Can you sync any folder to OneDrive?

As a cloud storage and sync service launched by Microsoft, OneDrive is loved by Windows users and is even widely used on other types of computers. As you all know, you can sync local data with the OneDrive cloud by simply creating, moving or pasting files into the OneDrive folder. The data outside of the OneDrive folder will not be synced to the remote server.

Can OneDrive sync any folders to the cloud? The answer is yes. Read on, you will learn about 2 methods on how to sync any folder to OneDrive from Mac and Windows PC in this article.

Way 1. OneDrive sync any folder with Mklink

When you use the OneDrive app on your computer, your OneDrive folder is usually located in the UserProfile%\OneDrive\ (for example: C:\Users\Kelsey\OneDrive) list by default. You can set a symbolic link to point to OneDrive sync any files and folders outside of the OneDrive folder.

What is a OneDrive Mklink?

Mklink is used on Windows PC to create an advanced shortcut called symbolic link, through which users can create symbolic links between folders and files, and the OneDrive client will think it owns these files and sync them. This means that even if you don't add the target folder to the OneDrive folder, it can be synced to the OneDrive cloud.

Step-by-step to sync any folder to OneDrive with Mklink

Now, you can follow the steps below to let OneDrive sync any folder in Windows 10 through the mklink command.

Step 1. Click the Windows button on the desktop, enter “command prompt”, and select the first result. Alternatively, you could press Windows + R keys and type “cmd” to quickly enter the Command Prompt.

Step 2. At the command prompt, type the following command:

mklink /j "%UserProfile%\OneDrive\Folder Name" "the full path of your source folder"

3. Press Enter to confirm your operation, and the source directory you selected will now be synced to OneDrive.

Way 2. Sync Any Folder to OneDrive Manually

Although OneDrive cannot sync folders outside the OneDrive folder, OneDrive provides another way to sync any folders to OneDrive manually. Here it is:

1. Ensure you have installed the OneDrive desktop app, and sign in.

2. Right-click any folder that you want to sync to OneDrive, choose Move to OneDrive.

3. Repeat the same process for any other folders to backup any folders to OneDrive easily.

Way 3. Automatically sync any folder to OneDrive

The above two ways only allow you to manually sync any folders to OneDrive, every time there is a new PC file that needs to be synced, you need to continue to perform manual operations and it’s quite time-consuming, and not convenient. To make OneDrive sync any folders automatically, it’s highly recommended to try the free online backup service - CBackup to automatically sync any folders on your computer to OneDrive.

Just add your OneDrive account to CBackup, and then you can sync any file or folder on PC to OneDrive with just one login. As long as you enable scheduled backup, data can be automatically added to the cloud, so there is no need for manual attention, saving you time and energy.

The service is safe and reliable, based on the OAuth structure and GDPR compliance. If you need a simpler and safer way to start OneDrive to sync any folder from the local location, this method is worth trying.

Here is the step-by-step guide to sync any folder to OneDrive with CBackup

Step 1. Download the CBackup client on your computer, and create a free CBackup account to log in.

Step 2. Navigate to Storage > select OneDrive, hit Authorize Now to follow the steps to allow CBackup to access your OneDrive account.

Step 3. In the next window to edit the Cloud name, and Storage path, then tick the Note option, hit OK to confirm your operation.

Step 4. Go to Sync > Sync PC to Public Cloud to create your task.

Step 5. You could change your Task Name, and then select any folder that you want to sync to OneDrive. Choose a OneDrive folder as the destination.

Step 6. Click Settings in the lower-left corner of the window, and then enable this function under the Scheduler tab. You can set the automatic sync frequency or a specific time.

Step 7. After selecting, click Start Sync to sync any folder to OneDrive from your PC automatically.

In the end

You can use the three effective methods provided in this article to make OneDrive sync any folder. If you are worried about errors in the process of using the mklink command, you can switch to CBackup to easily implement this process.