Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I create a top-level folder? How do I create a top-level folder?
When you create a folder on Windows Live SkyDrive, you choose who can access it and the photos and files that you store in it. To change the permissions (A setting that lets you limit who can see and download files from your folders.) for an existing folder:
1. Sign in to the Windows Live SkyDrive website with your Windows Live ID (The e-mail address and password that you use to sign in to Windows Live programs and services such as Windows Live Hotmail and Windows Live Messenger; Microsoft services such as Xbox LIVE, MSN, and Office Live; and other places where you see the Windows Live ID logo.) , and then click All folders.
2. Click the top-level folder (A folder that appears in the Documents, Favorites, or Photos sections on the Windows Live SkyDrive home page. Also known as a root folder.) that you want to change.
3. Click More, and then click Edit permissions.
4. Do one of the following:
   • To change the folder to a public folder (Anyone on the Internet can view photos and files in this top-level folder, but only you can edit the photos and files.) , in the Public and networks section, select the Everyone (public) check box.
   • To change the folder to a shared folder (Only you and people that you select can view photos and files in this top-level folder. For each person that you allow to access the top-level folder, you can assign the role of reader or editor.) , do one or more of the following:
     • To share the folder with everyone in your Windows Live network (A group of people someone communicates and shares with on Windows Live. Someone's network includes people they've added to their profile, to their Messenger contacts, or both. People in someone's network can see information about their latest activities in the what's new list, and may see other information, depending on permissions settings.) , in the Public and networks section, select the My network check box.
     • To share the folder with everyone in your Windows Live extended network (The people in your network on Windows Live-your Windows Live Messenger and profile contacts-plus the profile contacts of the people in your network.) , in the Public and networks section, select the My network check box, and then select the My extended network check box.
     • To share the folder with an entire category (A group of your contacts such as friends, family, or co-workers. You can restrict access to parts of your profile information to a category or categories of friends.) in your contact list (A list that contains the name and e-mail address of each of your contacts.) , in the Categories section, select the check box next to the name of the category.
     • To share the folder with people who aren't on your contact list, in the Individuals section, in the Enter a name or e-mail address box, type the e-mail addresses of the people that you want to share with. Separate each e-mail address with a comma.
     • To share the folder with people on your contact list, in the Individuals section, click Select from your contact list, and then select the check boxes next to the contacts who you want to share the folder with.
     • If you've previously sent a link to the folder and allowed recipients to view the folder without signing in with their Windows Live ID, clear the Don't require recipients to sign in with Windows Live ID check box to require them to sign in before they can view the folder again.
   • To change the folder to a personal folder (Only you can view or edit files in this top-level folder. You can use personal folders to store private files.) , click Clear these settings.
5. In the permissions list next to each check box that you've selected, select Can view files or Can add, edit details, and delete files. For shared folders, each person that you selected receives an e-mail with the address of the folder, inviting them to sign in with their Windows Live ID. If they don't have a Windows Live ID, they're prompted to create one before they can access the folder.
6. Click Save.
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• How do I change who can access my folders, files, and photos? How do I change who can access my folders, files, and photos?
When you create a folder on Windows Live SkyDrive, you choose who can access it and the photos and files that you store in it. To change the permissions (A setting that lets you limit who can see and download files from your folders.) for an existing folder:
1. Sign in to the Windows Live SkyDrive website with your Windows Live ID (The e-mail address and password that you use to sign in to Windows Live programs and services such as Windows Live Hotmail and Windows Live Messenger; Microsoft services such as Xbox LIVE, MSN, and Office Live; and other places where you see the Windows Live ID logo.) , and then click All folders.
2. Click the top-level folder (A folder that appears in the Documents, Favorites, or Photos sections on the Windows Live SkyDrive home page. Also known as a root folder.) that you want to change.
3. Click More, and then click Edit permissions.
4. Do one of the following:
   • To change the folder to a public folder (Anyone on the Internet can view photos and files in this top-level folder, but only you can edit the photos and files.) , in the Public and networks section, select the Everyone (public) check box.
   • To change the folder to a shared folder (Only you and people that you select can view photos and files in this top-level folder. For each person that you allow to access the top-level folder, you can assign the role of reader or editor.) , do one or more of the following:
     • To share the folder with everyone in your Windows Live network (A group of people someone communicates and shares with on Windows Live. Someone's network includes people they've added to their profile, to their Messenger contacts, or both. People in someone's network can see information about their latest activities in the what's new list, and may see other information, depending on permissions settings.) , in the Public and networks section, select the My network check box.
     • To share the folder with everyone in your Windows Live extended network (The people in your network on Windows Live-your Windows Live Messenger and profile contacts-plus the profile contacts of the people in your network.) , in the Public and networks section, select the My network check box, and then select the My extended network check box.
     • To share the folder with an entire category (A group of your contacts such as friends, family, or co-workers. You can restrict access to parts of your profile information to a category or categories of friends.) in your contact list (A list that contains the name and e-mail address of each of your contacts.) , in the Categories section, select the check box next to the name of the category.
     • To share the folder with people who aren't on your contact list, in the Individuals section, in the Enter a name or e-mail address box, type the e-mail addresses of the people that you want to share with. Separate each e-mail address with a comma.
     • To share the folder with people on your contact list, in the Individuals section, click Select from your contact list, and then select the check boxes next to the contacts who you want to share the folder with.If you've previously sent a link to the folder and allowed recipients to view the folder without signing in with their Windows Live ID, clear the Don't require recipients to sign in with Windows Live ID check box to require them to sign in before they can view the folder again.
   • To change the folder to a personal folder (Only you can view or edit files in this top-level folder. You can use personal folders to store private files.) , click Clear these settings.
5. In the permissions list next to each check box that you've selected, select Can view files or Can add, edit details, and delete files. For shared folders, each person that you selected receives an e-mail with the address of the folder, inviting them to sign in with their Windows Live ID. If they don't have a Windows Live ID, they're prompted to create one before they can access the folder.
6. Click Save.
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• How do I add photos and files to a folder? How do I add photos and files to a folder?
You can add photos and files to a folder when you create it, and also add more photos and files later. You can use the Windows Live SkyDrive standard upload page to add up to five photos or files to a folder at one time, or install the Windows Live Upload Tool if you want to upload more than five photos or files to a folder at the same time.

