OneDrive on Android with AnExplorer
AnExplorer connects to Microsoft OneDrive as a native storage location. Once authorized, your OneDrive folders appear in the AnExplorer sidebar — you can move files between OneDrive and your phone storage, browse cloud documents, and manage uploads without switching apps.
This works with personal OneDrive (free 5 GB), Microsoft 365 Personal/Family (1 TB), and OneDrive for Business (Microsoft 365 Business accounts).
How to Connect OneDrive
- Open AnExplorer
- Tap + in the sidebar
- Select OneDrive
- A Microsoft sign-in page opens in a browser view
- Sign in with your Microsoft account (personal) or work/school account (Microsoft 365)
- Grant AnExplorer permission to access your OneDrive files
- OneDrive appears as a bookmark in the AnExplorer sidebar
For Microsoft 365 Business accounts — use your organisation email and password. If your organisation requires MFA (multi-factor authentication), complete the MFA step in the browser view.
What You Can Do
| Action | Notes |
|---|---|
| Browse all OneDrive folders | Including "My Files" and Shared folders |
| Download to phone | Copy > Paste to local storage |
| Upload from phone | Copy local files > Paste to OneDrive folder |
| Move files within OneDrive | Cut > Paste to new folder |
| Delete from OneDrive | Long-press > Delete |
| Open Office files | Opens in Microsoft Office or compatible apps |
| Browse SharePoint team sites | Appears as shared folders under your account |
| Access "Shared with me" | Navigate to Shared section |
OneDrive Storage Tiers
| Plan | Storage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free Microsoft account | 5 GB | Included with any Microsoft account |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | 1 TB | ~$70/year |
| Microsoft 365 Family | 1 TB × 6 users | ~$100/year |
| Microsoft 365 Business Basic | 1 TB | Business plan |
OneDrive + Phone Backup Workflow
Many Windows users save everything to OneDrive through Windows' automatic folder backup (Desktop, Documents, Pictures). AnExplorer gives you a way to access those exact folders from your phone:
- Connect OneDrive in AnExplorer
- Navigate to
Documents/— the same Documents folder as on your Windows PC - Open any file directly from OneDrive on your phone
You can also upload phone photos to OneDrive manually:
- Navigate to
/sdcard/DCIM/Camera/in AnExplorer - Select photos > Copy
- Navigate to your OneDrive
Pictures/folder - Paste
This gives you a manual alternative to the automatic camera backup feature in the Microsoft OneDrive app.
AnExplorer + OneDrive vs Microsoft OneDrive App
| AnExplorer | OneDrive App | |
|---|---|---|
| Browse OneDrive files | ✅ | ✅ |
| Upload/download | ✅ | ✅ |
| Automatic camera backup | ❌ | ✅ |
| Office file preview | ❌ (opens in Office app) | ✅ |
| Offline sync | ❌ | ✅ |
| Cross-storage moves (OneDrive → NAS) | ✅ | ❌ |
| Manage alongside SMB/FTP | ✅ | ❌ |
| Open ZIP/RAR in OneDrive | ✅ | ❌ |
Use AnExplorer for file management tasks (moving, organising, copying between locations). Use the OneDrive app for sync, automatic backup, and Office integration.
Troubleshooting
Can't see work folders / SharePoint:
- Work/school OneDrive requires signing in with your work Microsoft account, not your personal Microsoft account
- SharePoint "Team Sites" may appear as separate entries depending on AnExplorer version
"Access denied" on some folders:
- Shared library folders may have restricted permissions
- Check in OneDrive web (onedrive.live.com) if you can access the folder there
Sign-in loop:
- Try clearing AnExplorer's app storage (Settings > Apps > AnExplorer > Storage > Clear Cache)
- Re-add the OneDrive connection