How to Select All Photos in OneDrive (Web, Mobile, PC)?

Can’t figure out how to select all photos in OneDrive at once? You need not worry anymore. Here, I will explain multiple methods of mass image selection in the new OneDrive UI. I know you are here because the new OneDrive interface, especially its dedicated “Photos” tab, has you confused. The lack of a direct select all option is the primary reason.

Moreover, none of the usual tricks like Ctrl + A Keyboard shortcuts seem to work. It’s not just you; countless other users have expressed the same complaint, and I am not afraid to say that some time back, I was one of them. This seemingly small roadblock was hindering my other crucial tasks, like saving OneDrive images elsewhere by downloading. I wasn’t able to share all of my images at once, nor was I able to get rid of old pictures en masse.

So, I dove deep into the new UI and found that it was indeed possible to make bulk photo selection. Through this write-up, I intend to share all of my interesting insights and help you perform a bulk photo selection on OneDrive. I aim to cover every method and platform, so this guide is for you, irrespective of the fact that you use the app on the web, mobile, or desktop. Before I start with the methods, let us glance at some of the key reasons that users like yourself share on why they need to make multi-image selection on OneDrive.

Why Do You and I Want to Select Multiple Photos in the OneDrive App?

This list covers all of the practical reasons why users need this function in any cloud storage.

To perform a bulk deletion: Not everyone opts for expanded storage in OneDrive and would prefer they get rid of old, unwanted images. However, because of a straightforward way, such users face a lot of trouble whenever they want to free up their valuable but limited cloud storage.

Make an Offline Archive: Some users may not trust Microsoft’s ability to be available 24/7, more so since the recent outage incidents. So, selecting all of their images at once and downloading them offline helps preserve precious memories.

Use all of OneDrive Facilities: With the new UI change, OneDrive has added quite a few new features, like Moments and Albums. However, the very task of selecting and moving a bunch of images to that section is made difficult by Microsoft itself.

Shifting from OneDrive: It is also possible that you are a user or even an admin who is switching from a OneDrive account to another or even a completely different service. Such mass transfers start with bulk selections, and if you are unable to do that, it becomes quite problematic.

This is not the end-all, be-all list; there might be other possible reasons unique to your situation. Regardless of what your end goal is, the fact that you aren’t able to select multiple images at once is the core issue, and I am here to resolve it. So, without further ado, let’s get straight to the first solution that I found.

How to Select All Photos in OneDrive Website (Online/Web)?

This method is for all those who use OneDrive primarily through their browser. On the OneDrive web app, you can keep the Photos in two places, either the traditional Files area or the new Photos Tab. Let us first cover the Photos section, as that is where the majority of users face issues.

There are 3 different ways to bulk select images in the Photos Tab of your OneDrive account. Let’s cover them one by one.

Method 1: Selection Box + Scroll

You might have found this method on your own through experimentation, but you may not be able to replicate it every time. So, let me define the steps in clear-cut language so you can refer to these instructions whenever need be. Here, I create a selection box and expand it by scrolling:

• Step 1. Get to the “Photos” gallery and click on the first photo you want to select, but make sure you do not release the mouse button.
• Step 2. While you are holding the mouse button, drag the cursor across the screen in a horizontal path. This creates a Transparent (with a light blue hue) selection box that will auto-select every image that touches the box.
• Step 3. Continue holding the mouse button and use your mouse scroll wheel or press the End key on your keyboard to scroll down rapidly, expanding the selection box while capturing more and more images under it.
• Step 4. Once you have all the images you need to select, release the mouse and continue with the bulk operation (be it sharing, downloading, deleting, or making a new album).

Method 2: Shift + Click

For a faster way to perform bulk photo selection in OneDrive, this method is superior.

• Step 1. Click the circle in the top-right corner of the first photo in your desired range.
• Step 2. Go to the end of the Photos page on OneDrive by scrolling or using the End key.
• Step 3. Hold the Shift Key and click on the very last photo.

Every photo that was in between the first and last will be instantly selected, and bulk operations can now be performed. There is a third, more precise method of mass selection. Let’s see how it’s done.