Add photos or files to a folder by using the standard upload page
1. Sign in to the Windows Live SkyDrive website with your Windows Live ID (The e-mail address and password that you use to sign in to Windows Live programs and services such as Windows Live Hotmail and Windows Live Messenger; Microsoft services such as Xbox LIVE, MSN, and Office Live; and other places where you see the Windows Live ID logo.) , and then click All folders.
2. Click the folder that you want to add files to.
3. If the folder you want to add a photo or file to is in the Documents section, click Add files.
   
   -or-
   
   If the folder you want to add a photo or file to is in the Photos section, click Add photos.
4. If the Drop files here box appears, under the box, click standard upload page.
5. Click Browse, and then browse to and select the photo or file that you want to add. If you want to upload more than one photo or file at a time, repeat this step to select a different photo or file in each box.
6. Click Upload. Don't close or navigate away from the upload page until your photos or files have finished uploading.
Add photos or files to a folder by using the Windows Live Upload Tool
1. Sign in to the Windows Live SkyDrive website with your Windows Live ID (The e-mail address and password that you use to sign in to Windows Live programs and services such as Windows Live Hotmail and Windows Live Messenger; Microsoft services such as Xbox LIVE, MSN, and Office Live; and other places where you see the Windows Live ID logo.) , and then click All folders.
2. Click the folder that you want to add files to.
3. If the folder you want to add a photo or file to is in the Documents section, click Add files.
   
