What is OneDrive and Why is it Useful?

OneDrive is Microsoft’s cloud storage service that allows users to store, protect, and share files across multiple devices. Although that is a short description, it covers a lot. Here are the highlights for how it’s useful:

Syncs Your Files Across Devices. If you have multiple machines, making sure you have the right access to the files you need is a chore. Either you carry around a portable hard drive and just access file that way, or you utilize email, or you just keep those computers set for specific tasks/content. OneDrive takes care of that by always keeping a running list of your files and making sure that the most up-to-date.

Have Access When You Need It. Even if you have your main devices synchronized, you may need files when you are away from your devices. You can either login securely through the web portal on a guest device or you can access it via the mobile app on your phone. I cannot stress how useful this is. Trying to get warranty service on an item and you saved the receipt to OneDrive? You can pull up the receipt and deal with the issue right there. Lost your passport and need the copy of it you scanned and saved? You might just be able to avoid catastrophe by pulling up a copy of it. Need the information on what appliances were installed in your home so that you can get the right technician? If you saved the info there, you have access to it. The list goes on. The gist of it is that you have a reliable method for getting information you saved whenever you need it.

Automatic Backups. In the event a device is lost or malfunctions, you usually lose that data or have a hard time recovering it. Even if you do, it takes time, effort, and expertise to get there. In the event that you manually backed files up using a portable hard drive or a usb drive, they may not be up-to-date. Microsoft is always making backups since all devices automatically sync.

Be Secure. The whole system is encrypted with 256-bit encryption (whether in transit or at rest), which is considered the most secure standard available today. If you use multi-factor authentication (MFA), you are doing about as well as you can reasonably do. When you share out files, you can also make sure they are secure, whether by password, time-expiration, or specific user account. If you lose a device, you can disable the connection so they can no longer access OneDrive.

OneDrive Integrates Well. If you have a Windows machine, OneDrive is baked in inherently. Microsoft products have many features geared towards taking advantage of OneDrive’s cloud features. Collaboration on Office files (i.e., Word docs, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, etc.) is all very easy.

These alone should put you fully at ease. Regardless, below are some of the other hesitations we have heard.

Remaining Hesitations

Do I really want to use the cloud?
You absolutely do. There have been a lot of memes and jokes about “what is the cloud?” and “who understands the cloud, anyway?” and “the cloud? That’s how they get you.” In reality, you use it every day and it is probably more secure than anything you are doing today. The encryption makes it secure, but in the age of cryptoviruses and other catastrophic agents, the cloud is the easiest and most effective way to keep your data safe and have access to it when you need it.

Is it secure?
We threw numbers and standards at you above, but in short, it is secure. Not only is the technology secure if you use it right, Microsoft has a vested interest to not have data breach issues. They have hundreds of billions of dollars riding on it, so you know they are always working on it.

Is it hard to use, especially if you are technologically challenged?
Microsoft made it incredibly easy to use. While we might have wanted to see some other features and provide more control for the technologically advanced, Microsoft opted for simplicity and ease-of-use. As long as you can install the app and enter credentials, it just works. If you are trying to really make it work for you and you want to become a full digital convert, you just need to make sure you are organized and get in the habit of saving things there. How do you do that? Watch the tutorials or talk to an expert that can further explain how best to use this technology.

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