OneDrive Upload Skips Temporary Office Files

When you save an Office file in a OneDrive-synced folder, you may notice that OneDrive does not upload temporary files that Office creates during editing. This behavior is by design and prevents sync errors, file corruption, and bandwidth waste. The temporary files, such as those with .tmp or ~$ prefixes, are automatically excluded from sync to ensure only the final saved version reaches the cloud. This article explains why OneDrive skips these files, how to verify the exclusion rules, and what to do if you need to sync a file that appears to be missing.

Why OneDrive Does Not Upload Temporary Office Files

OneDrive for Business includes a built-in exclusion list of file types that are never uploaded to the cloud. This list is designed to skip files that are temporary, system-related, or not intended for collaboration. Microsoft Office applications create several types of temporary files during normal use:

Types of Temporary Files That Are Excluded

When you open an Office document, Word, Excel, or PowerPoint creates a lock file with a tilde (~) prefix, such as ~$Document.docx. This file prevents other users from opening the same file in edit mode. Additionally, Office creates AutoRecover files with the .tmp extension and backup files with the .wbk extension. OneDrive skips all of these file types to avoid uploading incomplete or locked files that could cause sync conflicts or overwrite the final version.

How OneDrive Determines Which Files to Skip

OneDrive uses a combination of file extension filtering and file attribute checking. The default exclusion list includes .tmp, ~$, .wbk, .ldb, .dwl, and several other extensions. OneDrive also checks the hidden and system file attributes. Files marked as hidden or system are excluded from upload. This two-layer approach ensures that only user-created, non-temporary files are synced.

Steps to Verify Which Files Are Being Skipped

If you suspect that OneDrive is skipping a file that should be uploaded, follow these steps to check the exclusion rules and file status.

1. Open OneDrive Activity Center
   Right-click the OneDrive cloud icon in the system tray and select View sync activity. The activity center shows the status of all recent uploads, including files that were skipped. Look for entries with the status “Skipped” or “Not synced.”
2. Check the file extension
   Right-click the file in File Explorer and select Properties. Note the file extension. If the extension matches .tmp, ~$, .wbk, .ldb, or .dwl, OneDrive will skip it by design. No user setting can override this exclusion for individual files.
3. Confirm the file is not marked as hidden or system
   In File Explorer, enable hidden items by clicking View > Show > Hidden items. Right-click the file, select Properties, and ensure the Hidden and System attributes are unchecked. If either attribute is enabled, OneDrive will skip the file.
4. Check the OneDrive exclusion registry key
   Open Registry Editor by pressing Windows key + R, typing regedit, and pressing Enter. Navigate to HKCU\Software\Microsoft\OneDrive\Accounts\Business1\ExcludeFileTypes. The default value contains a list of semicolon-separated extensions. Do not modify this key unless instructed by Microsoft Support.

If OneDrive Is Skipping a Non-Temporary File

In rare cases, OneDrive may skip a file that is not temporary. This usually happens because the file name or extension matches the exclusion list by accident, or because the file has been incorrectly marked as hidden.

OneDrive Skips a File with a .tmp Extension That Is Not Temporary

If you have a legitimate data file with a .tmp extension, OneDrive will still skip it. The only workaround is to rename the file to a non-excluded extension, such as .txt or .dat. After renaming, OneDrive will upload the file on the next sync cycle. To rename, right-click the file, select Rename, change the extension, and press Enter. Confirm the rename dialog if prompted.

OneDrive Skips a File That Is Marked as Hidden

Some applications mark their data files as hidden to prevent accidental deletion. To fix this, right-click the file, select Properties, uncheck Hidden, and click OK. OneDrive will detect the attribute change and begin uploading the file within a few minutes.

OneDrive Skips a File That Is Still Being Written To

OneDrive waits until a file is no longer in use before uploading. If an application holds a lock on the file, OneDrive will skip it temporarily. Close the application that is using the file and wait for OneDrive to sync. You can force a sync by right-clicking the OneDrive icon and selecting Pause syncing, then Resume syncing.

OneDrive Exclusion List vs Office AutoSave Temporary Files: Key Differences

Item	OneDrive Exclusion List	Office AutoSave Temporary Files
Purpose	Prevent sync of system, hidden, and temporary files	Provide crash recovery and version history for Office documents
File types affected	.tmp, ~$, .wbk, .ldb, .dwl, and others	~$ lock files, .tmp AutoRecover files, .wbk backup files
User control	Cannot be modified by the user through OneDrive settings	Controlled by Office application settings under File > Options > Save
Impact on sync	Files are never uploaded to the cloud	Temporary files are created locally and never uploaded by OneDrive

The exclusion list and Office temporary files work together to ensure that only final, stable versions of documents reach the cloud. If you disable AutoSave in Office, fewer temporary files are created, but the exclusion list still prevents sync of any remaining .tmp or ~$ files.

You can now identify why OneDrive skips temporary Office files and verify that the behavior is normal. If you need to sync a file that is being skipped, rename it to a non-excluded extension or remove the hidden attribute. For advanced control, review the registry exclusion list but do not modify it without Microsoft guidance. The default exclusion rules protect your files from sync conflicts and data corruption.