Move the OneDrive folder through OneDrive's own setup: unlink the PC, move the folder in File Explorer, then sign in and select its new location. Do not put an NTFS junction at the old path and assume OneDrive will follow it. Check that syncing has finished before removing any leftover copy.
Check whether you need to move it
Open File Explorer and select your OneDrive folder in the navigation pane. Click the address bar to see its actual location; a personal account commonly uses a folder under C:\Users\<your-name>\OneDrive, while a work or school account can have a different name. Check the folder's Properties to see whether locally stored files are taking the space you expected. A folder containing online-only placeholders can look large in one view without using that much local storage.
If the goal is simply to reclaim space on C, try Files On-Demand first. In File Explorer, right-click a synced file or folder and choose Free up space. This keeps the item in OneDrive but makes its local copy available only when you connect to the internet. Do this only after the item has fully synced: the cloud icon should show that OneDrive is up to date, and you can verify important files on the OneDrive website. Do not use Delete in File Explorer for this purpose; deletion can sync to the cloud.
For a group of folders you do not need on this PC, open the OneDrive cloud icon in the taskbar notification area, select Help & Settings → Settings → Account → Choose folders, and deselect them. Those folders remain online but disappear from this PC's synced folder. Leave Desktop, Documents, or Pictures alone if OneDrive says they cannot be deselected because they are part of your PC's backup setup. Microsoft explains Files On-Demand and the Free up space command.
Prepare the new drive and your files
Use a drive that will remain connected and retain its drive letter. If you are considering external storage, check Microsoft's requirements first: OneDrive does not support a removable USB drive as its sync location. In File Explorer, right-click the destination drive, choose Properties, and check the file system and free space. For an external drive, Microsoft specifies a non-ejectable drive and NTFS on Windows. An internal drive avoids the extra risk of disconnecting a sync location during normal use.
Open your current OneDrive folder and wait until the cloud icon reports that syncing is complete. If anything shows a sync error, resolve it before moving the folder. Confirm especially important files through OneDrive on the web, and keep an independent backup of anything you cannot replace. An online-only item is not a full local backup; moving the folder does not magically download its contents.
Close documents stored in OneDrive, and note which account is connected if you have more than one. Record the current folder path from File Explorer. Do not manually delete or rename the folder while OneDrive is still linked, because ordinary file changes inside a synced folder can propagate to the cloud.
Unlink, move, and relink
- Select the OneDrive cloud icon in the taskbar notification area. Choose Help & Settings → Settings → Account → Unlink this PC, then confirm Unlink account. This disconnects syncing on this PC; it does not erase files in your online OneDrive. If you stop here, you can sign in again and choose the original folder during setup.
- In File Explorer, find the current OneDrive folder at the path you recorded. Move that folder to the destination drive, for example from
C:\Users\<your-name>\OneDrivetoD:\OneDrive. Use Cut and Paste so the old and new locations are easy to distinguish. If the move fails, leave the existing folder intact and relink to its original location; check open files, free space, and the destination drive before retrying. - Open OneDrive from the Start menu if its setup window is not already open. Sign in with the same account. At This is your OneDrive folder, choose Change location, select the folder you moved, and confirm Use this location when OneDrive says files already exist there. Complete the setup screens. Microsoft's location change instructions describe this unlink, move, and relink sequence.
If setup says it cannot use the new location, do not delete either folder to force it through. Check that the drive is supported and connected, that the selected path is the moved folder rather than a second empty folder, and that you are signing in to the same account. You can return to the old location by moving the unlinked folder back, starting OneDrive setup again, and selecting that original folder. Keep a backup until the relink is verified.
Verify syncing before clearing leftovers
Wait for OneDrive to finish checking files. Open the cloud icon and resolve any sync errors. In File Explorer, confirm the OneDrive folder now sits on the intended drive and open several files you expect to be available offline. Also check those files on the OneDrive website. If you had selected only certain folders on this PC, review Settings → Account → Choose folders again; you may need to reapply that selection after relinking.
Check C in File Explorer after setup. If an old OneDrive directory still exists, first confirm that OneDrive's current location is the new directory, compare its contents with the web and your backup, and only then remove the abandoned local copy. Never delete a folder that OneDrive still identifies as its active sync folder. If the new drive later goes missing or changes letters, restore that location before treating a sync error as lost data.
Why a junction is the wrong shortcut here
An NTFS junction lets a program visit data on another drive through an old path. That can be useful for an ordinary application folder; our junction move guide shows the manual process and rollback. OneDrive, however, manages both the local folder and its cloud sync state. Its supported relocation flow explicitly asks you to unlink and select a new folder in setup. A junction leaves the old path looking present while OneDrive's configured location and drive availability still need to be managed. Use the app's location setting so a later sync problem has a clear, documented path back.
Where AiCleanDisk Pro fits
AiCleanDisk Pro can scan the system drive for free and show which folders occupy space; moving folders to another NTFS drive requires a license. Its folder guidance warns against moving OneDrive with a junction because syncing can break. Use OneDrive's own steps above for this folder, even if you use the app to inspect other large folders. For a broader cleanup before deciding what to relocate, see the C drive cleanup guide or the AiCleanDisk Pro home page.
Moving OneDrive is finished only when its new folder is selected in setup and the cloud icon reports a healthy sync. If C is still full, check which files are actually stored offline before moving another folder.