Save Drive Space: Offload Files to the Cloud

Freeing Up Disk Space with Cloud Storage

When facing limited storage capacity on your hard drive, a viable solution is to transfer substantial files to cloud-based storage.

Cloud storage solutions are remarkably affordable, and costs are projected to continue decreasing. Presently, leading providers – Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft OneDrive – offer one terabyte of storage for approximately $10 monthly.

Leveraging Free Cloud Storage

Even with paid subscriptions, the potential storage capacity is significant. Google and Microsoft, notably, provide 15 GB of free storage. This means that if your local drive is nearing its limit, you can readily create more space by migrating files to the cloud.

Important Considerations Regarding Cloud Storage

It’s crucial to understand that storing files solely in the cloud doesn't constitute a true backup. If the cloud provider experiences issues, data loss is a possibility.

To mitigate this risk, it is recommended to upload critical files to multiple locations or maintain a local copy on an external hard drive. This ensures data redundancy and protection against unforeseen circumstances.

Here's a quick summary of best practices:

• Utilize cloud storage to alleviate local disk space constraints.
• Take advantage of free storage tiers offered by providers like Google and Microsoft.
• Always maintain a secondary copy of important files for robust data security.

Maintaining Control: Choosing Not to Sync

Cloud services commonly offer desktop applications that establish synchronized folders on your computer. These folders automatically update with any additions, modifications, or deletions you make to files. This functionality ensures your cloud files remain current across all your devices.

However, there are instances where complete synchronization isn't desirable. You might prefer to keep certain files exclusively in the cloud, or conversely, avoid having all cloud files mirrored locally.

Related: Optimizing Storage: Moving Local Files to the Cloud

This guide will demonstrate how to store files remotely by uploading them to your cloud service and then disabling synchronization. This prevents them from occupying space on your computer. We will cover the process for Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft OneDrive.

It’s crucial to understand that even after de-syncing folders, your files remain accessible and shareable. Access is simply achieved through a web browser.

Understanding Selective Sync

Each of the major cloud providers offers a feature often called "selective sync" or a similar variation. This allows you to choose which folders are kept synchronized with your local machine.

By utilizing this feature, you gain granular control over your storage and bandwidth usage. You can effectively manage which files are readily available offline and which reside solely in the cloud.

How to De-Sync with Dropbox

To de-sync folders in Dropbox:

• Right-click the Dropbox icon in your system tray.
• Select “Preferences.”
• Navigate to the “Account” tab.
• Click “Selective sync.”
• Uncheck the boxes next to the folders you wish to remove from your computer.
• Confirm your selections.

Dropbox will then remove the selected folders from your local hard drive, while they remain safely stored in the cloud.

De-Syncing Folders in Google Drive

The process for Google Drive is as follows:

• Open the Google Drive app on your computer.
• Click the settings cog icon.
• Select “Preferences.”
• Click the “Folders from your computer” tab.
• Click “Choose folders.”
• Uncheck the folders you want to remove from your computer.
• Click “Done.”

Google Drive will cease syncing the deselected folders to your local machine.

Removing Folders from Sync in Microsoft OneDrive

Here’s how to de-sync folders in OneDrive:

• Right-click the OneDrive icon in your system tray.
• Select “Settings.”
• Go to the “Account” tab.
• Click “Choose folders.”
• Uncheck the folders you no longer want to sync.
• Click “OK.”

OneDrive will then remove the selected folders from your computer, keeping them available in the cloud.

Benefits of De-Synchronization

Choosing not to sync certain folders offers several advantages:

• Reduced Local Storage Usage: Free up valuable space on your computer’s hard drive.
• Bandwidth Conservation: Minimize unnecessary data transfer.
• Improved Performance: A smaller number of synced files can lead to faster system performance.

Ultimately, selective sync empowers you to tailor your cloud storage experience to your specific needs and preferences.

Dropbox

To begin utilizing Dropbox for offloading files, the initial step involves creating a new folder within your locally synchronized Dropbox directory. A descriptive name, such as "Big Files," is recommended for easy identification.