Important USAF specific information What is OneDrive

United States Air Force 
OneDrive – Quick start guide and tutorial 
 
 
Contents 
Important USAF specific information ...................................................................................................................... 1 
What is OneDrive ............................................................................................................................................................ 1 
OneDrive Basics ............................................................................................................................................................... 2 
Sync OneDrive files and folders with your computer ........................................................................................ 3 
Upload files and folders to OneDrive ...................................................................................................................... 3 
Create files and folders in OneDrive ........................................................................................................................ 4 
Restore deleted files in OneDrive ............................................................................................................................. 5 
Sharing files or folders from OneDrive ................................................................................................................... 5 
OneDrive files on demand ........................................................................................................................................... 6 
 
Important USAF specific information  
  Some videos/instructions might reference the OneDrive mobile app. This is not available 
for OneDrive in USAF. 
  Only your USAF OneDrive and USAF SPO libraries can be synced to your USAF computer. 
No personal OneDrive or other company (contractors) OneDrive’s are accessible for 
syncing. 
What is OneDrive 
OneDrive gives you one place to store, share, and sync your work files, 
all while being backed up safely to the DoD Cloud. The USAF is 
providing 1TB of storage for each user. 
Go to https://usaf-my.dps.mil or select OneDrive from the Office 365 app launcher (waffle) and 
sign in with your USAF email (work account) to: 

 Access your files from the browser

 Share files/folders inside the USAF and with other Office 365 DoD users.

 Work together in real-time on Office documents.

 Quickly find the files that matter to you.

 Keep your files protected and backed up.

Note: the first time you access your OneDrive, it will automatically create your OneDrive site, this

may take a minute, please be patient during this one-time creation process.

OneDrive Basics

Click here for brief video

Use the OneDrive navigation pane, file list, and toolbar to view and work with your files.

Navigation pane

 Select the Files, Recent, and Shared links to see how that changes what you see in the

file list.

 If you belong to Groups or follow sites, select a Group or site to see files related to that

group or site.

Toolbar

 Use the toolbar to Search for files, create New files and folders, Upload files,

and Sync them.

 Select Sort to change how you'd like to view your files.

 Select View to change the view.

 Select Information to check recent activity on your files.

 Select a file and choose what you'd like to do with it: Open, Share, Copy

link, Download, Delete, Move to, or Copy to.

Sync OneDrive files and folders with your

computer

Click here for brief video

With OneDrive, you can sync files between your computer and the cloud, so you can get to

them even while offline. When you connect again, your files and folders will sync back up.

Note: If you’re on Windows 10, your computer already has the OneDrive desktop app on it.

Sync OneDrive to your computer

1. Select Start, type OneDrive, and then select the OneDrive desktop app. (be sure not to

select “OneDrive for Business app” as this is the older OneDrive client)

2. Sign in to OneDrive with your USAF email address and finish setting up.

Your OneDrive files will start syncing to your computer.

Work with your files in your file system

Once you're synced, you’ll see your files in File Explorer.

You can copy or move files from your computer to OneDrive right from your file system.

You can also click the OneDrive cloud icon in the Windows notification area to check

status on your files. Click the Settings gear to manage other sync settings. Note: you

cannot add other accounts in the USAF environment.

Upload files and folders to OneDrive

Click here for brief video

Note: The preferred method for uploading files/folders is to use File Explorer, selecting

the files you want to upload, and dragging them to OneDrive-United States Air Force. This

will use the OneDrive sync client to upload the files. You can also create new folders here,

just like you do anywhere else using file explorer in Windows.

You can alternately upload by accessing OneDrive via the browser.

1. Select Upload.

Note: In Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, select Upload > Files.

2. Select the file or files you want to upload.

3. Select Open.

Upload folders in Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome

1. Select Upload > Folder.

2. Select the folder.

3. Select Upload.

Upload folders in other browsers

1. Select New > Folder to create a folder.

2. From the folder you want to upload, select the files.

3. Drag and drop the files into the new folder you created in OneDrive.

Create files and folders in OneDrive

Click here for brief video

With your files saved to OneDrive, you can create files and folders to manage your work.

Create a file in OneDrive

1. Select New and choose the type of file you want.

2. To rename the file, click the file name in the title bar, for example Document, and then

type a name.

All changes are automatically saved in the Office online apps, so when you go back to OneDrive,

your new file is already saved.

Create a file in an Office desktop app

1. Open a desktop app, like a Word, Excel , or PowerPoint.

2. Select File > Save As.

3. Select your OneDrive work or school account.

4. Type a name for the file and select Save.

Create folders

1. Select New > Folder.

2. Type a name for the folder and select Create.

3. Select the files you want and drag them into the folder.

Restore deleted files in OneDrive

Click here for brief video

When you delete a file or folder, it goes into the Recycle bin, where you have a chance to restore

it.

Delete files

1. Select the file or files you want to delete.

2. Select Delete. The files move to the Recycle bin.

Restore files

 Select the Recycle bin.

o If you want all of your files back, select Restore all items.

o Or, select only the files you want and click Restore.

The file is returned to its original location.

Note: Your USAF OneDrive deleted files will remain in the recycle bin for 93 days

Sharing files or folders from OneDrive

Click here for brief video

When you use Office 365 for business and save your files to OneDrive or SharePoint, sharing

your files is the same wherever or however you work.

Share a file or folder

1. With a file open or a file or folder selected, select Share.

2. If you are working on your desktop and the file hasn’t been saved to OneDrive or

SharePoint, select a location you want to upload your file.

3. Select the down arrow to choose permissions for the link you will be sharing. Options

include:

o Anyone (if your organization allows it)

o People in your organization

o Specific people

4. Select Apply to save the permissions.

5. Enter the name or email address of people you want to share with.

6. Type a message.

7. Select Send.

Or, you can select Copy Link and send the link in an email or add it to a file.

OneDrive files on demand

Click here for a brief video

With OneDrive Files On-Demand, you can get to all your files in OneDrive or SharePoint Online,

without having to download them and use storage space on your device.

Note: You’ll know that Files On-Demand is turned on if you see the status icons next to your

files in File Explorer, as shown in the video.

Turn on Files On-Demand in OneDrive

1. Select the blue OneDrive cloud icon in the Windows notification area,

bottom right of screen near your clock

Note: If you’re on Windows 10, your computer already has the OneDrive desktop app on it, but

you might need to turn on Files On-Demand in OneDrive settings.

2. Select Settings .

3. Select Settings > Save space and download files as you use them.

Work with files in Files On-Demand

When Files On-Demand is on, you’ll see new status icons next to each of your SharePoint files.

You can now copy or move files from your computer to SharePoint Online right from your file

system.

Online-only files

Save space on your device by making files online-only.

These files are only available when you're connected to the Internet, but don't take up space

on your computer.

Locally available

files

When you open an online-only file, it temporarily downloads to your device and becomes

locally available.

You can open a locally available file at anytime even without Internet access. If you want to

keep the file permanently available, even while disconnected, see next section on making files

“always available”

Always available

files

To make a file always available, even when you're offline:

 Right-click it and select Always keep on this device.

To change a file back to an online-only file:

 Right-click it and select Free up space.