Students Should Use Microsoft 365 Online

River Mill Academy students should use the online versions of Microsoft 365 for Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and other Microsoft applications.

Students should:

1. Open Chrome or Microsoft Edge.

2. Go to Microsoft365.com.

3. Sign in using your River Mill Academy Microsoft account.

4. Use the online versions of Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and other available applications.

5. Save and organize your schoolwork in OneDrive.

A Simple Rule

Microsoft 365 Online + OneDrive

💾 Save Your Schoolwork in OneDrive

Your school laptop should not be the only place where important files are stored.

School laptops occasionally need to be repaired, reset, or replaced. Files stored only in folders such as Downloads, Documents, or Desktop could be lost.

Files saved in OneDrive are connected to your school Microsoft account and can be accessed from another computer after you sign in.

📥 What Happens When You Download a File?

When you download a document, picture, PDF, PowerPoint, or other file from the internet, Canvas, email, or another website, it will usually be placed in your computer's Downloads folder.

Do not assume that a file in Downloads is backed up.

If it is something you need for school, move it into your OneDrive.

📂 How to Move a Downloaded File to OneDrive

1. Open File Explorer

Click the File Explorer folder icon on the Windows taskbar.

You can also press:

Windows Key + E

2. Open Your Downloads Folder

In File Explorer, select Downloads from the left side of the window.

Find the file you want to keep.

3. Find OneDrive

On the left side of File Explorer, look for OneDrive.

It may appear as:

OneDrive – River Mill Academy

or with your school/organization name.

4. Move Your File

You can move the file using either method:

Drag and Drop:
Click and hold the file in Downloads, drag it onto your OneDrive folder, and release it.

Cut and Paste:
Right-click the file and choose Cut. Open your OneDrive folder, right-click inside the folder, and choose Paste.

5. Organize Your Files

Don't put everything into the main OneDrive folder.

Create folders for your classes or schoolwork, such as:

OneDrive

• English

• Math

• Science

• Social Studies

• ACC Courses

• Projects

Then move downloaded files into the appropriate folder.

☁️ Make Sure Your File Has Synced

After moving a file into OneDrive, Windows will begin syncing it to your Microsoft account.

You may see status icons next to your files:

☁️ Cloud — The file is stored in OneDrive and can be downloaded when needed.

✅ Green check — The file is available on your computer and is also synced with OneDrive.

🔄 Circular arrows — OneDrive is currently syncing the file.

If you see a red X or other error symbol, the file may not have successfully synced.

Before You Close Your Laptop

If you just moved an important assignment into OneDrive, give OneDrive a moment to finish syncing before shutting down your computer.

🔍 Check That Your File Is Really in OneDrive

For important assignments, you can verify that your file was successfully saved.

1. Go to Microsoft365.com.

2. Sign in with your school account.

3. Open OneDrive.

4. Find the file or folder you just saved.

If you can see the file there, it is stored in your OneDrive account and isn't dependent on that particular laptop.

⚠️ Downloads Is Not Permanent Storage

A good habit is to periodically open your Downloads folder and clean it out.

For each file, ask:

Do I need to keep this?

YES → Move it to OneDrive.

NO → Delete it.

This keeps your laptop organized and protects important schoolwork.

⭐ The Rule to Remember

If it's important, put it in OneDrive.

Don't leave your only copy of an assignment in Downloads, Documents, or on the Desktop.

I think this would also be a great place for 3–4 actual Windows screenshots: File Explorer → Downloads → OneDrive → OneDrive sync icons. That would make the directions much easier for students to follow.

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