Posted On 24 Jan 2020

A new feature on Windows 10 is the Files On-Demand offering, which allows users to send their local files to OneDrive; simply right-click on any file and select move to OneDrive. Your file will then be uploaded and safely stored in the cloud, but a placeholder icon will be left behind which allows you to download your file anytime you wish.

This is a very useful feature, especially if you are running out of space on your hard drive. However, it does mean you have to take the initiative in uploading. If you install the Windows 10 October 2018 Update or later, this process can be automated.

Using Storage Sense on the PC (Settings >System >Storage >Storage Sense) you can ask the system to look for any files on your hard drive that you haven’t used for any period you choose from between a day or two months. When it finds these unused files, Storage Sense will automatically upload them to the cloud and remove them from your hard drive – as before, you’ll be able to retrieve them any time you want. To do this, once you are in Storage Sense, simply select “Change how we free up space automatically”, select OneDrive, then “Content will become online-only if not opened for more than…” and select any period between one and sixty days.