Chapter 17. Sharing settings and files in the cloud

In this section:

• Choosing settings to sync to SkyDrive

• Choosing files to save to SkyDrive

• Saving files to SkyDrive

• Creating a new folder in SkyDrive

• Adding files to a folder

• Sharing a folder

• Managing SkyDrive storage

• Creating a folder and adding data to it from the SkyDrive app

Windows 8.1 provides two useful ways to connect your computing devices and content together in the cloud. First, you can sync your personal computer settings so that those settings will be applied no matter what computer you log on to (provided you use you Microsoft account). Settings can include your Start screen configuration and app data, among other things.

Second, you can share files with yourself and others by saving them to the cloud. SkyDrive lets you upload, access, and share all kinds of data on the Internet, including music, video, pictures, and documents. If you commit to saving all of your data to SkyDrive, you can essentially make all the content on your computer available when you log on securely from other computers through your Microsoft account.

In this section, you’ll learn lots of ways to store data in the cloud, including uploading files using Internet Explorer, saving to the cloud from both apps and desktop apps, and creating new folders for SkyDrive using File Explorer. You’ll learn about the SkyDrive app too, which offers an easy way to access your files, create folders, and add content to SkyDrive.

Choosing settings to sync to SkyDrive

Syncing settings across the Windows 8-based devices you log in to with your Microsoft account is enabled by default. Settings that are already configured to sync include the layout of your Start screen, app data, web browser favorites, and settings for your languages, Ease of Access configuration, and more. You can change what is currently being synced from the SkyDrive tab of PC Settings.

Choose settings to sync

1. Press Windows logo key+I to access the Settings charm.

2. Click Change PC Settings.

   

3. If you see a Back arrow, click it.

   

4. Click SkyDrive.

   

5. Click Sync Settings.

6. Click the On/Off buttons, as preferred, for the available sync settings.

7. Scroll to see more sync settings.

   

Tip

If you don’t want items to sync when you’re being charged for connection time, In the SkyDrive options, click Metered Connections. Configure how you want to use SkyDrive while using metered connections.

Choosing files to save to SkyDrive

SkyDrive is a storage area on the Internet that you can use to save files to, and, depending on when you obtained your Microsoft account, you have either 7 GB or 25 GB of free storage space available to you (and you can buy more if that isn’t enough). If you have an Office 365 subscription, you’ll have more than that. When you opt to save files to SkyDrive, you can access them from any device you can log in to with that account. This serves as both a backup and a convenience, because your files can be accessed from almost anywhere. You can also choose to automatically upload photos and videos from your Camera Roll folder to SkyDrive. (These are pictures you take with your device, provided it has a camera.) Again, this serves as a backup and also enables you to access that media from any computer or device that you can log into your Microsoft account with.

Choose files to save to SkyDrive

1. Press Windows logo key+I to access the Settings charm.

2. Click Change PC Settings.

   

3. If you see a Back arrow, click it.

   

4. Click SkyDrive.

   

5. Click File Storage.

6. Verify Save documents to SkyDrive by default is set to On.

   

7. Click Camera Roll.

8. Configure the desired options for uploading photos and videos.

   

Tip

Video files are generally quite large. You might not want to opt to automatically upload videos to SkyDrive if you only have 7 GB of space available.

Saving files to SkyDrive

You can save files to SkyDrive using various methods. One is to use File Explorer on the desktop to drag files there to copy or move them. Another is to save directly from a compatible desktop application, such as Paint and WordPad. You can save to SkyDrive from certain apps, too, including Mail.

In the following steps you’ll learn how to save a file to SkyDrive from WordPad. You’ll apply the same technique to save data in virtually all other desktop apps. In the next set of steps, you’ll save an attachment in an email (in Mail) to SkyDrive. You’ll apply this technique to save data in virtually all other apps.

Save to SkyDrive from WordPad

1. On the Start screen, type WordPad.

2. Click WordPad in the results.

   

3. Click File.

4. Click Save.

   

5. In the Save As dialog box, click SkyDrive in the Navigation pane.

6. If desired, click a subfolder in the Content pane.

7. Type a file name.

8. Click Save.

   

Try This

If you don’t see a desirable subfolder to choose in step 7, click New Folder to create one.

Save to SkyDrive from Mail

1. From the Start screen, click Mail.

   

2. Locate an email that contains an attachment you’ve already downloaded (or download it if needed).

   

3. Right-click any attachment in the email.

4. Click Save.

   

5. Click the arrow beside This PC.

6. Click SkyDrive.

   

7. If desired, rename the file.

8. If desired, change the file type.

9. If desired, click a subfolder.

10. Click Save.

    

Creating a new folder in SkyDrive

You can add folders to SkyDrive to organize the data you store there. You can also share those folders with others. There are several ways to create a folder. You can create one from inside the SkyDrive app. (Just right-click and choose New Folder.) You can create one while logged on to the SkyDrive website using Internet Explorer. You can add a folder from File Explorer. And you can create a folder while saving from a desktop app’s Save As dialog box. Here you’ll learn how to create a new folder using File Explorer.

