Automatic cloud backup: how to set it up on Google Drive and OneDrive

Published September 6, 2026 · 5 min read

Edson Feitosa de Oliveira Junior Founder & Lead Engineer · PruPru Digital Services

Everyone knows they should back up — but a backup that depends on remembering to do it, in practice, doesn't happen often enough. The solution is to set it up once and let it run on its own: that's exactly what automatic cloud backup solves.

Setting it up on Google Drive (via Google Drive for desktop)

• Download and install the "Google Drive for desktop" app from Google's official site
• Log in with your Google account
• Choose the folders on your computer you want to sync automatically (e.g. Documents, Desktop)
• Done — any file saved in those folders now uploads to the cloud on its own

Setting it up on OneDrive (already built into Windows)

• Open OneDrive from Windows search (it comes pre-installed by default)
• Log in with your Microsoft account
• Under Settings > Backup, turn on automatic backup for the Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders
• The cloud icon in the Windows tray shows the sync status

How much free space you get

Google Drive offers 15 GB free and OneDrive usually comes with 5 GB free per account — enough for documents and spreadsheets, but it can get tight if you work with a lot of high-resolution photos or videos. In that case, it's worth considering a paid plan or combining both accounts.