The history of Offline files and how to affect the future?
Offline files
This time I wanted to write about a little bit different headline and that headline is Offline files.
Offline files in Windows allow users to access files stored on a network share even when they are not connected to the network. This feature is useful for users who need to work on files while away from the office or for users who have unreliable network connections. Offline files are stored on the user's local machine and are automatically synced with the network version of the file when the user reconnects to the network. This allows users to continue working on files even when they are offline and ensures that their changes are not lost when they reconnect to the network.
I asked ChatGPT Jan 9 Version that does it work? And this is what it replied.
In my opinion really accurate but see for your self and be heard at the end!
Offline files and Windows XP
You remember Windows XP and Offline files? It was an excellent way to use your Server share content offline on the road or in a plane.
Well almost excellent, there was insane amount of synchronization errors once you went out of the network and came back with VPN or at the office. After it you had to synchronize the files again, there is still an Learn article on this.
How to reinitialize the offline files cache and database in Windows XP - Windows Client
If you enable it manually, you saw this screen.
If you had Fast User Switching on, you couldn't enable it, how inconvenient!
If you had Fast User Switching on, you couldn't enable it, how inconvenient!
Offline files and Windows 7
Then to Windows 7 and Offline files, there was improvements made between these two operating system but still there was problems.
Offline file synchronization issues - Windows Client
Always offline mode
There was also the always offline mode to make redirected directories and cached files faster to access. Because users were constantly working offline, Always Offline will result in decreased bandwidth utilization.
Enable Always Offline mode for faster access to files
Work folders
Then came Work folders, remember this feature? https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2012-R2-and-2012/dn265974(v=ws.11)
Offline files and Windows 11
Guess what, Offline files is still here, after all this time.
Work folders
And so is work folders
Group policies
And there is also an excellent set of group policies to enforce those settings.
Policy CSP - ADMX_OfflineFiles - Windows Client Management
OneDrive and offline access
First versions of OneDrive didn't work that well but currently it's working excellently, of course there could be problems once in a while with duplicates on your machine and cloud.
I'm having difficulties on choosing the best feature in OneDrive, would it be the the cloud-only feature or the Backup your important files. If thinking about the cloud-only feature, you can keep the content in the cloud and download it if needed. In example when you watch a video and stop it to 5min 15secs, only that content will be downloaded to your machine.
And you can free up the space at any moment and to remove all offline copies of the files. You can also share and see those shares directly from your machine.
See more from Microsoft support.
Working offline with OneDrive - Microsoft Support
Or about Backup your important files feature
Back up your folders with OneDrive - Microsoft Support
And how to use to OneDrive for business and personal
OneDrive video training - Microsoft Support
How these compare?
Here is an excellent table on the differences between the solutions for offline access.
| Work Folders | Offline Files | OneDrive for Business | OneDrive | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technology summary | Syncs files that are stored on a file server with PCs and devices | Syncs files that are stored on a file server with PCs that have access to the corporate network (can be replaced by Work Files) | Syncs files that are stored in Office 365 or in SharePoint with PCs and devices inside or outside a corporate network, and provides document collaboration functionality | Syncs personal files that are stored in OneDrive with PCs, Mac computers, and devices |
| Intended to provide user access to work files | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Cloud service | None | None | Microsoft 365 | Microsoft OneDrive |
| Internal network servers | File servers running Windows Server 2012 R2 | File servers | SharePoint server (optional) | None |
| Supported clients | PCs, iOS, Android | PCs in a corporate network or connected through DirectAccess, VPNs, or other remote access technologies | PCs, iOS, Android, Windows Phone | PCs, Mac computers, Windows Phone, iOS, Android |
What about the future?
Now when we went through the history, let us affect the future is Offline files. Do you use it? What works what doesn't? How you see the future of Offline files with OneDrive pushing from the corner with it's features?
OneDrive isn't a direct rival for Offline files but most of the organizations it serves as enough good tool to use the files.
But when you have Windows Server shares, you have a need for Offline access and like stated before, it's still supported in Windows 11.
Give your feed back with this form with the good, the bad and the ugly.
Offline Files Usage
