Can OneDrive Backup Any Folder?

OneDrive, as a Microsoft product, is pre-installed on Windows 10/11, making it easy for Windows 10 PC owners to back up vital data. OneDrive provides up to 5GB of free storage space for new users and you can easily backup data to OneDrive or backup desktop to OneDrive. You only need a Microsoft or Outlook account to sync and backup folder to OneDrive.

By default, OneDrive backs up the Documents, Pictures, and Desktop folders on your computer. However, this includes some data that is unnecessary to users. In fact, you can select any other folder on your PC to use OneDrive for backup. Once you have all the folders you need in OneDrive, you can access them at any time with any Windows 10 device or smartphone.

We will tell you how to backup and sync any folder to OneDrive in the next content.

How to Sync and Backup Any Folder to OneDrive

In the following, you will learn 4 ways about OneDrive selective sync and backup on Windows.

 - Manual Ways: Change the settings of OneDrive: set up the Onedrive folder, sync folder or by uploading folders manually.

• 📍Note: The above 3 methods require you to manually add files. Every time a local file is changed, it needs to be done once. This will be very troublesome, and if the OneDrive server fails, you may be at a loss.

 - Automatical Ways: Use free backup software - CBackup

• 🎈Note: The tool supports both web and desktop backup methods, you can not only backup files, but also easily backup desktop to OneDrive.

Please continue reading to let OneDrive backup any folder and choose a method according to your needs. And know how to backup to Onedrive Windows 11/10.

Way 1. OneDrive Backup Any Folder Automatically with CBackup

Some professional folder backup software can automatically backup folders to OneDrive on Windows PC, such as CBackup - a free cloud backup software. This free cloud backup and sync service supports the direct and easy backup of any folder from PC to OneDrive in a professional way of backup, and it allows you to let OneDrive backup folder on D drive, E drive, or even external disk, without moving. You can use it as a OneDrive client instead.

Step 1. Download, install, and run the CBackup client, and sign up for a free CBackup account to sign in.

Step 2. Go to Storage, then choose OneDrive and click Authorize Now. Then sign in to your OneDrive account and follow the instructions to authorize CBackup to access files in your OneDrive account. 

Step 3. Then you can click on the Backup tab, and select Backup PC to Public Cloud.

Step 4. Select any folder or specific folders that you want to backup to OneDrive. And choose OneDrive as the destination.

Step 5. Click Start Backup to add any folder to OneDrive backup without moving.

More powerful functions of CBackup:

★Tips:

Enable Scheduled Backup to set a fixed frequency or specific time to back up folders to OneDrive automatically.

Cloud to cloud sync and backup OneDrive folders to another cloud drive provides an additional layer of protection for the files in the OneDrive account.

It also provides multiple backup destinations, including mainstream cloud storage services: Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc. That's to say, you could backup files to Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc.

CBackup provides a more cost-effective choice than cloud storage services - CBackup Cloud (free 5GB), or you can get more backup space at the lowest price with CBackup subscription plans.

Sync files from local computer to Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, etc.

Way 2. Set up OneDrive Folder Backup

If the system prompts you to back up important folders (Desktop, Documents, and Pictures), please select Prompt to start the folder backup wizard to set up. If you do not see the prompt, or you have closed the wizard, you can follow the steps below to learn how to backup any folder to OneDrive.

Step 1. Select the white or blue OneDrive icon in the notification area or the taskbar, and then select Help & Setting > Settings > Sync and backup > Manage backup.

Step 2. In the Back up your folders dialog, tick the folders to be backed up, and then select Start backup.

Way 3. Sync Any Folder with OneDrive

By default, Windows 10 stores your OneDrive folder in the %UserProfile% folder of your account (for example C:\Users\Kelsey). And you can take OneDrive add folder to sync with this method.

Step 1. Press Win + R, type cmd or cmd.exe in the dialog box and click OK to open the command prompt.

Step 2. Type the command at the command prompt: mklink /j "%UserProfile%\OneDrive\Folder Name" "Full path of source folder" and press Enter.

Substitute Folder Name in the above command with the folder name you want to display in OneDrive, and it must be a new folder name, which isn’t in your OneDrive folder. This specified folder will be created in your OneDrive folder.

• For example: mklink /j "%UserProfile%\OneDrive\Example Folder" "F:\Example Folder".

Step 3. Now, the specified folder will be synced with your OneDrive.

Way 4. Backup Any Folder to OneDrive Manually

You can also back up through the OneDrive web page and upload only the files you need.

Step 1. Go to the OneDrive website and sign in to your account.

Step 2. Click the Upload button on the toolbar. You can either upload any folder or the selected files.

What If OneDrive Storage Space Is Insufficient?

The 5GB space provided by OneDrive for free is often full without backing up a few folders. The most direct way to expand the storage space is to purchase, but the long-term storage payments may be a large expense. If you need more backup space for Windows PC files, you can get more space to back up your data in an easy way. Please keep reading.

Combine OneDrive storage space

Is there a free way to get more OneDrive space? Yes, you can use the CBackup, which is a professional online cloud service that can merge OneDrive accounts to combine the storage space in the accounts to form a larger backup space. The entire operation process is also very simple on CBackup desktop app, the steps are as follows (or you could combine them on CBackup web version):

Step 1. Go to the CBackup desktop app. Under the Storage tab, select OneDrive, and click Authorize Now to add. Then, click Add Cloud and follow the same steps to add all your OneDrive accounts.

Step 2. The account you add will be listed under Storage. You can modify the Cloud name to make it easier to distinguish and choose the Storage path, tick Note option, and hit OK. 

Step 3. Go to Storage > + Add Combined Cloud, and tick all cloud drives you added, and follow the guide to complete the combination. And the idle storage of these drives will be merged into a combined cloud.

CBackup is a reliable PC cloud backup service that provides a larger backup space. If you need to do a temporary PC cloud backup or plan to move data between PCs, backup files to CBackup Cloud is a good choice. 

Conclusion

Regarding how to backup any folder to OneDrive, the 4 effective ways are provided in this article, you can choose the most suitable one according to your situation. Besides, don't forget to use CBackup to get more OneDrive backup storage space for free, which can make full use of cloud disk space and protect data security.

FAQs About How to Backup Any Folder to OneDrive

1. Is it possible to add a specific folder to automatic backup?

Yes, you can add a specific folder to automatic backup using various backup software or cloud services. For example, if you're using Windows, you can set up File History to automatically back up selected folders. In cloud services like OneDrive or Google Drive, you can choose specific folders to sync automatically.

2. How do I save an existing folder to OneDrive?

To save an existing folder to OneDrive, you can either drag and drop the folder into your OneDrive folder on your computer or use the OneDrive website. On your computer, simply open the OneDrive folder and copy/paste or move the existing folder into it. If using the website, upload the folder by clicking the "Upload" button and selecting the folder from your device.

3. How do I copy an entire folder to OneDrive?

To copy an entire folder to OneDrive, you can either use the OneDrive desktop app or the website.

• On the desktop app, navigate to the folder you want to copy, right-click on it, select "Copy,"
• Then go to your OneDrive folder and right-click to choose "Paste."
• If using the OneDrive website, click "Upload," select "Folder," and then choose the folder you want to copy from your device.