OneDrive is getting a modern mobile app, better search, and colorful folders in File Explorer

Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud storage service will be getting improved search features, a modern mobile app, colorful folders in File Explorer and more in the coming weeks. Starting today, Copilot in OneDrive will be available to all Microsoft commercial customers.

“Our improved search is a game changer” says Jason MooreVice President of Product at OneDrive. “With new filter controls and more detailed results, you can find a specific file or folder faster and easier – whether it’s stored in OneDrive, a shared library, or a folder from a team member.”

Microsoft says it gives OneDrive searches a “significant performance boost,” with faster startup times for the storage service. The search update is already rolling out and will be available to OneDrive commercial customers in slow 2024.

Starting today, Windows File Explorer will now support colored folders in OneDrive. If you’ve previously set up colored folders in the web version of OneDrive, you’ll start seeing them in File Explorer. Microsoft also plans to make “significant improvements to document library functionality” in OneDrive by mid-2025. “We improve overall performance and reliability by making it easier and faster to navigate, switch and create custom views, and filter big data,” says Moore.

There’s also a modern OneDrive app for iOS and Android users. “The updated mobile app puts photos at the forefront and albums, people and favorites are easy to navigate,” says Moore. There’s also an improved AI-powered photo search feature that lets you search for photos using natural language. This means you can search by speaking style, so words like “dog on a boat” will return the photos you’re looking for.

This modern OneDrive app will also display memories, trips, and birthdays on the home page. Microsoft also makes it basic to import photos from other cloud services using the OneDrive mobile app. You can import photos, videos and documents from Google Drive, Google Photos and Dropbox.

This modern OneDrive mobile app is rolling out to Android users today, with a modern iOS version coming in November. This photo search feature will be rolled out to Microsoft 365 subscribers first, before becoming available to all users in summer 2025.

Copilot will also launch today on OneDrive for all commercial users. Copilot agents will also appear in OneDrive, so you can have a custom AI assistant to handle all your folder needs.

The latest changes to OneDrive come a year after Microsoft held a similar event for its cloud storage service last year. Over the past year, Microsoft has added a Fluent design refresh, AI-powered Copilot features, folder colors, and the ability to favorite OneDrive files.

Microsoft also plans further changes to OneDrive in the future. The updated photos feature will be available on every platform, including PC, web and macOS. In the future, Microsoft Designer will also be integrated with OneDrive, allowing users to edit photos easily and quickly.

Future OneDrive AI features also include personalized views that automatically group files and photos based on moments, interests or collections. Microsoft even plans to soon integrate one-click AI actions like file summarization and comparison directly into File Explorer and Finder on macOS.