Forum Discussion
Recently saved local file not available
I saved an excel file to my OneDrive Documents directory (.xlsx) when I was offline. OneDrive notified that a local copy was saved due to being offline. However, the file does not exist where I saved it. I searched the entire documents dir with explorer and it is not there. What's going on? When I was back online I was able to open it. This is not the behavior I selected in OneDrive, I selected always save a local copy. When I was offline I was able to open other workbooks. There have been other files that I can't access when offline. This makes me want to quit using OneDrive. Can someone please explain how to fix this?
1 Reply
Here's a possible solution that might help you...
Quickest Fix for Your Current File:
- Go online
- Find the file in OneDrive folder in File Explorer
- Right-click it → Always keep on this device
- Make a separate backup copy outside OneDrive immediately
This is indeed a valid reason to reconsider OneDrive for critical files. Many businesses use alternatives like local network drives with proper backups or enterprise sync tools (Dropbox Business, Box) that offer more reliable offline access.
If don’t heps…
Clearing the OneDrive cache might help. Sometimes corrupted cache files cause sync issues. The user can reset OneDrive by pressing Win+R, typing %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive, and deleting the contents (after closing OneDrive). Then restarting OneDrive might rebuild the cache.
Workarounds for Next Time:
Use "Save As" Instead of Save:
- When offline, use File → Save As
- Choose This PC → Documents (not OneDrive)
- Move to OneDrive later
My answers are voluntary and without guarantee!
Hope this will help you.
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