One Drive

I thought moving a document from from Word to One Drive would save the document in One Drive, and it would also remain in Word. But unlike Win 10, in Win 11 when I move a document from Word to One Drive, it disappears (gets deleted) from Word.  To have it in Word as well, I need to open it in One Drive and 'save as' under Documents.  Is there a way to prevent the document getting deleted from Word?

Be careful about something:  Word is an application.  It is not a storage designation.  If you move a document to OneDrive, then your document so moved is in OneDrive - somewhere.  

There is more to this, which I myself am not ready to explain; but somebody else will.

Ok.   

It confuses me because this didn't happen in Win10.   

Hi, it should have. lol.  It is always save your document.    You also state your Moving the File and not copying the file.  If move a file it is moved.  if copy a file then it stays where ever your Word stuff is / original and a copy goes to Word. 

What sign are you seeing that tells you a document is getting "deleted from Word"?

Hi, it should have. lol.  It is always save your document.    You also state your Moving the File and not copying the file.  If move a file it is moved.  if copy a file then it stays where ever your Word stuff is / original and a copy goes to Word. 

"Move to One Drive" is the only option.  There are no options for "copy" nor "save" to One Drive.  

What sign are you seeing that tells you a document is getting "deleted from Word"?

The moment I send (or move) a document to One Drive, it's no longer visible in Word.

What do you mean no longer visible?  As in the document is no longer in the list for you to open it?  Or you see its name and click it but it says it can't for some reason?

May I say boldly, guessing that this was not done yet, Songbird_68 you could use a Computer Literacy course from your local leisure services department or community adult school.  Excuse me if this is something you have already done.  Even with that,  OneDrive can still be confusing.

The fact you only see one option means you have one drive wrongly configured. 

One Drive has taken control of your documents and is likely only storing them in the cloud.

Pretty sure we had this conversation a while back.

If you plan to use One Drive remember free storage is limited to 5GB. After that you pay.

If you don't plan to use one drive then first go into the one drive folder and copy everything in there to a USB thumb drive or similar.

Then unlink One Drive instructions here:

Turn off, disable, or uninstall OneDrive - Microsoft Support

Once unlinked you can copy the files back into Documents etc.

If you plan to use One Drive then set up a local copy of documents on your PC. instructions here:

How to store files on both local drive and OneDrive - Microsoft Q&A

Remember Word also comes as a cloud based service as well as an installable app. Check which version you are using. (You'll need to look in the list of installed apps or look in Settings >> Accounts, if you have Office installed it'll tell you here.)

Edited by aldfort, 21 December 2025 - 01:59 AM.

Hi, Google Key Word Search : show to get option to copy to one drive and not move to one drive  : https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=show+to+get+option+to+copy+to+one+drive+and+not+move+to+one+drive    See AI Results

BASIC RULES of Drives  :  In Windows, the default behavior for drag-and-drop depends on the file locations

1) Dragging files within the same drive defaults to Move.

2) Dragging files between different drives defaults to Copy

ONEDRIVE

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The OneDrive folder is usually on the same drive as your local folders (typically the C: drive). This means that when you drag files from a local folder to the OneDrive folder using standard drag-and-drop, the default action is to move them

To force a copy action instead of a move, use one of these methods:

The easiest way to override the default action on a case-by-case basis is to use a modifier key while dragging and dropping

Use Keyboard Shortcut

The easiest way to override the default action on a case-by-case basis is to use a modifier key while dragging and dropping

To Copy: Hold down the Ctrl key while you drag the file or folder to the OneDrive destination. When you release the mouse button, a copy will be created in OneDrive, and the original will remain in its source location

To Move: Hold down the Shift key while dragging to ensure the file is moved

Use the Right-Click Drag Method

Instead of left-clicking and dragging, you can drag using the right mouse button

1) Right-click and hold on the file or folder you want to copy.

2) Drag the item to the desired location within your OneDrive folder structure.

