. However, the Plist file name and domain name will be different. When you apply the settings, ensure that you target the appropriate domain depending on the edition of the sync app.
List of settings
AllowTenantList
This setting prevents the users from uploading files to other organizations by specifying a list of allowed tenant IDs. If you enable this setting, the user gets an error if they attempt to add an account from an organization that isn't in the allowed tenants list. If the user has already added the account, the files stop syncing. This setting takes priority over Block syncing OneDrive accounts for specific organizations setting. Do NOT enable both settings at the same time.
The parameter for the AllowTenantList key is TenantID and its value is a string, which determines the tenants for whom the Allow Tenant setting is applicable. For the setting to be complete, this parameter also requires a boolean value to be set to it. If the boolean value is set to True, the tenant is allowed to sync.
The example for this setting in the plist file is:
<key>AllowTenantList</key>
<array>
<dict>
<key>TenantId1</key>
<Bool>True</Bool>
<key>TenantId2</key>
<Bool>True</Bool>
</dict>
</array>
AutomaticUploadBandwidthPercentage
This setting enables the sync app to automatically set the amount of bandwidth that can be used for uploading files, based on available bandwidth.
To enable this setting, you must define a number between 1 and 99 that determines the percentage of bandwidth the sync app can use out of the total available bandwidth.
The example for this setting in the plist file is:
<key>AutomaticUploadBandwidthPercentage</key>
<int>(Bandwidth)</int>
BlockExternalSync
This setting prevents the sync app from syncing libraries and folders shared from other organizations.
Set the setting's value to True, to prevent the users from syncing OneDrive, SharePoint libraries, and folders with organizations other than the user's own organization. Set the value to False or don't enable the setting to allow the OneDrive, and SharePoint files to be synced with other organizations also.
The example for this setting in the plist file is:
<key>BlockExternalSync</key>
<(Bool)/>
BlockTenantList
This setting prevents the users from uploading files to organizations that are included in the blocked tenant IDs list.
If you enable this setting, the users get an error if they attempt to add an account from an organization that is blocked. If a user has already added an account for a blocked organization, the files stop syncing. This setting does NOT work if you have Allow syncing OneDrive accounts for only specific organizations setting enabled. Do NOT enable both settings at the same time.
Enable this setting by defining IDs for the TenantID parameter, which determines the tenants to whom the block tenant setting is applicable. Also set the boolean value to True for the ID of every tenant you want to prevent from syncing with the OneDrive and SharePoint files and folders.
Note: In the list, inclusion of the tenant ID alone doesn't suffice. It's mandatory to set the boolean value to True for the ID of each tenant who is to be blocked.
The example for this setting in the plist file is:
<key>BlockTenantList</key>
<array>
<dict>
<key>TenantId1</key>
<Bool>True</Bool>
<key>TenantId2</key>
<Bool>True</Bool>
</dict>
</array>
DefaultFolderLocation
This setting specifies the default location of the OneDrive folder for each organization.
The parameters are TenantID and DefaultFolderPath.The TenantID value is a string that determines the tenants to whom the default folder location setting is applicable.The DefaultFolderPath value is a string that specifies the default location of the folder.
The following are the conditions governing the default folder location:-Mac app store: The path must already exist when the user is setting up the sync app.-Standalone: The path will be created (if it doesn't already exist) after the user sets up the sync app. Only with the Standalone sync app you can prevent users from changing the location.
The example for this setting in the plist file is:
<key>DefaultFolder</key>
<array>
<dict>
<key>Path</key>
<string>(DefaultFolderPath)</string>
<key>TenantId</key>
<string>(TenantID)</string>
</dict>
</array>
DisableHydrationToast
This setting prevents toasts from appearing when applications cause file contents to be downloaded.
If you set the setting's value to True, toasts do not appear when applications trigger the download of file contents.
The example for this setting in the plist file is:
<key>DisableHydrationToast</key>
<(Bool)/>
DisablePersonalSync
This setting blocks user from signing in and syncing files in personal OneDrive accounts. If this setting has been configured after a user has set up sync with a personal account, the user gets signed out.
If you set the setting's value to True, the users are prevented from adding or syncing personal accounts.
The example for this setting in the plist file is:
<key>DisablePersonalSync</key>
<(Bool)/>
DisableTutorial
This setting prevents the tutorial from being shown to the users after they set up OneDrive.
If you set this setting's value to True, the tutorial is blocked from being shown to the users after they set up the OneDrive.
The example for this setting in the plist file is:
<key>DisableTutorial</key>
<(Bool)/>
DownloadBandwidthLimited
This setting sets the maximum download throughput rate in kilobytes (KB)/sec for computers running the OneDrive sync app.
Set this setting's value to an integer between 50 KB/sec and the maximum rate is 100,000 KB/sec that determines the download throughput in KB/sec that the sync app can use.
The example for this setting in the plist file is:
<key>DownloadBandwidthLimited</key>
<int>(Download Throughput Rate in KB/sec)</int>
FilesOnDemandEnabled
This setting specifies whether Files On-Demand is enabled.
