Microsoft OneDrive is now a progressive web app

Onedrive Web (Image credit: Future)

What you need to know

Microsoft's OneDrive website is now a progressive web app.
Becoming a PWA allows OneDrive to open in its own window and launch automatically when a PC is turned on.
The web version of OneDrive does not act as a sync client.

Aaron Gustafson, principal program manager of the Microsoft Edge team, shared the news on Twitter.

OneDrive's a #PWA y'all! https://t.co/NZph7sppZc pic.twitter.com/oDl7iuz1s8OneDrive's a #PWA y'all! https://t.co/NZph7sppZc pic.twitter.com/oDl7iuz1s8— Aaron Gustafson (@AaronGustafson) September 15, 2021 September 15, 2021

Gustafson's image shows the PWA on a Mac, but a similar message appears when navigating to the site on a Windows 10 PC.

Just like the OneDrive website, the PWA doesn't replace the OneDrive sync client. If a person wants OneDrive files to appear and sync through the File Explorer, they'll have to use the OneDrive sync client that ships with Windows 10.

Microsoft also has a OneDrive app in the Microsoft Store that provides much of the same functionality as the OneDrive progressive web app.

Interestingly, Gustafson discusses an upcoming Filesystem Access API. This could be used to allow the OneDrive PWA to sync files on PCs, but the team behind OneDrive may not choose to use it.

The Filesystem Access API is coming… not saying they'd use it, but this would be a use case for it. And last time I was paying attention to that conversation, I think they were looking at PWAs being granted the permission (by users) for longer than browser tabs.The Filesystem Access API is coming… not saying they'd use it, but this would be a use case for it. And last time I was paying attention to that conversation, I think they were looking at PWAs being granted the permission (by users) for longer than browser tabs.— Aaron Gustafson (@AaronGustafson) September 15, 2021 September 15, 2021

You can install the OneDrive PWA by following these steps:

Go to onedrive.live.com.
Click on the icon within the address bar that looks like a grid with a plus icon.

Click Install

While there are already several ways to use OneDrive, its progressive web app could be useful in situations in which a person is blocked from installing apps through the Microsoft Store.

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Sean Endicott is a news writer and apps editor for Windows Central with 11+ years of experience. A Nottingham Trent journalism graduate, Sean has covered the industry’s arc from the Lumia era to the launch of Windows 11 and generative AI. Having started at Thrifter, he uses his expertise in price tracking to help readers find genuine hardware value.

Beyond tech news, Sean is a UK sports media pioneer. In 2017, he became one of the first to stream via smartphone and is an expert in AP Capture systems. A tech-forward coach, he was named 2024 BAFA Youth Coach of the Year. He is focused on using technology—from AI to Clipchamp—to gain a practical edge.