Share via

macOS Microsoft 365 Family - duplicate OneDrive file storage

Tom Kreutz 25 Reputation points
2025-12-02T20:48:15.93+00:00

The files in my macOS (Sequoia 15.6.1, M2 MacBook Air) OneDrive folder at /Users/XXX/Library/CloudStorage/OneDrive-Personal/ use 111 GB of hard drive space. The exact same files appear to live at /Users/XXX/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.OneDriveStandaloneSuite/OneDrive.noindex/OneDrive/, consuming another 111 GB of storage space. Is this really the case, and if so, WHY? Could one set of files just be APFS clones, and if so, how to verify this? The Finder as well as apps GrandPerspective and OmniDiskSweeper seem to suggest that both groups of identical files are consuming real hard drive space. Thoughts?

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For home | MacOS
0 comments

2 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Arlene D 24,320 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-12-02T21:23:12.83+00:00

    Thanks for the details. Before anything else, did you switch between the standalone OneDrive app and the Microsoft 365 version on your Mac?

    The OneDrive folder in CloudStorage is your real sync location, and the Group Containers folder is required by Microsoft’s File Provider framework, which stores app data and often appears as full duplicates even when APFS is reusing storage blocks. Apple’s storage tools show this as separate usage, but the drive is not storing two full copies. Microsoft supports keeping both folders in place. You check real disk usage by opening System Settings, selecting General, then Storage, and reviewing the OneDrive category shown there.

  2. Tom Kreutz 25 Reputation points
    2025-12-08T16:20:05.34+00:00
    0 comments

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.