As you start trying out OneDrive, you might see icons that are similar to Dropbox.  But what do these icons mean?  Here are some tips, based off a Microsoft support article:

 

Icons next to a file in File Explorer

Blue Cloud: A blue cloud icon next to your OneDrive files or folders indicates that the file is only available online. Online-only files don’t take up space on your computer. You can’t open online-only files when your device isn’t connected to the Internet.

Green Tick Icons: When you open an online-only file, it downloads to your device and becomes a locally available file. You can open a locally available file anytime, even without Internet access.  If you need more space, you can change the file back to online only. Just right-click the file and select “Free up space.”

Solid Green Circle w/ Check Mark: Files that you mark as "Always keep on this device" have the green circle with the white check mark. These always available files download to your device and take up space, but they’re always there for you even when you’re offline.

Padlock Icon: OneDrive will show a padlock icon next to the sync status if the file or folder has settings which prevent it from syncing.

People icon next to a file/folder: If you see a "people" icon next to your OneDrive files or folders, this indicates the file or folder has been shared with other people.

 

OneDrive icon in the system tray (by the clock)

Gray OneDrive Cloud Icon: A grayed-out OneDrive icon in the taskbar means you're not signed in, or OneDrive setup hasn't completed.  On a PC, press  Press the Windows key , search for OneDrive and then open the OneDrive desktop app. On a Mac, use Finder or Spotlight to start OneDrive.

                    Blue OneDrive Cloud Icon: A blue OneDrive icon means you’re signed in to OneDrive with a business account, such as your Gravis Law account.  If everything is working right, this is what you should normally see

Paused OneDrive Icon: The paused symbol over the OneDrive or OneDrive for Business icon means your files are not currently syncing. To resume syncing, select the blue or white OneDrive icon in the notification area, select More and then Resume syncing.

Sync Pending OneDrive Icon: The circular arrows over the OneDrive or OneDrive for Business notification icons signify that sync is in progress. This includes when you are uploading files, or OneDrive is syncing new files from the cloud to your PC. OneDrive will also check for other file or folder changes and may show "Processing changes". If OneDrive shows “Processing changes" for a long time, it could be because you have an online file open, a very large file syncing, a lot of files stuck in a queue. To help resolve these problems, read OneDrive is stuck on “Processing changes".

Yellow exclamation mark OneDrive icon:  If you see a yellow warning triangle over your OneDrive or or OneDrive for Business icon, it means your account needs attention. Select the icon to see the warning message displayed in the activity center.