Microsoft is planning a barrage of updates to its cloud storage service OneDrive in the coming months. Users can expect a new app, better search functionality and colored folders, among other things.
OneDrive is getting all the colors of the rainbow. Those who work with color-coded folders in the Web version of OneDrive will also see those vetted folders appear through Explorer in Windows in the near future. That’s immediately the most visible improvement for OneDrive that Microsoft plans in the coming months, but certainly not the only one.
For example, Microsoft is greatly expanding search capabilities. You will have access to filters to find what you are looking for faster, both in your own folders and in shared locations. Search would also become a lot more performant. Microsoft is rolling out the expanded search capabilities in phases from now until the end of 2024.
OneDrive vs. Google Photos
Those who use OneDrive on iOS and Android can look forward to a new app. With it, Microsoft seemingly wants to compete with Google Photos. After all, images will take center stage in the new application. You will be able to browse through your snapshots faster, and with the help of AI, search better for both people and content.
Like Google Photos, the OneDrive application will display memories, such as from birthdays or trips. So you’ll be treated to different old photos every time. You won’t be able to accidentally import photos from other cloud services, including Google Photos.
The functionality is timely: Google enticed customers with free storage for Google Photos but reversed that decision some time ago. Moreover, other things like WhatsApp backup also suddenly began to count against Google’s storage. Consumers can get a subscription with more storage to remedy that, but that feels a bit double especially for existing Microsoft customers: after all, those who are Microsoft 365 customers automatically pay for a terabyte of storage.
Whether Microsoft can offer a worthy alternative for users looking for a good cloud storage service for their photos remains to be seen. The new app is being rolled out in phases, initially to Android users with Microsoft 365 subscriptions.
Copilot
Finally, Microsoft is going to integrate Copilot into OneDrive. However, that upgrade is planned exclusively for business customers. Copilot Agents are also coming to the storage service. This will allow you to customize the AI assistant to your needs.