Method 3: Date Group Selection Method

To use this method, you must first have to check whether your OneDrive has the right display settings options:

• Step 1. First, look to the top-right corner of the Photos view for the “Display Settings” icon (often looks like a grid or layout icon). Click it and ensure that the “Date” option is set to Inline. This turns each date into a selectable header.
• Step 2. Go back to your photos and hover your mouse over the date header (e.g., “Oct 16”). A checkbox will appear to the left of the date.
• Step 3. Click this checkbox to instantly select every single photo and video taken or saved on that date. This is perfect for grabbing all photos from an event, trip, or birthday.

How to Select All Photos in OneDrive Files?

If you continue to keep your photos in separate folders under the files option, then mass selection is super easy:

• Step 1. Go to the “My Files” and open the folder that houses all of your pictures. Then hover over the column headers to reveal a master checkbox. Click it and select everything. Or you can also use the age-old Ctrl + A (Windows) or Cmd + A (on Mac) to select all items.

Note: if you have any other files apart from your images, then those items will also be selected, so please double-check.

Also Read: How to Give OneDrive Access to Another User

This concludes the options that you have available on your OneDrive Web. Now, OneDrive is available on other platforms as well, and users might also need answers for those specific versions. Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about them. Let’s see how the mass selection can be done on mobile.

How to Select All Photos in OneDrive App (Mobile)?

If you’re trying to figure out how to select all photos in the OneDrive app, this mobile-friendly method works on both iPhone and Android.

The fastest (and only) way to select multiple photos in OneDrive on mobile is to do a long-press and then drag your finger. Let me explain in more detail what exactly you have to do:

• Step 1. Press and hold any photo to start selection mode.
• Step 2. Without lifting, drag your finger over the other photos. They will be added to the selection as you go.

Now, from handheld devices, let’s move on to the other category of devices where a large number of OneDrive users are.

How to Select All Photos in OneDrive on Laptop and PC?

This is the most straightforward method for anyone working on a desktop or laptop.

• Step 1. On your computer, open the OneDrive folder in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac).
• Step 2. Click inside the folder you want to select from and press Ctrl+A (Windows) or Cmd+A (Mac).

This is the definitive answer for how to select all photos in OneDrive on a laptop or PC.

What Can You Do After Selecting All Photos in OneDrive?

You unlock a variety of options post-selection, some of which are:

• Sharing,
• Downloading,
• Deleting,
• Reorganizing, like transferring photos from one OneDrive to another.

This is just what is possible at the user level. For businesses and enterprises, being able to select multiple images is often the start of a major project.

From Selection to Transfer

Now that you have mastered how to select all images in OneDrive, the tasks you can attempt expand. Especially if you are an IT admin inside a business who has to transfer photos and other data from one account to another. In such situations, you can’t just trust the manual upload/download process; you need something more reliable.

So choose a solution like the SysTools OneDrive Migration Tool, which is the perfect partner for IT admins because it is built for this exact challenge. It performs a direct server-to-server transfer, ensuring:

• Speed and Efficiency.
• Data Integrity.
• Security and Auditing.

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Download your free copy today and enjoy a secure and complete transfer of up to two accounts. Get the full version to unlock limitless transfer capability for your entire organization.

Conclusion

Now I am confident that you will never have to face any hurdles on how to select all images in OneDrive. I covered solutions for the web app, mobile version, and the desktop edition so that no user feels left out.

If, by learning the bulk selection, your main goal is inter-account transfer for multiple business user accounts at once, the professional solution that I described works best.

FAQ Section: Quick Answers to Your Questions

Q1: How do I select multiple photos in OneDrive?
A: On the website, use the “Shift+Click” method in the Photos tab or Ctrl+A in the My Files tab. In the mobile app, use the “tap and drag” gesture. On a PC or laptop, use Ctrl+A in the synced OneDrive folder.

Q2: How can I select all photos from a specific day on the OneDrive website?
A: In the Photos view, click the “Display Settings” icon and make sure “Date” is set to “Inline.” Then, you can simply hover over any date header and click the checkbox that appears to select all photos from that day.

Q3: How do I select all photos in OneDrive to delete them?
A: Use any of the methods described above for your platform (Web, Mobile, PC) to select the photos. Once selected, a “Delete” icon (a trash can) will appear in the action bar. Click it to delete all selected items in bulk.