This guide is a plain text explanation of the similarities and differences between OneDrive and SharePoint.

Quick Summary: OneDrive is meant for storing individually-owned files while SharePoint is designed for department or project shared files.

Microsoft 365

OneDrive and SharePoint are integral components of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, commonly referred to as “365.” This comprehensive cloud storage environment encompasses various applications, including OneDrive, SharePoint, Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Their coexistence within 365 allows for seamless integration between these applications. For instance, users can save a Word document directly to OneDrive from within the Word application itself. Additionally, both OneDrive and SharePoint are accessible via web browsers, enabling users to edit 365 files directly online.

OneDrive App

If users would like to use the desktop applications, instead of the web-version of Word and Excel for example, they can download the OneDrive App. This app makes your cloud files appear as if they are on your computer. The OneDrive App is your computer’s connection to the 365 cloud environment and is used for both OneDrive and SharePoint files.

SharePoint’s “Add Shortcut to OneDrive”

SharePoint has a feature named “Add Shortcut to OneDrive,” which allows you to access your SharePoint files quickly and through the OneDrive App. This shortcut creates a folder in your OneDrive that, when opened, seamlessly links you to your SharePoint files. This shortcut saves you the trouble of opening a browser and navigating to the SharePoint site, but also allows you to work on files in the site that need to be opened in their desktop application. These shortcuts will be named after the SharePoint site and end with “- Documents”.

When do I use OneDrive instead of SharePoint? And vice versa?

The main difference between SharePoint and OneDrive is access.

OneDrive serves as a personal storage solution, allowing you to manage work-related files that you create and edit independently, as well as share with others when needed.

SharePoint serves as a collaborative storage solution, designed for work-related files that your team can access and edit from the moment they are created.

OneDrive

OneDrive files remain private until you choose to share them. These include your everyday work documents, notes, presentations, or lectures. You can share these files with coworkers and students, granting them either edit access or restricting them to view only. Please note that when you leave Geneseo and your account is deactivated, all associated files will also be deleted.

SharePoint

Files added or created in SharePoint are immediately visible and editable by all members of the SharePoint site, eliminating the need for manual sharing. Each SharePoint environment, referred to as a “site,” accommodates members who can join or leave as necessary. These members possess the ability to add, edit, and delete files and folders. Access privileges can be granted or revoked at any time. For instance, a member may have read-only access to files, yet still enjoy real-time access to new and updated content. Additionally, files can be shared with non-members, with options for either Edit access or View-only restrictions. When you leave Geneseo, the files remain accessible to other members.

📊 OneDrive vs SharePoint: Compare & Contrast

Feature	OneDrive	SharePoint

Feature	OneDrive	SharePoint
Primary Purpose	Personal cloud storage	Team/organization collaboration platform
Ownership	Files tied to an individual’s account	Files belong to a team, site, or organization
Best For	Individual work, drafts, private files, quick sharing	Departmental projects, shared resources, policies, team collaboration
Collaboration	Limited collaboration (file sharing, co-authoring)	Robust collaboration (shared libraries, workflows, versioning, intranet features)
Storage	1 TB+ per user (depends on license)	Shared pool of storage for the organization
Permissions	Controlled by the file/folder owner	Controlled by site/library admins with role-based permissions
Integration	Sync to local device, integrates with Office apps	Deep integration with Teams, Power Automate, Power BI, intranet portals
Access Control	Simple sharing links (internal/external)	Granular access control, group/role permissions, compliance features
Content Type	Individual work files	Team files, policies, procedures, templates, workflows
Example Use Case	Saving personal project notes, drafts, or files only you need	Storing department policies, managing project documents, running automated approvals

OneDrive vs. SharePoint