How to Backup a Folder to OneDrive Using SyncBackPro

Author: Swapna Naraharisetty, 2BrightSparks Pte. Ltd.

Wondering how to backup a folder to OneDrive or how to backup files on OneDrive? SyncBackPro offers a simple, automated solution. This guide will help you set up a backup profile to securely store your valuable data in the cloud. These same steps can also be used with other cloud services, e.g. Google Drive, Sharepoint, etc.

OneDrive backup stores your files securely offsite, restorable from any computer, and synced automatically. Backing up work files or family photos, whichever it may be, using a utility like SyncBackPro makes the task more automatic and reliable.

For more help setting up backups, see our Beginner’s Guide to SyncBackPro.

How to Backup a Folder to OneDrive Using SyncBackPro

This section guides you through the process of backing up a folder to OneDrive using SyncBackPro. By following these steps, you can be sure your files are securely stored and easily recoverable.

- Download and install SyncBackPro if you don't already have it

- Run SyncBackPro and click the New button to create a new profile:

- Enter a name for your profile, e.g. Backup to OneDrive, and click Next

- We are going to do a backup, which is the default, so click Next

- Select OneDrive (Personal) as your Destination and click Next:

Authorizing with OneDrive

- In the authorization process, you need to allow SyncBackPro access to your OneDrive account. Click on the Authorize button to initiate the authorization process. SyncBackPro will open a new browser window where you need to enter your OneDive login credentials, copy and paste the authorization code supplied from the site into SyncBackPro’s dialog window to allow authorized access to SyncBackPro.

- Once the authorization is successful a confirmation window will appear saying SyncBackPro is authorized with the cloud server. Click on OK button.

- A dialog box will appear asking if you would like to use the current OneDrive account as your default linked account. Click on Yes button to store the authorization token provided by OneDrive server in a central cloud storage, so that SyncBack can use that authorization code automatically when creating a new OneDrive profile to connect to the same account.

Alternatively, you can click on No button if you do not want to use that account as your default linked account.

- Then click on the Done button to close the New Profile window.

Configuring the Profile settings

- A Profile setup window will appear, where you can configure the Profile’s source path and choose a destination sub-folder (if required) to backup files to OneDrive. You can do this by clicking on the folder button in the Source and OneDrive (Personal) edit box.

- In this example we will backup files from C:\Users\Mick\Documents\ to the \Backup\ subfolder on OneDrive. You can define the Source and Destination paths as per your requirement.

- Once you have defined the Source and Destination paths, you can configure other settings like Versioning, Compression, Encryption, Integrity Check etc., and click on OK button to save the Profile and return to main window.

Running the profile

- Once the profile setup window is closed, a confirmation window will appear asking you to perform a simulated run (a run that simulates actual run). Click on Yes button to run the profile in simulated mode to view the list of files that will be copied, skipped (or deleted) during the actual run.

- Once the simulated run is completed and it is correct, you can perform an actual run by clicking on the Run button at the bottom of main window. You can also create a schedule task for the profile to run it automatically at the scheduled date/time. Please refer to the Beginner’s guide to SyncBackPro for additional details on how to do this.

How to Backup Files on OneDrive Manually

To manually backup files on OneDrive, without using third-party software, follow these steps:

• Open the OneDrive application on your computer.
• Navigate to the folder you wish to backup.
• Drag and drop the folder into your OneDrive directory.

Using this manual method, your files are uploaded to OneDrive and accessible from any device. However, keep in mind that an automated set-and-forget backup, like you can achieve with SyncBackPro, will not forget to make a backup. Also, the manual method will copy everything, which may not be what you want.

OneDrive

Microsoft’s OneDrive is a popular and reliable cloud storage service for both business and personal users to back up their important files, photos, videos and documents to the cloud, and access them from multiple platforms (a Windows PC or a mobile device). SyncBackPro provides an excellent and convenient way to automatically backup data to or from OneDrive. Additionally, it supports versioning, integrity check, compression and encryption on files that are uploaded to OneDrive.