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How-to: Connect Your SkyDrive In Windows Explorer

67 comments

Your web drive SkyDrive offers 25 GB of free storage that you can use from everywhere.  However, uploading and accessing its contents from your web browser can get tiring.  Unless you connect Windows Live SkyDrive to Windows Explorer.

After going through the following how-to, you will be able to access your SkyDrive folders from a mapped network drive, e.g. drive “S:\\”.  You do not need any extra software to do this.

  1. Open your browser, and navigate to http://skydrive.live.com/.
  2. Sign in with your Windows Live ID.
  3. Copy the UID part of the displayed URL, like: https://cid-1234567890abcdef.skydrive.live.com/ .
  4. Leave SkyDrive open, and take note of one of your folder names.
  5. Open Windows Explorer.
  6. On the left sidebar, right-click on Network.  Choose Map network drive.
  7. Enter the following URL: \\docs.live.net@SSL\\1234567890abcdef\\XYZ
  8. Replace “XYZ” with the folder name you noted and that you want to map.
    Note: Replace “Documents” with “^2Documents”, and “Public” with “^2Public”.
  9. Choose a drive letter, and submit the dialog.
  10. You will be prompted for your Windows Live ID.  Sign in.
  11. Then, you can access all the files and subfolders within your SkyDrive folder, including copying and pasting.  You can even open and edit files directly!

67 comments

  1. *****PROBLEM SOLVED – ACCESS SKYDRIVE ANY FOLDER FROM MY COMPUTER*****

    Hello guys, problem for accessing the ANY Skydrive folder solved…

    I had Office Beta 2010 Installed in a Windows Vista Business System.

    Open any browser and login in Skydrive.live.com service with ur Userid & Password & keep it open in background.

    Now simply open any Office 2010 application (I opened Word).

    Directly go to File > Share > Save to Skydrive > (Select folder, u want configure to)

    Wait a second for word to auto login and show folders..

    navigate till the folder u want to configure for..

    Now completely COPY ADDRESS from address bar (at the top) of File Save as dialogue box of Word (or other application u have used).

    Now open My Computer > Map network Drive. > Paste this address > Finish.

    Open My computer now & Enjoy… Its done now………………..

    NR

  2. I use Windows XP none of the solutions work for me. These examples are not workable for everyone because they are not tested in the various Windows environments. So what works for one does not work for the other. One should identify what flavor of Windows he/she is using and the suppose solution otherwise it’s a waste of everyone’s time.

  3. I tried doing this on a Vista Business (x64) system with no success like many others – I guess Office 2010 installs some required tech for this.

    However, I’ve found that you can essentially do the same thing with the help of some free third-party software: Gladinet Cloud Desktop: Starter Edition (there is also a paid Pro version). Works like a charm.

  5. sad this still isnt working,
    I’ve tried all the suggestions above in the comments.
    Will not install a secondary app to make it work like gladinet,
    I’m sure it’s not needed.
    anyways, this is on a win7 x64 pro system.
    status =unresolved

  6. Update,

    Working with Win7, is the following ..
    Find above post about Office 2010 Beta.
    It works, you’ll be happy.
    and you’ll get a full working beta suite of apps,
    uninstalling it ok too,
    skydrive will still work.

  7. Pingback: Windows Live SkyDrive no Explorer

  8. Gents, I also had the problem of error when mapping the drive. Note that Mapping Drives can be done from My Computer AND Network Places.

    It is imperative it is done through Network Places as noted in the instructions above.

    Also you HAVE to upgrade to .NET 3.5 SP1, I had .NET 2.0 and it just would not map any drive.

    Download SkyDrive Simple Viewer here – http://skydrivesimpleviewer.codeplex.com/ – to get the exact address you need to type in the Mapped Drive location.

  9. In Win7, I experienced the same difficulties (empty directory after map/log-in) like many others, and by following NR’s suggestion using Office 2010 Beta, I was able to map a drive.

  10. As in the model followed by MS in all products, you will need to wait until they release SkyDrive Service Pack 2 to be able to use it. Otherwise, just a fraction of lucky people will be blissfully ignorant of the pains the rest of us are going through.
    Forget this crap.
    Download GDrive from viksoe.dk, and use smaller but usable space by Google.

  11. NRs method works, though if the windows firewall is turned off.
    Does anyone know which file to allow access to the firewall to allow this to work?

  12. I have now gotten this to work on Windows XP and Windows 7. The key (as stated earlier) is to use SkyDrive Simple Viewer (http://skydrivesimpleviewer.codeplex.com/ ) to determine the exact URL of your SkyDrive. I did have to enter my credentials a couple times in Windows 7 before it took. In Windows XP, it does help to add the URL into Network Places first.

    One thing that is annoying is Win XP gives a “delayed write error” on almost every file I copy. The error is in the notification area (so it doesn’t stop the copy). But the files appear to have copied fine.

  15. NR’s solution in the comment above (headed “*****PROBLEM SOLVED – ACCESS SKYDRIVE ANY FOLDER FROM MY COMPUTER*****”) worked for me! Thank you Klaus and NR!

    I’m using Windows 7 Professional 64bit and Office 2010 Beta.

  16. Pingback: How To Map SkyDrive as a Network Drive in Windows 7 | 1337h4×0r3d
  17. Pingback: Frage: Windows Live SkyDrive mit Laufwerksbuchstaben einbinden? - Dr. Windows

  18. Office 2010 approach WORKS for me.

    I am using Windows 7 Pro 64-bit. Office 2010 32-bit beta. Latest updates installed. Can map drive or add a network location using the same method for each folder. Can also add a network location in WinXP (latest updates installed) but cannot map a network drive.

    Does appear to ask for a password the first time I connect after restarting the computer (even if I opt to save password) but I can live with this, I guess (unless there’s a solution?).

    Thank you all.

  19. Hello all,

    after a few tests, i ve find how to make it possible!
    The stuff given here is not complete, that s why it didn t worked!

    I run 7 pro 64 and i ve find how to do it!

    Just run a little programm, “SkyDriveSimpleViewer”, and use the adress it give to u!
    http://skydrivesimpleviewer.codeplex.com/releases/view/39725

    The adress is almost like the one here, but u have to put something like “qjehd” before the live!
    Example:

    \bj04js.docs.live.com@SSL/1234567890/^2Documents

    U can see that at the begin u have to put \ and after / for seperate fields.

    I hope u understand!

    Thanks everybody and ENJOY! 😉

    Pierre

  20. Hello,

    i give here the solution for everybody because there is something more to do to make it work, but u don t publish it?!?
    Why?

    Pierre

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