Important
We recommend keeping Files On-Demand enabled. See all our recommendations for configuring the sync app
Download Skydrive For Windows 7
If you don't set this setting, Files On-Demand will be enabled automatically as we roll out the feature, and users can turn the setting on or off.
If you set this setting to True, FilesOnDemand is enabled and the users who set up the sync app can view the online-only files, by default.
Skydrive Pro Remove
If you set this setting to False, FilesOnDemand is disabled and the users won't be able to turn it on.
The example for this setting in the plist file is:
<key>FilesOnDemandEnabled</key>
<(Bool)/>
HideDockIcon
This setting specifies whether a dock icon for OneDrive is shown.
If you set this setting's value to True, the OneDrive dock icon is hidden even if the app is running.
The example for this setting in the plist file is:
<key>HideDockIcon</key>
<(Bool)/>
HydrationDisallowedApps
This setting prevents apps from automatically downloading online-only files. You can use this setting to lock down apps that don't work correctly with your deployment of Files On-Demand.
To enable this setting, you must define a string in JSON format as described below:[{'ApplicationId':'appId','MaxBundleVersion':'1.1','MaxBuildVersion':'1.0'}]
'appID' can be either the BSD process name or the bundle display name. 'MaxBuildVersion' denotes the maximum build version of the app that will be blocked. 'MaxBundleVersion' denotes the maximum bundle version of the app that will be blocked.
The example for this setting in the plist file is:
<key>HydrationDisallowedApps </key>
<string> [{'ApplicationId':'appId','MaxBundleVersion':'1.1','MaxBuildVersion':'1.0'}, {'ApplicationId':'appId2','MaxBundleVersion':'3.2','MaxBuildVersion':'2.0'}]</string>
<(Bool)/>
OpenAtLogin
This setting specifies whether OneDrive starts automatically when the user logs in.
If you set this setting's value to True, OneDrive starts automatically when the user logs in on Mac.
The example for this setting in the plist file is:
<key>OpenAtLogin</key>
<(Bool)/>
SharePointOnPremFrontDoorUrl
This setting specifies the SharePoint Server 2019 on-premises URL that the OneDrive sync app must try to authenticate and sync against.
To enable this setting, you must define a string containing the URL of the on-premises SharePoint Server.
The example for this setting in the plist file is:
<key>SharePointOnPremFrontDoorUrl</key>
<string>https://Contoso.SharePoint.com</string>
SharePointOnPremPrioritizationPolicy
This setting determines whether or not the client should set up sync for SharePoint Server or SharePoint in Microsoft 365 first during the first-run scenario when the email is the same for both SharePoint Server on-premises and SharePoint in Microsoft 365 in a hybrid scenario.
If you set this setting's value to 1, it is an indication that OneDrive should set up SharePoint Server on-premises first, followed by SharePoint in Microsoft 365.
The example for this setting in the plist file is:
<key>SharePointOnPremPrioritizationPolicy</key>
<int>(0 or 1)</int>
SharePointOnPremTenantName
This setting enables you to specify the name of the folder created for syncing the SharePoint Server 2019 files specified in the Front Door URL.
If this setting is enabled, you can specify a TenantName that is the name the folder will use in the following convention:
OneDrive – TenantName (specified by you)
TenantName (specified by you)
If you do not specify any TenantName, the folder will use the first segment of the FrontDoorURL as its name. For example, https://Contoso.SharePoint.com will use Contoso as the Tenant Name in the following convention:
OneDrive – Contoso
Contoso
The example for this setting in the plist file is:
<key>SharePointOnPremTenantName</key>
<string>Contoso</string>
Tier
You can configure the OneDrive Standalone sync app to receive delayed updates.
| PList Location | Domain |
|---|---|
| ~/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.OneDriveUpdater.plist | com.microsoft.OneDriveUpdater |
| Setting | Description | Parameters | Example Plist Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier | Defines the update ring for the computer | UpdateRing (String): This parameter has two different values. Production - The default update ring for OneDrive updates. Insiders - This update ring receives updates that are 'pre-production' and that allow you to play with features before they are released. Note that builds from this ring may be less stable. Enterprise - This update ring (now called 'Deferred') receives updates after they have been rolled out through the Production ring. It also lets you control the deployment of updates. For more information about the update rings and the procedure used by the sync app for checking for updates, see The OneDrive sync app update process. | <key>Tier</key> <string>(UpdateRing)</string> |
Important
We recommend selecting several people in your IT department as early adopters to join the Insiders ring and receive features early. We recommend leaving everyone else in the organization in the default Production ring to ensure they receive bug fixes and new features in a timely fashion. See all our recommendations for configuring the sync app
UploadBandwidthLimited
This setting defines the maximum upload throughput rate in KB/sec for computers running the OneDrive sync app.
To enable this setting, set a value between 50 and 100,000 that is the upload throughput rate the sync app can use.
The example for this setting in the plist file is:
<key>UploadBandwidthLimited</key>
<int>(Upload Throughput Rate in KB/sec)</int>