Manual method
Save the photo and video files stored in OneDrive, including the relevant camera-upload folders.
- Open OneDrive on the web and locate the original media folders behind the Photos view.
- Select the required media or a folder and choose Download.
- Save each batch outside OneDrive, then extract any ZIP files.
- Record which camera/year folders were copied so the photo selection is distinguishable from a whole-Drive export.
Coverage and limitations: Photos and ordinary OneDrive files overlap: do not count the same bytes twice. Albums and recognition labels may not transfer as organization. Use smaller batches if documented file-count or ZIP limits are reached.
Size and time to allow
Illustrative small / central / large case: 5 / 100 / 1000 GB (decimal GB). These are planning assumptions, not a measured average per person. 100 GB is a planning case for a multi-year photo/video library, not Microsoft’s average customer usage.
Preparation: Allow a few minutes of packaging per large batch as an estimate; bulk transfer dominates. Photos already local only need a disk copy.
For the central 100 GB example, network transfer alone is approximately:
| Connection | Estimated transfer |
|---|---|
| 10 Mbps | 31.7 hours |
| 50 Mbps | 6.3 hours |
| 100 Mbps | 3.2 hours |
Assumes 70% sustained use of the stated connection. Provider throttling, many small files, retries, local extraction and copying add time. For online backup use your upload speed. These are not estimates of the provider’s preparation queue. See calculation and large-file advice.
Store and verify the archive
Use an external SSD or hard drive as the main archive. A USB key is suitable for a selected transfer copy, but capacity and sustained speed can be limiting. Keep a second encrypted copy on a separate drive or in private online backup.
Create onedrive_photos/YYYY-MM-DD/originals/, preserve the untouched download, and extract a separate working copy when needed. Allow extra free space for archive plus extraction; compressed text can expand far beyond twice its size. Record account/scope, export date, date coverage and missing items in a local README without passwords.
Compare year ranges, open image samples and play large videos. Check the downloaded files rather than assuming an offline indicator proves an independent backup. Reopen a sample from the second copy before deleting or replacing any source. Storage choices and verification.
Sources and review
Public documentation was reviewed on 27 October 2026. No signed-in export or restoration was performed. Account options and availability can change; follow the current provider instructions.