OneDrive opening wrong apps? Here’s the fix

NICEVILLE, Fla. — This week’s It’s Geek to Me by Jeff Werner tackles a common frustration with OneDrive file settings and tees up an upcoming look at phishing scams.

Niceville.com Community Partner

QUESTION:
Matt L. from Odessa, Texas writes:

I just read your latest column, and I hate that you’re falling victim to the multitude of changes that the print media world is undergoing. I wanted to pass along the questions that came to mind…

As a constant Microsoft user at work, I collaborate frequently with other users on shared files on our OneDrive. This is a fantastic platform that, unfortunately, has some downsides as well. One issue I run into is that when I open a file from the OneDrive, it automatically opens the web-based version of Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.

I can open the file in the desktop version, but is there a way to set it as the default mode to save a few clicks and keystrokes? I feel that Microsoft is trying to push everyone towards the web-based platform, and I find the web version to be inferior in every way.

My other issue is a little different from the typical issues you write about, but I think an outline of red flags to watch for in potential phishing attempts might be useful to your audience. It seems that the scammers are becoming more sophisticated, and it’s no longer enough to check for spelling and grammatical errors.

Niceville.com Community Partner

ANSWER:
Jeff Werner responds:

I’m delighted to hear that the column is still alive and kicking there in the Odessa American. Thanks for your submission, Matt.

If more readers would do as you did and pass along whatever questions they have, it would make writing the column a lot easier for me, and a lot more interesting to read. I’ve been writing this little feature for nearly 20 years now, and although I’ve done my best, I refuse to believe that I have solved everybody’s problems.

Shoot, even I still have the occasional problem that I need to work through.

I wish I were as big a fan of OneDrive as you are. Perhaps I just haven’t taken the time to learn all the ins and outs of it, but for me, it is a constant struggle with it synchronizing files and folders across multiple computers that I use.

I don’t want a copy of every single file I work on placed on every other machine, nor do I want my cleanup efforts on one machine to result in important files being deleted where they are actually needed.

I also find that the constant syncing slows down my ability to access files, and worse, it doubles or more the space that I need to store work files.

Niceville.com Community Partner

I’m perfectly content synchronizing things by hand, but OneDrive seems to have its own agenda and a mind of its own.

As far as what application opens when you open a file from OneDrive, one would think that would be strictly a function of the default application that is associated with the file’s extension in the registry of whatever computer you’re accessing it from.

And frankly, it used to be, until Microsoft started adding collaboration rules into the mix. The waters got a bit muddy after that.

Based on your description, you are making good use of the collaboration features of the Microsoft tools. For the uninformed, that’s just a $5 word for multiple people being able to work on a file simultaneously, and see each other’s changes.

It’s your collaboration settings that are at the heart of your issue, Matt.

Niceville.com Community Partner

If File Collaboration is turned on in OneDrive’s settings, you’ll find that it prioritizes cloud syncing over local default applications. This causes web-based apps to open for editing to ensure AutoSave is active.

On the other hand, files on local disks automatically open with desktop apps, assuming that’s how your file associations are set up.

You can force OneDrive to always open your files with your local desktop applications by doing the following steps:

Open the OneDrive Web Settings by clicking the Gear icon at the top right
Go to OneDrive Settings > More Settings > Site collection features
Find “Open Documents in Client Applications by Default” and click “Activate.”

This should in no way interfere with your ability to collaborate with others on the files you’re working on. The files’ presence on OneDrive will provide the ability for multiple users to work on them simultaneously.

As for the last part of your submission, I’ve written on this topic before, but it’s always good to refresh people’s memories.