Enable differential sync (only sync parts of the files that changed)
Today OneDrive implements differential sync only for Office files (that is, syncing only the changes made to the file, instead of the entire file). It would be a significant improvement for this capability to work against any files in OneDrive - so smaller changes to a file would result in less data needing to be transmitted, meaning less time to sync changes back and forth, and more efficient use of network bandwidth.

We have completed the rollout for both personal and business users. Enjoy the better syncing!
219 comments
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[Deleted User] commented
Differential Sync does not work. I have a Mac and wanted to sync my Windows VMs. Always the whole file is uploaded. Basically this feature was the reason why i got a MS365 account. Version 20.189.0920.0006
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Aquarius Xiong commented
Does it work for personal onedrive? I tested with 64GB file, but it uploaded the full file everytime. Glad it works for business.
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Anonymous commented
For us this feature is creating some trouble. However since we are not that concerned with speed: Is there a way to disable this feature for now? I cannot find anything in the settings.
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Anil Kumar commented
For us differential sync is still not working for SPO libraries (with OneDrive ver: 20.169.0823.0003). MS engineer is not aware which onedrive version number has the fix, and as per them everything required in backend SPO has been implemented to support OneDrive differential sync.
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Carl commented
After logging ticket with MS O365 support no one actually knows what build number contains the fix, all they can tell me is the fix is available in v20.064.0329.0008 or before.
According to the roadmap it has been released.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/microsoft-365/roadmap?rtc=1&filters=&searchterms=differential%2Csync -
Carl commented
I tested in v20.064.0329.0008 and believe its fixed. Release notes should contain what is fixed and what is new but seems everything falls into the Bug fixes and Performance improvements category. As BOOM! IT'S DONE has been commented by OneDrive team this post will probably go unanswered.
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Anonymous commented
i've tried with the latest insider ondrive version, and this does not work..
Anyone know when it will be implemeted ?!
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Carl commented
Does anyone know what build of Windows OneDrive for Business contains this fix?
Looking through the release notes and there is no mention of this anywhere:
https://support.office.com/en-gb/article/onedrive-release-notes-845dcf18-f921-435e-bf28-4e24b95e5fc0 -
Anonymous commented
BOOM! IT'S DONE (after almost 6 years of snoring)
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Jonathan Bartkowiak commented
This will be awesome for our windows users. Any chance that this will find its way over to the Mac land?
Thanks
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GG commented
6 years of implementation , not bad lol
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Geoff Faulkner commented
I had to test this out for myself...and it seems to have worked as expected. I have a 5.7GB Adobe Lightroom Catalog that I have tried in the past to use in OneDrive. Before differential sync, it uploaded the entire file each time I opened Lightroom.
I dropped that file into OneDrive and synchronized. Then I updated the file by making a change in Lightroom and overwriting the existing file on OneDrive.
The user interface LOOKS like it is uploading the entire file again, and it took 5 minutes to churn through the file, but my network stats showed that little actual data was flowing to OneDrive.
Sweet! Thank you so much!
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Caleb commented
What version is this live in? the release notes don't reflect this update.
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Anonymous commented
I'm also having to sync a whole PST file instead of sync at the moment with Onedrive on Office 365
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Effy commented
Will the differential sync work on PST (DB files) files as well?
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Rafael Maciel commented
Differential sync is working great with personal accounts. Just made an change to one of my VHDs and only parts of it were uploaded (checked with external bandwidth monitoring tool, it doesn't show the size for the part that was being uploaded, the bar just moves faster). Its just for the ODFB users that was delayed (doesn't work yet)...
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Anonymous commented
***- ODfB Differential sync was on the roadmap for Q4 2019. Now it's delivery is expected Q1 2020. FRUSTRATING.
And Randall Jr. below is RIGHT. MS is playing games. The big boys pay big money to get NEARLY working solutions, but not nearly enough. This type of capability should have been baked in from day 1. -
Marius commented
Do i get that right that all OneDrive personal users are already able to use this feature? Or did Gaia Carini mean by "our users" Microsoft employees?
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Knut Arne commented
## Differential sync for all files
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OneDrive is the files app in Microsoft 365 where you can work with all your files—your individual work files and the files shared with you across Microsoft 365—on PC or Mac, across browsers, and across devices with highly rated apps for iOS and Android. Improvements to sync include *differential sync for all files*—Office files already feature differential sync—which will accelerate sync and reduce network utilization, and support for Windows Virtual Desktop, currently in preview. These improvements enable organizations to deliver cloud-connected experiences and users to work with cloud files within native experiences like File Explorer and Finder.
- _[2019-05-21] https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2019/05/21/sharepoint-home-sites-microsoft-365-innovations-intelligent-workplace/_Differential sync to all file types stored in OneDrive
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Differential Sync saves time and network utilization [roadmap: 33412]
Differential sync brings the ability to sync only the parts of large files that have changed, not the entire file. This makes the file synchronization process faster for these files. Currently OneDrive supports differential sync for Office 2016 files. Later this year, we will bring the ability to leverage differential sync to all file types stored in OneDrive and SharePoint.
_[]_ https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Microsoft-OneDrive-Blog/OneDrive-announcements-SharePoint-Conference-2019/ba-p/616047 -
Leonardo commented
open in 2014 and today in 2019 is in the plans? Is this site outdated or bankrupt?