Forum Discussion

fazleyff's avatar
fazleyff
Copper Contributor
May 29, 2024

How to transfer all photos from OneDrive into a hard drive?

Need to transfer all photos from OneDrive into a hard drive. I'm almost running out of space on OneDrive, and I want to find a way to quickly download all of them somewhere, before deleting them from the cloud.

 

Thing is, it seems like I have to scroll and drag click all of the photos; 3 years worth of them, which is really tedious to do. I was wondering if there was an easier way to just download all of them somewhere?

 

Note that this isn't about the OneDrive files, it's the OneDrive photos section, which I don't think you could sync to your computer.

 

I'm using a MacBook Air M1 2021, if it helps. Thanks!

  • NikolinoDE's avatar
    NikolinoDE
    Gold Contributor

    fazleyff 

    To transfer all photos from OneDrive to a hard drive on your MacBook Air M1, you can use the OneDrive app to sync your OneDrive files to your local storage. This way, you can download all your photos at once without having to manually select each one. Here is how you can do it:

    Steps to Download All Photos from OneDrive to Hard Drive on a Mac

    1. Install the OneDrive App:

    2. Set Up OneDrive:

    • Open the OneDrive app.
    • Sign in with your Microsoft account.
    • During the setup, choose the location where you want to sync your OneDrive files. You can select a folder on your external hard drive if it's connected, or you can sync to a local folder and move the files later.

    3. Select Folders to Sync:

    • During the setup process, you will be given the option to select which folders you want to sync. Make sure to select the folders containing your photos.
    • If you missed this step during setup, you can change it later by clicking the OneDrive icon in the menu bar, selecting Help & Settings, then Preferences, and under the Account tab, click Choose Folders.

    4. Sync OneDrive:

    • Once you have selected the folders to sync, OneDrive will begin downloading your files to your local storage. This might take some time depending on the number of photos and your internet connection speed.

    5. Verify Download and Move Files (if needed):

    • After the sync is complete, navigate to the folder where OneDrive synced your files. Verify that all your photos have been downloaded.
    • If you initially synced to a local folder, you can now move the photos to your external hard drive by simply dragging and dropping them.

    6. Free Up Space on OneDrive:

    • Once you have verified that all your photos are safely stored on your hard drive, you can free up space on OneDrive. You can do this by deleting the files from OneDrive, but make sure not to delete the local copies on your hard drive.

    Additional Tips

    • Ensure Backup: Before deleting anything from OneDrive, ensure that all your photos have been successfully copied to your hard drive. It’s a good practice to keep a backup just in case.
    • Use OneDrive Web Interface (Optional): If you prefer using the web interface, you can also download all your photos as a ZIP file. Go to OneDrive, select your photos, click Download, and a ZIP file containing all selected photos will be downloaded. This method can be cumbersome if you have a large number of files due to browser and OneDrive limitations on the number of files you can download at once.

    Following these steps should help you efficiently transfer all your photos from OneDrive to your hard drive.

    NOTE: My knowledge of this topic is limited, but since no one has answered it for at least one day or more, I entered your question in various AI. The text and the steps are the result of various AI's put together. Maybe it will help you further in your project, if not please just ignore it.

     

     

    My answers are voluntary and without guarantee!

     

    Hope this will help you.

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    This will help all forum participants.

  • techemily's avatar
    techemily
    Copper Contributor

    Transferring all photos from OneDrive to an external hard drive is a straightforward process. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you with this task:

    Step-by-Step Guide

    1. Connect Your External Hard Drive

    • Plug your external hard drive into your computer using the appropriate USB cable.
    • Ensure the hard drive is recognized by your computer. You should see it appear in your file explorer.

    2. Open OneDrive on Your Computer

    • Open the OneDrive folder on your computer. This is typically found in File Explorer under "OneDrive" if you have the OneDrive desktop app installed.
    • If you don’t have the OneDrive app, you can download it from the OneDrive website and sign in with your Microsoft account.

    3. Select the Photos

    • Navigate to the folder where your photos are stored in OneDrive.
    • Select all the photos you want to transfer. You can do this by clicking on one photo and then pressing Ctrl + A to select all the photos in the folder. Alternatively, you can hold down the Ctrl key and click each photo individually.

    4. Copy the Photos

    • Right-click on the selected photos and choose "Copy" from the context menu. Alternatively, you can press Ctrl + C to copy the selected photos.

    5. Paste Photos to the External Hard Drive

    • Open a new File Explorer window and navigate to your external hard drive.
    • Right-click in the desired location on your external hard drive and choose "Paste" from the context menu. Alternatively, you can press Ctrl + V to paste the photos.

    6. Verify the Transfer

    • Wait for the transfer to complete. The time it takes will depend on the number and size of the photos being transferred.
    • Once the transfer is complete, verify that all photos have been copied to your external hard drive by checking the file count and opening a few photos to ensure they transferred correctly.

    Additional Tips

    • Ensure Sufficient Space: Make sure there is enough space on your external hard drive to accommodate all your photos.
    • Use a Reliable Connection: If you have a large number of photos, using a reliable USB 3.0 or USB-C connection can speed up the transfer process.
    • Backup: It’s a good idea to keep a backup of your photos on both OneDrive and your external hard drive until you are sure the transfer is successful.

    Troubleshooting

    • Slow Transfer Speed: If the transfer is slow, ensure no other intensive processes are running on your computer that might be using up resources.
    • Connection Issues: If your external hard drive is not recognized, try using a different USB port or cable, or check the drive for errors.

    By following these steps, you should be able to efficiently transfer all your photos from OneDrive to your external hard drive.

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