OneDrive
OneDrive's Files On-Demand keeps files in the cloud by default. You need to mark the ResearchOS folder Always keep on this device.
Get OneDrive
- Windows 10/11: pre-installed. Sign in via Settings → Accounts.
- macOS: download from microsoft.com/onedrive/download.
Share the lab folder
- One member creates an empty folder inside their OneDrive (e.g.,
LabName-ResearchOS). - Right-click the folder → OneDrive → Share. Invite the other lab members by email and give them Edit permission.
- Each invited member accepts the share. The folder appears under OneDrive → Shared in the File Explorer left nav (Windows) or under your OneDrive folder in Finder (macOS). Using Add shortcut to My files is the most reliable way to get the shared folder into your normal OneDrive tree, where Always keep on this device works consistently.
Make it Always keep on this device (every member, every laptop)
- Open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (macOS) and navigate to the shared lab folder.
- Right-click the folder. In the context menu, choose Always keep on this device. A green check icon replaces the cloud icon on the folder and on every file inside it.
- Wait until OneDrive finishes downloading everything (status "Up to date" in the menu-bar / tray icon).
- Open ResearchOS, click Link Folder, and pick that shared folder.
Common pitfalls
- Storage Sense on Windows can auto-unpin files you haven't opened recently (i.e., move them back to cloud-only). Open Settings → System → Storage → Storage Sense and either disable the "content not opened in N days" option for the ResearchOS folder, or turn Storage Sense off entirely.
- Cloud-only re-tag happens if you right-click and choose Free up space by accident. The folder reverts to cloud-only and ResearchOS can't read it. Re-run Always keep on this device.
- Mac users: confirm the option says "Always keep on this device" (Files On-Demand). The older OneDrive Mac client stored files locally by default, but newer versions don't.