3) Release the right mouse button.

4) A context menu will appear, allowing you to explicitly choose "Copy Here" or "Move Here"

Use the Right Click Context Menu (Copy To/Send To)

You can use the standard Windows context menu options to manage files

1) Right-click on the file or folder you want to copy.

2) Select "Copy" from the menu (or press Ctrl + C on your keyboard)

3) Navigate to the desired destination folder in OneDrive.

4)Right-click in the destination folder and select "Paste" (or press Ctrl + V on your keyboard)

By using the Ctrl key while dragging, or using the right-click menu, you ensure that the files are copied to OneDrive while the originals remain intact in their source location

==================

There is much more but all you really need is the above.

Right Click Context Menu

AS WELL : you can edit your Right Click Context Menu :  you can add any shortcut you want.   But that depends on the using new menu or old menu or new and then more options.

So the easiest and less complicated is to make your Default Saving Documents in Word on a Different Drive than what OneDrive Folder/Shortcut or whatever Onedrive.

So save to D: and drag and drop to Onedrive on C:

To add a "Copy to OneDrive" option in your right-click menu, the easiest methods involve using the built-in "Copy" then "Paste" in File Explorer or adding a "Copy to Folder" registry tweak for specific OneDrive locations, as Windows usually offers "Move to OneDrive" but "Copy to" often needs manual setup or third-party tools for quick destination selection

See Google Keyword Search Results using : how to add copy to oneDrive on the right Click Contect menu  : https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=how+to+add+copy+to+oneDrive+on+the+right+Click+Contect+menu

What do you mean no longer visible?  As in the document is no longer in the list for you to open it?  Or you see its name and click it but it says it can't for some reason?

Often it's not in the list of Word documents at all.  Sometimes it may say "file not found."   It is found in OneDrive.

At what times does it say "file not found"?  When you see in the list and click on it?  I'd like to know what you're seeing and doing so you can be directed properly.  Right now, I'm imagining that you're seeing your file in Word and getting that error message when trying to open it by clicking on it.  This could indicate that you're trying to open your file from the Recent list which can become invalid when you move files, because Recent doesn't follow files when you move them.  When that happens, the recent item must be removed to avoid further confusion.  Removing an item from the Recent list doesn't delete the actual file.

From the sound of it, you haven't lost your file as you are still able to find it in OneDrive and open it.

@ CarHerder.  Thanks for these guidelines.  I worked on them but no luck unfortunately. 

 I tried dragging a document from Word to destination, OneDrive, by right click & hold and also Ctrl & hold.  It doesn't drag.  

I have been eager to get the 'Copy/Send to' option.  But these don't appear either.    When I access Word and click on 'File' it gives the list of "Recent Documents."  If I right click on any document, there is no 'copy' nor 'send-to option.'     Then again, when I access Word, click on 'Open' and right click on any document, it shows more options but no 'copy' nor  'send-to.'  

The screen shots (with serial numbers) may give an idea what I'm trying to say .. 

Edited by Songbird_68, 21 December 2025 - 06:50 PM.

At what times does it say "file not found"?  When you see in the list and click on it?  I'd like to know what you're seeing and doing so you can be directed properly.  Right now, I'm imagining that you're seeing your file in Word and getting that error message when trying to open it by clicking on it.  This could indicate that you're trying to open your file from the Recent list which can become invalid when you move files, because Recent doesn't follow files when you move them.  When that happens, the recent item must be removed to avoid further confusion.  Removing an item from the Recent list doesn't delete the actual file.

 

From the sound of it, you haven't lost your file as you are still able to find it in OneDrive and open it.

Usually (as I observe now) it says 'file not found.'   Yes it does go to OneDrive .. I can see it there when moved.  But I think it should also stay in the list of docs in Word. 

I've explained to Cat Herder with screen shots.  

Edited by Songbird_68, 21 December 2025 - 06:57 PM.