Do you need to understand what the OneDrive icons mean? Here we’ll explain it.
With the enterprise Office 365 licenses, you have access to a 1 TB cloud storage repository.
This is provided through OneDrive, and each user who has it enabled receives their own storage space.
Accessing and using the OneDrive repository
This repository is accessible from the Office 365 web portal. There, you can upload documents, create folders, and share them so you can later work with them from another location, another device, or a different internet connection.
Synchronizing files in OneDrive
As you may already know, another way to work is directly from the Windows File Explorer. You simply need to click the Sync button in OneDrive from the web, so your files synchronize with your local device—or multiple devices if you choose to sync them on more than one.
Although this is not the main focus of this post, it’s worth noting that the system allows you to select which items you want to synchronize.
Once the elements are synchronized, you will be able to see them in your Windows File Explorer. This is where you can work with your files, create new ones, or modify them. To do so, it’s important to clearly understand what each OneDrive icon next to your documents means.
Meaning of OneDrive Icons
OneDrive Sync Icon
This icon indicates that OneDrive is synchronizing your files or folders because it has detected a change. It’s essential to wait until this icon changes before working on the document again. If a file or folder keeps this icon for a long time, it may be due to its large size or because there are many items queued for synchronization.
OneDrive Cloud Icon
The cloud icon indicates that these files are only available when the device is connected to the internet. The advantage of keeping files online is that they do not take up space on your local hard drive.
OneDrive Cloud with Person Icon
If the cloud icon appears with a “person” symbol, it means that the file or folder is shared with one or more users.
Green Checkmark Icon in OneDrive
The green checkmark icon indicates that an item that was previously online has been downloaded to your device. You can access this file even without an internet connection. If you make any changes, they will sync to the cloud once the connection is restored.
White Checkmark on Green Background Icon
This icon, showing a white checkmark on a green background, indicates that the document will always be kept on your device. Of course, any changes will continue to sync whenever they occur. The file will be accessible even offline and will occupy local disk space.
Managing OneDrive File States
Remember that you can change the status of any OneDrive item by right‑clicking on it. This allows you to choose the option that best fits how you want to work with each file.
This is a brief overview to help Office 365 users in general—and OneDrive users in particular—identify the status of their files and adjust them according to the needs of their work at any given moment.
In future posts, we will continue addressing Office 365 topics that are useful for end users.
Specialists in OneDrive and Microsoft 365
At ABD, we are specialists in Microsoft 365 and we’re here to help you get the most out of your productivity tools.
If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to contact us.