How to Backup Microsoft 365 OneDrive

This guide compares built-in tools, manual methods, and third-party services to help you choose the right OneDrive backup solution.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Syncing your files with OneDrive doesn't count as backing them up. Any deletions or changes that you don't want can be synced.
• Recycle Bin retention is typically 30 days for personal accounts and 93 days for work or school accounts. Restore your OneDrive covers the last 30 days.
• Manually downloading files creates a separate copy, but does not preserve OneDrive version history or cloud sharing permissions.
• With Microsoft 365 Backup, your backups live on Microsoft's own platform. Individual file and folder restores for OneDrive are limited to recovery points from the past 14 days.
• MSP360 backup for OneDrive allows you to automatically back up your files with options on how long and where your backups are stored. The managed edition allows you to back up multiple tenants.

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Native OneDrive Backup Options and Limitations

OneDrive includes built-in sync and recovery tools that can protect against local device failure and help recover changed or deleted files. Their recovery limits differ from those of a dedicated backup service.

PC Folder Backup: Sync Desktop, Documents and Pictures to OneDrive

PC Folder Backup syncs supported user folders, such as Desktop, Documents and Pictures, with OneDrive cloud storage.

Additional standard folders, such as Music and Videos, may be available. Version History applies to files synced to OneDrive.

To enable it:

1. Click the OneDrive cloud icon in your system tray and open Settings.
2. Go to Sync and backup > Manage backup.
3. Select the folders you want to back up and save your changes.

After you enable it, OneDrive uploads files from the selected folders and makes them accessible on other devices, helping protect against local hardware failure.

However, this feature has limitations:

• It supports specific user folders rather than arbitrary folders or an entire disk.
• It does not provide a full system backup for restoring your operating system, installed applications and settings.
• Files synced through PC Folder Backup can use Version History and the Recycle Bin, but changes and deletions also sync to the cloud. It does not create an independent backup.

Version History and Recycle Bin

OneDrive includes two tools for recovering lost or changed files: Version History and the Recycle Bin.

Restore your OneDrive requires Microsoft 365 and covers the last 30 days. Recycle Bin retention is typically 30 days for personal accounts and 93 days across both stages for work or school accounts.

Version History

Version History lets users restore previous versions of a file stored in OneDrive. To access it, right-click a file in OneDrive on the web or in File Explorer and choose Version History. This is useful for recovering from accidental edits or overwriting.

Version History also applies to files synced through PC Folder Backup. For work or school accounts, the default organization setting is 500 major versions with no expiration, but administrators can configure different limits. Personal accounts also support version history, subject to Microsoft’s current service limits.

Recycle Bin

The Recycle Bin lets users restore deleted files and folders, including multiple items at once. Items are normally retained for 30 days for personal accounts and 93 days for work or school accounts, subject to the applicable service settings.

Note: For work or school accounts, items deleted from the first-stage Recycle Bin move to the second-stage Recycle Bin for the remainder of the 93-day retention period. This period starts when the item is originally deleted from OneDrive; moving it between recycle bins does not restart the clock. Personal OneDrive accounts do not use this same two-stage recovery process.

Microsoft 365 subscribers can also use Restore your OneDrive to undo changes across files and folders within the last 30 days. However, it cannot recover files permanently deleted from the Recycle Bin.

These tools provide recovery options within their limits, but do not create an independent backup with a separately managed retention policy.

OneDrive Sync to Local Devices

With OneDrive sync you can have files synced to your device. You may notice some of these files show up in File Explorer, but they are not saved to your device. You can select certain files/folders to always have on your device by selecting Always keep on this device and waiting for the download to finish.

OneDrive Sync does not create an independent backup. Accidental deletions, overwrites and ransomware-encrypted changes can sync to the cloud and other devices. OneDrive’s recovery tools may help reverse these changes within their limits, but a separate backup provides another recovery option.

Sync also does not create a full system image for restoring your operating system, installed applications and settings.

