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Accessing Your OneDrive Personal Network Storage

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Each of our AU faculty, staff and students are provided with 1 terabyte of personal network storage through OneDrive, which is a part of Microsoft Office 365. Files stored in OneDrive drive will be accessible from both on and off campus through a variety of methods, as described below.

OneDrive is a safe and secure place to store your data; however, confidential or sensitive data belonging to staff should still be stored on a departmental restricted network drive, such as the K: drive.

If more than 1 terabyte is needed for faculty research or another AU business need, please contact the IT Help Desk at helpdesk@american.edu, https://help.american.edu, or 202-885-2550.

Safely & Effectively Working with OneDrive

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Learn how to safely and effectively work with OneDrive, your personal cloud-based storage space.

Access Methods

If you have OneDrive installed, you can access your OneDrive files on your hard drive. Your files then synchronize to the Office 365 in the cloud, once you are connected to the Internet.

  1. Download and install the OneDrive for Mac client.
  2. Once installed, simply choose the folder where you want your files to be synchronized. 
  3. You can access your OneDrive files through Finder, once OneDrive is set up and configured.

OneDrive is available as an App, on both iOS and Android devices, allowing you to access and edit your files on the go, whenever you have an Internet connection.

 

  1. Search for OneDrive via the App Store for your device.
  2. Install the App.
  3. When prompted for an email address and password during the installation, use your AU email address (in the format of username@american.edu) and password.

 

  1. Login to the Office 365 portal at https://portal.office.com, using your AU email address and password.
  2. Once logged in, click on the OneDrive tile.
  3. A new tab should open with a web view of your files and folders in OneDrive.
  4. You can now view, edit, share, and download your files and folders through the web interface.

If you have OneDrive installed, you can access your OneDrive files on your hard drive. Your files then synchronize to the Office 365 in the cloud, once you are connected to the Internet.

  • On Windows, you can access and edit your OneDrive folders and files through Computer.
  • You should see a OneDrive - american.edu section, where your folders and files are located. 
  • You may need to sign in to OneDrive using your AU email address and password, if this is the first time you are using it. 
  • Once you sign in, your folders and files from OneDrive in Office 365 will be synchronized to your computer, and vice versa.
  • You can also configure existing folders on your computer to be synchronized to OneDrive.