OneDrive for Business - include Desktop files

Modified on Wed, 5 Apr, 2017 at 10:47 AM

Despite recommending that Desktop is not used to store important files, you may want to ensure that everything on the Desktop is also safely stored in the Cloud. Here's a step-by-step guide based on a Windows 7 computer...

Go to "Computer" in Windows Explorer and locate the folder for the current user profile
- Usually "C:\Users\username\"
- Typical contents will include sub-folders such as "AppData", "Downloads", "Favourites" and "My Documents"; we're looking for "Desktop".
Right-click on the sub-folder called "Desktop" and choose "Properties"
On the "Location" tab click the button "Move"
- Select the "OneDrive for Business" link (top-left of the folder tree)
- Along the top folder menu click "New folder" and name it "Desktop"
- Double-click the folder named "Desktop" that you just created
- Click the button "Select folder"
When asked if you want to move all of the files from the old location to the new location, answer "Yes"
Click "OK" to close the "Desktop properties" window

You can repeat the above process for other "User" folders such as "My pictures"