Create a new folder using File Explorer

1. Use the keyboard shortcut Windows key+D to access the desktop.

2. On the taskbar, click File Explorer.

   

3. Click SkyDrive in the Navigation pane.

4. Click the Home tab of the File Explorer ribbon.

5. Click New Folder.

   

6. Enter a name for the folder.

7. Click anywhere outside of the folder to save the name.

   

See Also

See Create a folder and add data to it from the SkyDrive app, at the end of this section.

Try This

On the Home screen, click the SkyDrive tile. Right-click the screen, and note that one of the options is New Folder. You can create new folders here too.

Adding files to a folder

After you have created a folder in SkyDrive, you can upload files to that folder using the SkyDrive website. You can also drag files by using File Explorer. You can opt to navigate to the desired SkyDrive folder when you’re ready to save a file. In the following steps, you’ll add a file to a folder by uploading it using the SkyDrive website. (As with many other tasks detailed in this section, you can also add files using the SkyDrive app.) You need to learn this technique because it’s the technique you’ll use when you want to add files to a SkyDrive folder from a non-Windows 8-based machine.

Add files to SkyDrive with Internet Explorer

1. From the Start screen, click the Internet Explorer tile.

   

2. Right-click anywhere to display the address bar.

3. Type skydrive.live.com in the address bar, and press Enter on the keyboard.

   

4. If desired, click a folder to open it.

5. Click Upload.

   

6. Click the arrow beside SkyDrive.

7. Click This PC to navigate to the file (or other applicable option).

   

8. Click a file. (You can click multiple files.)

9. Click Open.

   

Try This

Open the SkyDrive app from the Start screen. Right-click and choose Add Items to upload files using the app.

See Also

See Create a folder and add data to it from the SkyDrive app, at the end of this section.

Tip

You delete files from SkyDrive just as you’d expect. Generally, you need only to right-click and choose Delete.

Sharing a folder

One of the main functions of a file sharing site such as SkyDrive is to share content with yourself (when you’re away from your own computer) and others. However, if you want to share with others, you’ll need to specifically configure it as so. One way to share a folder is to share it from the SkyDrive website you accessed in the previous task.

Share a folder

1. Use Internet Explorer to open the SkyDrive website as outlined in the previous task.

2. With SkyDrive open, click Files to display the Files list.

3. Right-click a file or folder.

4. Click Sharing.

   

5. Verify that Send Email is selected in the left pane.

6. Enter an email address.

7. Enter a note (optional).

8. If you don’t want the person to edit files, clear the Recipients Can Edit check box.

9. Click Share.

   

10. Click Close.

    

Tip

Instead of sending an email in step 5, you can post a link to the folder to various social networking sites or get a link that you can share in other ways.

Managing SkyDrive storage

You get a specific amount of storage space to use on SkyDrive; it can be 7 GB or 25 GB, depending on when you obtained your Microsoft account (and you’ll have more if you have a subscription to Office 365). Although that’s a lot of space, it is possible run out. If you do, you can purchase additional space as needed, for a yearly fee. To see how much storage space you have left and to buy more, access the appropriate options in PC Settings.

Manage SkyDrive storage

1. Press Windows logo key+I to access the Settings charm.

2. Click Change PC Settings.

   

3. If you see a Back arrow, click it.

   

4. Click SkyDrive.

   

5. Click File Storage.

6. If desired, click Buy More Storage and perform the related tasks.

   

Tip

Currently you can purchase up to 100 GB for about $50 (US) a year.

Creating a folder and adding data to it from the SkyDrive app

You can perform some tasks with SkyDrive from within the SkyDrive app. You can select files to open, create new folders, and add items to your SkyDrive storage space. You access these features with a right-click.

Create a folder and add data to it from the SkyDrive app

1. From the Start screen, click SkyDrive.

   

2. Note the folders and files already there.

   

3. Right-click an empty part of the screen.

4. Click New Folder.

5. Type a name for the folder.

6. Click Create.

7. Click Add Files.

   

   Caution

   It is extremely important that you know how to create folders and upload data from Internet Explorer, because Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and other non-Windows 8 operating systems won’t have a SkyDrive app that you can use.

8. Click the arrow beside SkyDrive.

9. Click This PC.

   

10. Navigate to an item to add, and click it.

    

11. Click Copy To SkyDrive.