Free up app storage

Free up OneDrive storage

OneDrive files live in your Microsoft account. This phone keeps files marked offline, camera backup copies waiting to upload, and a preview cache. Files On-Demand keeps cloud files visible without downloading every original. Deleting a OneDrive file is not the same as clearing cache.

See how much space OneDrive is using

iPhone

1. Open the iPhone Settings app.
2. Tap General > iPhone Storage.
3. Tap OneDrive.

Android

1. Open your phone Settings > Apps.
2. Tap OneDrive.
3. Tap Storage or Storage and cache.

Turn off offline copies (Files On-Demand)

1. Open OneDrive and tap your profile picture.
2. Open Files Available Offline (some versions say Files available offline).
3. On each file or folder you do not need locally, turn off Keep offline / Make available offline so it is Online only.

The file stays in OneDrive. You download it again when you open it. That is the Files On-Demand idea on a phone: cloud files stay in the account, and this device holds only what you marked offline plus cache.

Camera backup

Android

1. Open OneDrive and tap your profile picture.
2. Tap Settings > Camera backup.
3. Turn Camera backup off if you do not want new Camera Roll items uploaded from this phone.

iPhone

1. Open OneDrive and tap your profile picture.
2. Tap Settings > Camera Upload.
3. Turn it off for the account if you do not want Photos copied into OneDrive.

Camera backup copies Photos into OneDrive. It is not two-way sync. Deleting a backed-up photo from this phone does not remove the OneDrive copy. Deleting it from OneDrive does not remove the Photos original.

Clean up space on Android

1. Open OneDrive > profile > Settings.
2. Tap Clean up space on your device if you see it.

This removes local copies of photos that already uploaded with Camera backup. Confirm backup finished first. Do not use it as a way to delete the only copy of a photo that never uploaded.

Recycle bin is not cache

Deleted OneDrive files go to the Recycle bin. Emptying it permanently deletes those files from the account. That frees OneDrive quota. It does not clear the app cache.

Personal Vault files are still OneDrive files. Treat deletes there as permanent after the bin is emptied.

Clear OneDrive cache on Android

1. Open your phone Settings > Apps > OneDrive.
2. Tap Storage or Storage and cache.
3. Tap Clear cache.

Do not tap Clear storage / Clear data unless you mean to sign out. Pending camera backup items on this phone can fail to upload.

Reinstall the app if storage is still high

If you already cleaned media and OneDrive still looks huge, a fresh install can clear leftover cache and temp files that are hard to reach by hand.

1. Files already in OneDrive stay. Wait until Camera backup and any offline edits have finished uploading. Files that exist only on this phone (not yet in OneDrive) need to be copied first.
2. Delete the app from your phone.
3. Restart your phone.
4. Install OneDrive again from the App Store or Google Play.
5. Sign in and restore from backup if the app offers it.

This often frees a lot of space. You may need to download some media again after restore.

What to do next

After OneDrive is lighter, check your photo library for duplicates and similar shots. That is what Dedupo is for.

More app guides: Free up app storage.