14 DAY TRIAL // After bringing back the Start menu in Windows 10 (following its complete removal in Windows 8), Microsoft is working to restore another popular feature that was discontinued in the latest version of the operating system.
Rumor has it that OneDrive placeholders could return in Windows 10 at some point in the future to allow users to easily access their files stored in the cloud when both online and offline.
Placeholders for OneDrive cloud storage was one of the key features in Windows 8, as it made it possible to easily browse content stored in the cloud without actually downloading anything. Placeholders acted like traditional shortcuts and even displayed small thumbnails of files in the cloud, but when browsing folders, no item was actually downloaded.
This allowed for very fast browsing when online and offline, and users who wanted to download their files only had to double-click them to start the process.
The confusion
Microsoft, however, decided to remove OneDrive placeholders in Windows 10 because of the criticism received from users claiming that files cannot be accessed when in offline mode.
This was obviously impossible without an Internet connection, but due to the fact that many believed their files were there all the time, Microsoft decided to change the whole feature in Windows 10 and require users to sync their folders with their PCs. In Windows 10, all selected files are downloaded on the local drives, so this way no confusion is created.
But undoubtedly, this is a slower process for users who have gigabytes of data in the cloud, so Microsoft might be planning to bring placeholders back in Windows 10 Redstone, at least as an opt-in feature.
Windows 10 Redstone is projected to arrive in the summer of 2016, but since Microsoft's already working on this feature, it could arrive early next year as part of the preview builds rolled out to insiders.