The nerdy answer is the OneDrive API (Application Programing Interface). Most common are other cloud sync and backup tools. There are other programs which can connect to OneDrive without needing the special app. That’s why you might be asked twice to login to OneDrive for each account once for the Windows or Mac OneDrive app and again inside Office. Microsoft Office has the in-built features to connect with OneDrive without using the OneDrive app. but there are alternative ways for your apps to connect with OneDrive. The OneDrive app (Windows or Mac) is not necessary for some programs to access your cloud storage. The OneDrive app does NOT control ALL access to your OneDrive cloud storage from Windows or Mac. The only difference between the two ‘OneDrive’ folders is that the directly connected files have the name of the OneDrive account included in the folder path. Open the synced copy of the file on the local drive (assuming the OneDrive app is running on that computer).Įither from File | Open | This PC or double-clicking on document in the OneDrive sync folders.īoth options are available on the Office File | Open pane, with the OneDrive direct option being more prominent.Directly from the File | Open dialog to the OneDrive cloud store.That means there are two options for accessing a OneDrive stored document. Microsoft Office is compatible with OneDrive, at least back to Office 2016.

Direct or local two ways to open a OneDrive document Those apps can work with the local copies of OneDrive files, not knowing or caring that they are synced to the cloud. The synchronized copies are handy for working offline and for any programs that aren’t directly compatible with OneDrive. In normal times, the copies are the same. There are two copies of the file (cloud and local) kept in sync by the OneDrive app. Or the OneDrive app can copy (synchronize) files from the cloud to your “local” computer. Programs (like Office) can open those files directly from the cloud service. Microsoft’s OneDrive stores documents on servers. We’ll explain both and why it’s sometimes important. There are two different ways to access a Microsoft Office document that’s saved on OneDrive.

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