Forum Discussion
OneDrive date modified without changing the file
- This is because of AutoSave in the office clients. They continually save as your view them and they will make changes unfortunately sometimes by just looking at them. The only option you really have is to uncheck the option in your OneDrive client so the files don't open directly with office but open locally. It's sort of explained in this article, but this tick box should keep the files opening the old way and not using the auto save functionality.
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/use-office-applications-to-sync-office-files-that-i-open-8a409b0c-ebe1-4bfa-a08e-998389a9d823?ui=en-US&rs=en-001&ad=US
Though an old thread, I think I've found a workaround that doesn't require turning off autosave or autosync.
We know that simply opening an Office file saved in OneDrive will automatically update 'date modified'. However, it doesn't update 'date last saved'.
You can change the columns in File Explorer to show 'date last saved' instead of 'date modified':
- Navigate to the folder
- Right click on a column heading (e.g name)
- Select 'More...'
- Uncheck 'Date modified'
- Scroll down to 'Date last saved' and check this
- Click OK
For the change to apply to all folders of the same type, follow these simple steps: https://superuser.com/a/1128443/642896
leo-c thanks for that. I came here for work but I'm going to try it tonight on my home Windows 11 computer. It's been bugging the heck out of me, opening File Explorer and the list of my recent files changes in front of my eyes every few seconds as stuff from years ago suddenly appears at the top of the list, I guess because of some sync action by OneDrive.
- Thank you SO much! This has been driving me nuts lately and it's a very good solution that I expect will be useful in other contexts as well
In your local sync'd OneDrive files, select file, hold Shift + RightClick, Open as Read-Only.
Has worked well for me, so far, without file or folder changing modified date, so long as I only read and close the document.
Online OneDrive, I use the document menu, Preview - works as Read-Only.
These features mean that I don't have to change any headings or OneDrive settings.EDIT - wanted to emphasize - when Shift + RightClick, Open as Read-Only, the file opens in Word (etc) with the AutoSave off. This allows to safely save as a copy of the document without damaging the date of the primary document.
