Onedrive is Microsoft's hosting program that works similarly to Dropbox and Google Drive and allows you to upload files to a cloud storage and synchronize them on all Windows devices, both PCs and mobiles and tablets. Dropbox, Google Drive and other cloud storage services, including Onedrive, to synchronize files between computers and upload them to the internet, is based on a client program to be installed on the Windows PC.
The program creates a folder on the user profile of the computer and makes sure that all the files and folders that are moved or copied there are automatically uploaded to the internet and synchronized on other computers.
Eventually, that folder will be visible and usable both by accessing the Onedrive website, and on their computers where the Onedrive app for the Windows desktop has been downloaded, installed and configured.
READ ALSO: Synchronize any online folder in the Clouds with symbolic links
In Windows 10 and Windows 8.1 you can upload folders to OneDrive using the program already included in the system.
This helps solve one of the biggest pain points of cloud storage which only syncs the files placed in its specific folder.
To do this, press the OneDrive icon in the system tray in the lower right corner of the screen (or look for it in the Start menu), select More > Settings .
On the Account tab, press on Choose folders to select the folders you want to synchronize in Onedrive.
Here you can also choose whether to make the files available offline or only if the PC is connected to the internet.
Alternatively, to the Autosave tab and press the Update folders button to access the new function.
Then, on the Security screen, choose to back up your desktop folders, images and documents.
If there are files in these folders that cause a problem, a warning will be displayed.
For example OneDrive cannot back up PST files.
In addition, the folders must be on the same disk where the Onedrive folder is saved.
Then check the space left in OneDrive after selection and make sure there is enough space.
Then click on Start protection and OneDrive will start to synchronize these folders.
Once OneDrive uploads the contents of these folders, they can be accessed from any PC or smartphone with OneDrive.
This allows you to sync files to OneDrive even if they are not in the right folder.
Only in Windows 7 you can use a simple tool called SkyShellEx (for Windows 7) can you manage to synchronize any folder or file you want, without moving it from its original position.
The trick is done through the symbolic links that I have already explained in another article on how to use a shared folder between PCs with Dropbox or Onedrive.
When used, SkyShellEx moves the folder you want to upload and synchronize into Onedrive and, after the upload, simultaneously creates the symbolic link in the original position.
For Windows the same folder (it is not duplicated) is contained by two different folders.
SkyShellEx (which only works if the Onedrive desktop program has been installed) adds an entry to the Windows right-click menu that is used to share the folder.
By right clicking on a folder you can synchronize it online on Onedrive by clicking the " Sync To Onedrive " item.
It is moved to Onedrive, loaded and then connected with a symbolic link (different from the normal link) to the original position.
The synchronized folder can be brought back to where it was, therefore eliminating the symbolic link by pressing on it with the right button and then on " Stop Syncing ".
At that point a pop up opens where you can choose whether to leave a copy of the synchronized folder in Onedrive (detach) or to delete it and restore everything as it was before (delete).
The application allows you to synchronize folders from anywhere on the cloud storage.
SkyShellEx is also able to manage two folders with the same name in different ways depending on how the user wants.
When a folder is synchronized, you can also share it quickly by selecting it with the right mouse button and then clicking on Share from Onedrive .
In this case, you must log in with your login and password and grant SkyShellEx permission to enter your Microsoft account.
The sharing window allows you to share the folder via email or Facebook or create a link to share with any application.
Alternatively, you can use the OnedriveBully program, which works the same way with symbolic links, even in Windows 8.1 and Windows 10.
READ ALSO: Share folders in Dropbox and synchronize them between computers, without moving them
