Can You Sync Downloads to OneDrive?

While OneDrive allows you to back up user folders to the cloud, it limits those folders to Desktop, Pictures, and Documents. Does OneDrive backup Downloads folder? No, but you can add Downloads folder to OneDrive backup with the detailed guide below.

How to Make OneDrive Backup Downloads Folder in 4 Methods

As a location where installers and files downloaded from the internet are placed, the Downloads folder may store much important data. If you want to know how to sync Downloads folder to OneDrive, four methods are available to you.

Way 1. Backup Downloads Folder to OneDrive with Free Backup Software

The first and easiest method we want to introduce to you is to backup Downloads to OneDrive using CBackup.

CBackup is a free cloud backup service designed to help you back up or sync personal data like photos, documents, videos, and various cloud storage. You can choose to store data on public clouds like OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, or CBackup’s private cloud - CBackup Cloud.

It also offers many robust features that can make backup tasks easier:
► Automatic backup: You can backup Downloads folder to OneDrive on a daily, weekly, or monthly schedule as you prefer.
► Flexible backup: It supports whole computer backup, hard drive backup (like backup D drive to OneDrive), folder backup, and individual file backup.
► File Filter: You can exclude certain files that you don’t want to back up from the Downloads folder with one click.
► Email Notification: You can set an email alert for your backup task so that you can keep abreast of the task completion.

How do I backup my Downloads folder to OneDrive with the free CBackup software? Download and install this tool on your computer and follow the steps below:

Step 1. Sign up for a CBackup account for free, and then sign in to the CBackup desktop app with the account.

Step 2. Click on Storage, choose OneDrive, and tap on Authorize Now to grant CBackup to access your cloud storage.

Step 3. Go to Backup > Backup PC to Public Cloud.

Notes:✎...

In addition to Backup, CBackup provides a Sync feature that lets you sync existing folders to OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, and other clouds. For example, you can sync Music folder to OneDrive with ease.

Step 4. Locate the Downloads folder and select it as the backup source. And then, choose OneDrive as the backup destination.

Notes:✎...

You can click on Settings and then enable Scheduler to make OneDrive auto backup folders easily.

Step 5. Tap on Start Backup to let OneDrive backup Downloads folder without moving now.

★Tips: CBackup also comes with many other powerful features:

Migrate files from one OneDrive account to another in a few clicks.

Backup OneDrive to Google Drive, Dropbox, and other clouds in a minute.

Combine multiple OneDrive accounts to get unlimited OneDrive storage for free.

Way 2. Backup Downloads Folder with OneDrive via CMD Command

You can use the CMD command to save Downloads folder to OneDrive without moving as well. You could use the mklink command to create a symbolic link between directories. It is a shortcut that enables you to access a directory somewhere from somewhere else.

Notes:✎...

The full mklink command line is mklink /j "%UserProfile%\OneDrive\Folder Name" "the full path of your source folder".

When you run the mklink command line, you should replace the “Folder Name” with the specific name of the folder you want to backup with OneDrive (here, it is the Downloads folder), and replace “the full path of your source folder” with a specific location.

Here is how to sync folder to OneDrive without moving via the mklink command.

Step 1. Search for “Command Prompt” and click on Run as administrator.

Step 2. Input the specific command and click Enter. For example, if your Download folder location is C:\Downloads Folder, the right command line should be mklink /j "%UserProfile%\OneDrive\Downloads Folder" "C:\Downloads Folder".

Way 3. Backup Downloads Folder to OneDrive using OneDrive Desktop App

With the help of OneDrive sync desktop client, you can backup any folder to OneDrive simply and easily. The OneDrive app is preinstalled on Windows 10 and Windows 11. If you are using one of the Windows operating systems, you can directly search for OneDrive and run it.

How to backup Downloads folder to OneDrive is guided below:

Step 1. If you are not a Windows 10 or Windows 11 user, download and run OneDrive on your computer. If yes, search for OneDrive in the Windows search box to run it.

Step 2. Sign in with your Microsoft account, specify the OneDrive folder location on your computer, and select specific files or folders to synchronize in OneDrive.

Step 3. Copy your Downloads folder and paste it to the OneDrive folder to upload all data in the folder to OneDrive.

Way 4. Make OneDrive Backup Downloads Folder through OneDrive Website

There is another method for you to make OneDrive backup Downloads folder manually - with the OneDrive web version.

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

Step 2. Click on Upload on the top and select Folder on the drop-down menu.

Step 3. Choose the Downloads folder, and click Upload to back it up with OneDrive.

Further Reading: Another Secure Way to Backup Downloads Folder for Free

Apart from backing up the Downloads folder to OneDrive, you can also save your downloads to CBackup Cloud. It gives 10GB of free backup space, and you could get 1TB and 5TB CBackup Cloud storage at cost-effective prices.

Step 1. Run the CBackup desktop client and sign in.

Step 2. Click on Backup > Backup PC to CBackup Cloud to create a backup task.

Step 3. Pick the Downloads folder to backup, and click Start Backup.

Conclusion

On this page, we offer 4 solutions for you to make OneDrive backup Downloads folder. If you want to backup the Downloads folder automatically, undoubtedly, the most efficient method is to use CBackup.

With this freeware, you could save downloaded data to OneDrive on a specific schedule, and it allows you to backup data to Google Drive, Dropbox, and more public clouds.