OneDrive

Explanation of Microsoft OneDrives

In Microsoft, OneDrive refers to an individual's personal drive. It is designed to hold files and folder for the individual and be accessible across multiple devices. These files and folders aren't shared by default, but can still be shared with others if needed.

OneDrive Storage and Management

Every Microsoft 365 account includes 5GB of OneDrive storage at no cost. This is in addition to the 15GB available from Outlook mailboxes.

OneDrive Business and paid Microsoft 365 accounts increase this storage limit to 1TB or greater. All versions include access from any compatible device, file sharing, and productivity tools.

When a user is part of an organization, they can still access a user's OneDrive, but this access isn't enabled by default and involves a few steps.

Getting access to an individual user's OneDrive

Organization administrators can gain access to a user's OneDrive account, but this involves a Global Administrator logging into the Microsoft 365 Admin center, going through the specific user's settings, granting access to files, and giving the user who needs access administrator privileges. This works well for single users but is impractical at scale.

For instructions on how to gain access at scale to all user's OneDrive accounts, see this walkthrough guide.