OneDrive vs SharePoint vs Teams
Learn when to use OneDrive, SharePoint, or Microsoft Teams, and understand where your files are actually stored when you work across Microsoft 365.
Start here: what are you trying to do?
Before choosing a tool, ask yourself:
- Is this personal work or shared work?
- Will others need ongoing access?
- Are you working individually or as a team?
Simple rule
- Personal work → OneDrive
- Shared team content → SharePoint
- Collaboration and communication → Teams
OneDrive: your personal workspace
OneDrive is your personal storage space.
Use OneDrive when:
- You are working on drafts
- The file is not ready to be shared
- The content belongs only to you
- You are preparing something before sharing
Avoid using OneDrive when:
- Files need to be shared long-term
- A team depends on the content
- The content should remain available if ownership changes
Key idea: OneDrive is temporary and personal.
SharePoint: shared team content
SharePoint is designed for team-owned files and structured content.
Use SharePoint when:
- Files belong to a team, department, or project
- Multiple people need access
- Content should remain available over time
- You need structure, permissions, and organization
Avoid using SharePoint when:
- You are working alone on drafts
- The content is personal
- You do not yet know who should access it
Key idea: SharePoint is where shared work lives.
Microsoft Teams: collaboration and conversation
Teams is where people work together in real time.
It combines:
- Chat
- Meetings
- File collaboration
Use Teams when:
- You are working with others actively
- You need conversations around files
- You are collaborating in real time
- You want everything in one place
Where your files are actually stored
Microsoft Teams does not store files on its own.
When you upload or share files in Teams, they are stored in:
- SharePoint for files shared in channels
- OneDrive for files shared in chats
| Where you share a file | Where it is stored |
|---|
| Teams channel | SharePoint |
| Teams chat, including 1:1 and group chats | OneDrive |
| OneDrive | OneDrive |
| SharePoint site | SharePoint |
What this means for you:
- Files in a Teams channel belong to the team and are stored in SharePoint
- Files in a Teams chat belong to the person who shared them and are stored in OneDrive
- Teams is the interface used to access and collaborate on those files
Common confusion: “I uploaded it in Teams, so it must be in Teams.”
Not exactly. Channel files are stored in SharePoint. Chat files are stored in OneDrive.
How they work together
These tools are connected and are often used together.
Typical workflow
- Start a draft in OneDrive
- Share and collaborate in Teams
- Store final content in SharePoint
Another example
- Personal notes → OneDrive
- Team documents → SharePoint
- Ongoing discussions → Teams
Common mistakes to avoid
Storing team files in OneDrive
Problem: Files are tied to one person, access becomes unclear, and content can be lost.
Better: Move shared files to SharePoint.
Uploading drafts directly to SharePoint
Problem: This can create too many unfinished versions and confusion about what is final.
Better: Start in OneDrive, then move to SharePoint when ready.
Using Teams as storage
Problem: Files become hard to find and structure is unclear.
Better: Use Teams for collaboration and SharePoint for structured storage.
Sending attachments instead of links
Problem: This creates multiple versions of the same file and no single source of truth.
Better: Share links.
Quick decision guide
| If you are... | Use this |
|---|
| Working alone | OneDrive |
| Sharing with a team | SharePoint |
| Collaborating in real time | Teams |
| Unsure where to start | Start in OneDrive, then move to SharePoint when ready |
Key idea: Teams is how you collaborate. SharePoint and OneDrive are where your files live.
What you should do
- Start personal work in OneDrive
- Move shared content to SharePoint
- Use Teams for collaboration and communication
- Share links instead of sending files
Need help?
If you are unsure where to store or share your files, start with VITA for guidance or contact the IT Service Desk.