   -or-
   
   If the folder you want to add a photo or file to is in the Photos section, click Add photos.
4. If you haven't already done so, install the Windows Live Upload Tool.
5. Do one of the following:
   • In Windows Explorer, browse to and select the photo or file, and then drag it to the Drop files here area.
   • Click Select files from your computer or Select photos from your computer, browse to and select the photo or file, and then click Open.
   • If you're uploading to a Photos folder and you want to upload photos that already exist in one of your Windows Live albums, click Add from an online album. Click an album, select the photos that you want, and then click Done.
   • If you're uploading photos, on the Photo upload size list, select the size that you want. Larger sizes have better photo quality but take up more storage space.
6. Click Upload. Don't close or navigate away from the upload page until your photos or files have finished uploading.
 
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• Why can't I upload a file? Why can't I upload a file?

SkyDrive can't upload this file

Your file couldn't be uploaded for one of the following reasons:

• There was an internal error in SkyDrive. Try to upload the file again.
• The connection to SkyDrive was lost during the file transfer, or you were not signed in to SkyDrive. Sign in to Windows Live SkyDrive with your Windows Live ID (The e-mail address and password that you use to sign in to Windows Live programs and services such as Windows Live Hotmail and Windows Live Messenger; Microsoft services such as Xbox LIVE, MSN, and Office Live; and other places where you see the Windows Live ID logo.) , and then try to upload the file again.
• You don't have the correct permissions (A setting that lets you limit who can see and download files from your folders.) to access the file. If the file resides on a server, make sure that you have the correct permissions for the file, and then try to upload the file again. For more information about getting permissions to access the file, contact your system administrator.
• The file may have the same name as a subfolder (A folder that you create inside a top-level folder.) in the folder that you're trying to upload the file to. Rename the file or subfolder, and then try to upload the file again.
• You don't have the correct permissions to upload the file to the folder that you selected. Select a folder that you have permissions to, and then try to upload the file again.
• There may be two or more files in the upload list that have the same name. You can't add multiple files that have identical file names to the list of files to be uploaded. If the file with the duplicate name is a different file, rename that file, add it to the list of files to be uploaded, and then try to upload the file again.
• The file size is 0 bytes. This indicates that the file is damaged and can't be uploaded to SkyDrive.

This file is too big

The file is larger than 50 MB. Try reducing the file size, and then try to upload the file again.


You're out of storage

You can't upload the file because it would cause your account to exceed the total storage limit. To see how much storage space you have remaining, look at the storage meter on the Windows Live SkyDrive website.

To create more space in your SkyDrive account, delete files that you no longer need, or use a file compression program to make the file smaller, and then try to upload the file again.


SkyDrive can't upload this file to this location

The folder path is too long. The entire folder path, including the file name, must contain fewer than 255 characters. Shorten the name of your file or the name of subfolders in SkyDrive, or select a subfolder (A folder that you create inside a top-level folder.) that's closer to the top-level folder (A folder that appears in the Documents, Favorites, or Photos sections on the Windows Live SkyDrive home page. Also known as a root folder.) , and then try to upload the file again.


This file contains restricted characters

The file name contains characters that aren't allowed. Rename the file to remove the restricted characters, and then try to upload the file again.

Restricted characters include:

Forward slash (/)	Less than ( < )
Backward slash ( \\\\ )	Greater than ( > )
Colon ( : )	Vertical line ( | )
Asterisk ( * )	Semicolon ( ; )
Question mark ( ? )	Quotation mark ( " )

SkyDrive can't find this file

The file may have been moved, renamed, or deleted before you tried to upload it. Locate the file, and then try to upload the file again.

SkyDrive can't access this file

The file may be open in another program, such as a text editor or photograph editor. Save any changes to the file, close the program, and then try to upload the file again.

If the file is on a removable media device, such as a CD or a USB flash drive, the file may not be available. Make sure that the removable media device is correctly connected to the computer, and then try to upload the file again.

SkyDrive can't upload folders

At this time, you can't upload folders to SkyDrive. In SkyDrive, create a new folder or subfolder (A folder that you create inside a top-level folder.) with the same name as the folder that you tried to upload, and then upload the files to the new folder.

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