Automatically save photos and videos with OneDrive for Android
Applies ToMicrosoft 365 admin OneDrive (work or school) OneDrive (home or personal)

The camera roll on your device only backups to Microsoft OneDrive - it does not sync photos both ways. That means you can delete backed up photos and videos from your device, and the copies in OneDrive won't be affected. 

To automatically backup your camera roll to OneDrive

  1. In the OneDrive app, tap the account image at the top of the app.

  2. Tap Turn on below the "Camera backup is off" text.

    Camera Backup can only be used on one account at a time. If you are also a OneDrive for work or school user, be sure the correct account is selected at the top of the screen.

  3. Tap confirm.

  • To help preserve your device battery while downloading, select the Backup only when charging checkbox in Settings.

  • The OneDrive cloud icon may briefly appear in your Android notifications as part of the normal backup process.

How to include additional pictures folders to my OneDrive camera roll

You can also backup other folders where you save or receive images, such as social media and third-party photo editing apps:

  1. In the OneDrive app, tap the account image at the top of the app.

  2. Tap Settings OneDrive settings then Camera backup.

  3. Tap Back up device folders.

  4. Flip the categorize toggle OneDrive app toggle on if you want to keep the original folders, and flip it off if you want all images to go into your Camera Roll folder.

  5. Scroll through the list and choose which folders you want to be backed up.

If OneDrive camera backup isn’t working

If automatic camera backup isn’t working, open the OneDrive app. Backups will only happen if the app is running, so swiping the app up to close it will prevent automatic backups.

If it still isn't working or only some pictures are backed up, follow these steps:

  1. In the OneDrive app, tap the account image then Settings OneDrive settings then Camera backup.

  2. Check the Camera backup account is the correct account.

  3. If you're not connected to Wi-Fi, check if Data usage is set to Back up over Wi-Fi and mobile network.

  4. Check that the Backup only when charging checkbox isn't selected.

  5. If your videos are not showing in your camera roll, check that Include videos is set on.

  6. On This Day albums will only show if you have taken 5 or more photos on that day.

  7. If your camera backup is taking too long to set up or look for photos, without giving any error message, it could be because you have too many photos in your camera roll, or that you are out of storage space. Read What does it mean when your OneDrive account is frozen?

  8. If Samsung Gallery backup isn’t working, read about Samsung Gallery and OneDrive.

Learn more

Manually upload files or photos with OneDrive for Android

Clean up space on your Android device with OneDrive

Troubleshoot OneDrive for Android app problems

Seeing pictures that are not my photos in OneDrive

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