Manual Backup Methods for OneDrive

You can manually download files or use scripts to copy them from OneDrive to another storage location. How useful these backups are will depend on if you schedule them, keep old versions and how you restore files.

Download Files via Browser

This method involves navigating to the OneDrive web interface, selecting files or folders and clicking Download to save them locally. It’s simple and doesn’t require any additional tools or configuration. This approach is useful for quickly creating a backup snapshot of your files or archiving specific items.

Large downloads are subject to OneDrive’s download limits.

However, this is only a point in time backup. You will have to manually download your files again if you want them to stay backed up. Downloading many files can take time. Standard downloads do not include OneDrive version history or cloud sharing permissions.

Use PowerShell to Export Files

You can use PowerShell scripts to export files from OneDrive. You can create a script to loop through your folders and download files to your computer. This can also be automated using Task Scheduler on Windows. Great for advanced users or if you need to export many files.

Version history, permissions, retention and point-in-time recovery depend on the script’s implementation. Large exports must account for API throttling.

However, there are some things to keep in mind. You will need to know how to script and have knowledge on Authentication and M365 API's. Some scripts may not be able to back up all metadata, version history and share permissions. You may run into API limits if trying to back up a lot of data. This should be used as one piece of your backup strategy and not a complete solution by itself.

Back Up OneDrive to an External Drive

Download your files from OneDrive.com to an external drive or copy them from your local OneDrive folder. If you have Files On-Demand enabled you will need to select Always keep on this device for the files/folders you want and wait for it to finish downloading.

Make sure you copy these files to a folder that is not in your currently syncing OneDrive folder. Moving your OneDrive folder to an external drive will not backup your data independently. Changes and deletions will still sync.

This will only copy what is currently in your OneDrive. It will not include any version history or OneDrive Share permissions. Do this whenever you would like to update your backup and remove the external drive when not in use.

Microsoft 365 Backup

Microsoft has a product called Microsoft 365 Backup that will backup your OneDrive account, SharePoint and Exchange Online Mailbox. The downside to this product is that your backups are still on Microsoft infrastructure and you will be paying for that amount of data that you are protecting. With OneDrive you can restore individual files/folders from the past 14 days recovery points. To get older recovery points, you will need to restore your entire account and these recovery points will be weekly. This can be a problem if you want your data on external storage or need to restore files from an older recovery point.

OneDrive Backup with Third-Party Solutions

You can also use a third-party SaaS backup solution for OneDrive, such as MSP360 Managed Backup for Microsoft 365, instead of backing up files manually or relying solely on OneDrive’s sync and recovery features.

When evaluating a third-party OneDrive backup solution, check for the following capabilities:

• Backup your data from cloud to cloud with no need to use the sync client.
• Can backup all folder and file objects. Including folder structure, sharing and metadata.
• Point in Time restore option
• Ability to encrypt your data in transit and at rest for additional security when backing up.
• Audit logs and role based permissions for your backup data.
• Automated alerts & failure email notifications
• API-level backup of OneDrive content
• File versioning

For MSPs and IT teams, also consider:

• Immutable storage
• Automated data retention
• Multi-tenant dashboard

Going even further, MSP360 Managed backup for OneDrive enables instant backup of specific files and folders within OneDrive, giving businesses fine-grained control over when and how they back up their data.

[readmore] Best Microsoft 365 Backup Solutions

Conclusion

There are sync and restore options that can be used with OneDrive to help with failed devices and restore some of your deleted/changed files. You can always download files manually or create scripts to pull files to another location. Just remember to keep these up to date and have a plan for older files.

[readmore] How to backup OneDrive in MSP360

If you're looking for a way to backup OneDrive automatically and have more control over retention and where your backups are stored MSP360 Backup for Microsoft 365 may be for you. It allows you to restore individual files and folders instead of restoring an entire OneDrive. If you are an MSP, you can manage all of your customers' backups with our Managed solution.