OneDrive - Major Search Tip and View Recent Files by File Type

OneDrive is tied into many 365 (M365) apps. It is a great place to store your files since they are in Sync and stored in the cloud. With OneDrive Files On-Demand, you can view and access all your files in OneDrive, without downloading them to your computer. If you downloaded all of them to your computer, you would need a large hard drive. With Files On-Demand, you’ll still see all your files as online-only files in File Explorer, but they won't take up space.

To search and find files that are cloud only, you need to perform your search in OneDrive online. Searching in File Explorer will not find online files since they are cloud-only.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:15 File Explorer
1:08 Search for files in File Explorer
2:27 Three Sync Icons - check video
4:12 Open OneDrive online
5:18 OneDrive online - Recent files by type

Keyboard Shortcuts used in this video:
Windows Key and E to open in File Explorer
CTRL + F to find

OneDrive Sync icons explained

Blog post by Chris Menard

Files On-Demand screenshot

#chrismenardtraining #onedrive #microsoftonedrive #filesondemand #microsoftonedrive

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[JeffParker-gudz]

Thanks for the video. I'm trying to find info on search syntax in OneDrive, surprisingly difficult. Any info on that would be appreciated. Example, I'm trying to search for an exact phrase in a file. As much as MS pushes OneDrive, the options available in search are pretty bad.

[firmaevents]

I simply love you. I learned alot from you❤

[MicahBBurke]

it's bonkers you can't add the one drive folders to the search index in windows 11... just insane.

[jounglee]

Thank you Chris for the tutorial. I am trying to use OneDrive as a personal document imaging system and I am running into an issue. I can easily take a photo of a document and save it as a PDF in a OneDrive folder. My Android OneDrive app allows me to put in comments. So a comment like "Receipt for Samsung sound bar purchased at Best Buy in April of 2023". How can I search for "Samsung" or "sound bar" or "Best Buy" - from anywhere? Comment does not seem to uploaded to the cloud let alone the ability to search from anywhere. Any suggestions on how I might search meta data on OneDrive. A quick search seems to suggest that OneDrive does not allow searches on metadata or searches on metadata..

[TCGill]

Thanks for the tips.
The one BIG use case that seems to missing is searching a particular folder (and subfolders) in the web version of OneDrive.
I am baffled this is not a standard out-of-the-box feature. You can only search everything :(
And the Sync on the PC requires all folders to be Synced and present on the PC.
Surely I am not the only one that sees this as a missing trick?

[IvanVantonder-iuco]

Can you make a video on OneDrive on Xbox one