We’ve heard requests from several customers asking to make it easier to move their user data into OneDrive. To have a single button that they could push that would move content from the Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders to OneDrive.

Today, we are making this a reality with the announcement of Known Folder Move (KFM) for OneDrive that will start rolling out to Targeted Release customers this week.

Known folders are global pointers in Windows representing a location on the user’s drive. They help users to organize their most important files and access them across different applications. KFM helps you move your docs, desktop, and pictures into OneDrive. Even the Screenshots and Camera Roll folders are included when the Picture folder has opted into KFM.

Before KFM:


After KFM:


Not much changed, right? That’s the idea. User content is automatically synced to OneDrive with no disruption to productivity. Behind the scenes, KFM moves content into OneDrive so it’s always synced to the cloud, protected, and accessible from all your devices.

If you’re an IT admin, you can deploy a group policy (more details below) to users in your organization to encourage them to perform KFM. Eligible end users can get to the KFM experience if they click on one of the KFM toast notifications or in OneDrive settings > AutoSave > Update folders.

Turn On or Off Documents, Pictures, and Desktop Folder Protection with OneDrive in Windows 10


Update Folders setting

This is what the Known Folder Move experience looks like for end users. The KFM experience launches and does a brief scan for any unsupported files.


KFM screen

The scan shows all files are supported and the user now has the option to move their folders to OneDrive.


KFM end user screen

If you disable or do not configure this setting, the "Set up protection of important folders" window won't appear automatically for your users.

If you set a group policy, then here is the experience the user will see.


Group Policy

If the user doesn't perform the move, a large activity center message displays:


IT Policy for KFM

If the user chooses to close the message, then a smaller message is displayed and cannot be dismissed until the user completes the move.


Forced pop-up

Silently redirect Windows known folders to OneDrive
This setting lets you redirect your users' Documents, Picture, and Desktop folders to OneDrive without user interaction. This policy works when all known folders are empty, and on folders redirected to a different OneDrive account. We recommend using this policy together with "Prompt users to move Windows known folders to OneDrive."

When you enable this policy, future releases will no longer check for empty known folders. Instead, known folders will be redirected and content within them will be moved.

If you enable this setting and provide your tenant ID, you can choose whether to display a notification to users after their folders have been redirected.

If you disable or do not configure this setting, your users' known folders will not be silently redirected to OneDrive. Future iterations of this group policy will support Known Folder Move.

After this policy is set with the notification flag the end user will see a toast:


Toast

Prevent users from redirecting their Windows known folders
This setting forces users to keep their Documents, Pictures, and Desktop folders directed to OneDrive.
If you enable this setting, the "Stop protecting" button in the "Set up protection of important folders" window will be disabled and users will receive an error if they try to stop syncing a known folder.
If you disable or do not configure this setting, users can choose to redirect their known folders back to their PC.

When will Known Folder Move be available?

• This feature will start to roll-out this week to our Targeted Release customers
• If you are an Office or Windows insider, you may start to see it next week
• KFM will be available to all users by the end of July

As always, please leave feedback and let us know what you think or visit our UserVoice page to upvote or suggest new OneDrive functionality!

- The OneDrive Team

Source: Migrate Your Files to OneDrive Easily with Known Folder Move - Microsoft Tech Community - 207076

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Posted By: Brink
28 Jun 2018