Microsoft 365 apps will encourage users to back up their files to OneDrive, as announced in a new Message Center entry, to improve data security. Microsoft will display a prompt across Word, Excel, and PowerPoint in the following months to prevent data loss and ensure users can access their important files seamlessly.

Microsoft will begin showing these prompts in mid-March 2025, encouraging users to sign up for the OneDrive Known Folder Move (KFM). The public preview will last until early April 2025 but will generally be available by May 2025. What is KFM? It’s a feature in OneDrive that lets you sync and back up your important local folders, such as Desktop or Documents. Afterward, you can easily access your files across various devices.

Microsoft also mentioned the advantages of enrolling in KFM, such as Copilot support, access from any device, easy collaboration, increased security and compliance, backup, access to AutoSave, and Version History. Nevertheless, only “eligible” users will see the prompt, and no action will be required on their part. The feature will be enabled automatically, and if an IT administrator blocks KFM, the message will not be displayed.

When you know how to sync files and folders to OneDrive, you won’t have to worry about losing your files. But it’s good to hear that you can choose whether or not to enroll in KFM and that it’s not an obligation. Unlike last year, when Microsoft forced file backups to OneDrive without user permission, this time, it’s optional. Ultimately, each company decides what’s best for them and sees if signing up is beneficial.