How to download files directly to OneDrive on iPhone and iPad

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Processing files on iOS 12 is not as easy as on Windows 10, but that does not mean you can not integrate your OneDrive account, download files to your iPhone or iPad and save them directly there.

Products used in this guide

What you need first

In Windows 10, you can save files directly to OneDrive in the File Manager application as soon as you have activated your account. In iOS 12, you can do something similar, but you have to set it up first.

Download the OneDrive application from the App Store.
Sign in to OneDrive with your Microsoft account.
On your iPhone or iPad, open the native file Application of files.
In the left menu pane, tap edit.
Activate OneDrive rocks.

You will now be able to see your OneDrive files and folders in the iOS Files application, which is important for the next step.

Then download the Shortcuts app from the App Store. This is Apple's own application that opens up a world of automation and features not available on iOS 12.

How to save files directly to OneDrive

At the moment, you can not just save a file on an iPhone or iPad, as you can on Windows or Mac. It works well for photos, but as more and more consumers opt for productivity on phones and tablets, there's nothing stopping you from downloading a zip file to your iPad.

It is there that intervenes this workaround.

Add the shortcut Download file to Shortcut App on your iPhone or iPad.
Navigate to the web page from which you want to download the file.
To download the file, you must first obtain its URL.
Copy the URL of the file into the clipboard.
Open the Shortcut App.
Run the Download a file shortcut.
Once the file is downloaded, you will be asked where to save.
Select the desired OneDrive location.
Tap add.

The file will then be saved directly to the location of your choice in OneDrive. It will then be available on all devices connected to OneDrive, including your Mac or Windows 10 PC.

It's a little complicated, but working with the iPhone and the iPad involves a lot of adapting your workflow to make the most of it. You can add shortcuts to your home screen and to your docking station for quick access. Some files, such as audio files, can be shared directly with the shortcut via the sharing sheet once the web player is open.

With a little use, it will soon become second nature and you will easily back up your files.

Our best choices of equipment

The above steps will work on any iPhone or iPad running iOS 12. If you are looking for new items, the iPad Pro 2018 12.9 used here is an amazing hardware piece.

Big tablet

iPad Pro 12.9

Not the iPad you remember

The latest iPad Pro is an amazing piece of hardware and it's hard to argue against Apple being still the king of tablet manufacturers.

That the iPad Pro is a "laptop replacement" is open to interpretation, but it has much more to offer than a laptop. This is due in part to the strength of the ecosystem of iOS applications. If you're a big Microsoft user, you'll have a great time here. Microsoft's applications for the iPad are superb.