How to determine which version of Microsoft OneDrive you are using and if it’s the latest

Microsoft OneDrive is a valuable feature for Windows 10, Microsoft 365, and mobile smart devices. Whether used in a business productivity setting or for storing personal files, OneDrive provides inexpensive access to a significant amount of automated cloud storage.

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However, like so many features found in Microsoft products, the syncing app is constantly being upgraded to fix errors, improve efficiency, and add new features. These updates are rolled out under three tiers, which means most of us do not receive upgrades until weeks or even months after their initial release.

So, how do you determine which version of Microsoft OneDrive you are using, and how do you determine whether that version is the latest version? This how-to tutorial explains the necessary procedures.

Determine your version of Microsoft OneDrive

Regardless of whether you are using Microsoft OneDrive for personal reasons or for business, the app that performs the synchronization process in Windows 10 has been consolidated into a single application. To check your version of OneDrive on a Windows 10 PC, right-click the OneDrive icon in the system tray and select Settings from the context menu. Select the About tab in the resulting settings screen. As you can see in Figure A, both my Microsoft 365 and Personal OneDrive use the same syncing application and show the same version number.

Figure A

If you do not have a OneDrive icon in the system tray of Windows 10, you may not have the app installed. Click the Start Menu button, select Settings (gear icon) from the menu and then select Apps from the configuration screen. In the Search This List box, type “onedrive” to reveal a screen similar to Figure B.

Figure B

Click the entry to reveal the version information. If there is no OneDrive application present, you will have to either download and install the application or activate the feature in Windows 10.

For other devices:

• If you are using OneDrive on a Mac, click the OneDrive icon from the menu bar and then select More | Preferences | About.
• On an Android device, open the OneDrive app and select Me | Settings | About.
• On an iOS device, open the OneDrive app and select Me | Settings | Version.

Now, that you know the version, you have to determine whether you have the latest version.

Determine the latest version of OneDrive

The quickest way to check for the latest available and pre-release versions of OneDrive is by navigating to its Official Release Notes page. As you can see in Figure C, the OneDrive version for Windows 10 in our example is an iteration of the current, most recent, general release. Your version, however, may be a version or two behind.

Figure C

The latest general version of OneDrive is scheduled to be completely rolled out to all customers by April 2021, but there are already pre-release candidates in the pipeline. To force an update to the latest general release version, download and install OneDrive manually from the website.

Whether you use Microsoft OneDrive to store photos of your pets or as a collaboration platform for your entire organization or in some combination of either of those scenarios, OneDrive cloud storage is an invaluable part of the Microsoft 365 and Windows 10 feature set. Keep it up to date and running smoothly.

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