Microsoft just recently released the official desktop application for Windows Live SkyDrive, finally bringing native support to both Windows and Mac OS. This means you can now seamlessly mount your 7GB (or up to 25GB for early adopters!) of free cloud storage directly into your computer’s file explorer.
Suddenly having a massive chunk of free, easily accessible cloud storage opens up a lot of possibilities. But you might be wondering, how do I actually get the most out of SkyDrive? Here are a few clever techniques and tricks to integrate it into your daily workflow.
1. Use It as a Massive Flash Drive
This is the most straightforward use case. Once you install the desktop app, SkyDrive acts just like a normal folder on your hard drive. You can dump your spreadsheets, photos, MP3s, and PDFs in there, and they’ll instantly sync to the cloud.
2. Move Your “My Documents” Folder to the Cloud
If you want to be truly efficient, try this trick: instead of treating SkyDrive as a separate dumping ground, just remap your entire Windows “My Documents” folder directly into SkyDrive. Because Microsoft offers so much free space, you won’t have to worry about hitting a cap anytime soon. Once you do this, you’ll never have to remember to manually back up a Word doc again—everything you save gets quietly synced to the cloud in the background. It’s like having your entire digital life safely in your pocket.
If you’re running Windows 7, check out the video below to see exactly how to remap your default folders. If you’re on a different OS, a quick Google search should point you in the right direction.
3. Keep Multiple PCs in Sync
If you bounce between a laptop and a desktop, SkyDrive is a lifesaver. Just install the app on all your machines, and your files will magically stay perfectly synchronized across all of them. While it doesn’t currently support the lightning-fast LAN Sync feature that Dropbox uses, having 25GB of free space more than makes up for it in my book.
4. Use It as an Automated Backup Target
We all know we should back up our data, but physical hard drives can be expensive. Since SkyDrive gives you so much space for free, you can easily point your favorite third-party backup software directly to your SkyDrive folder. It’s a completely free off-site backup solution!
These are just a few ideas to get you started, but the possibilities are really endless.