Skip to main content
cancel
Turn on suggestions
Auto-suggest helps you quickly narrow down your search results by suggesting possible matches as you type.
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Did you hear? There's a new SQL AI Developer certification (DP-800). Start preparing now and be one of the first to get certified. Register now

HARMEETGILL
Microsoft Employee
‎04-13-2026 11:00 AM

Bring your local files to OneLake with OneLake file explorer (Generally Available)

Adopted by thousands of active users, OneLake File Explorer enables developers, data scientists, and business users to move data from local files into OneLake quickly—without changing how they work.

From local files to cloud analytics—without breaking your flow

Imagine this scenario: You’re a data engineer working with files on your local machine—CSV extracts, Excel files from the business, or intermediate outputs generated on your PC. Your goal is to run a Fabric pipeline, explore the data in a notebook, or train a model in Microsoft Fabric.

Traditionally, that means uploading files through a browser, writing scripts to push data into the lake, or coordinating with someone else who has access. It works—but it adds friction.

OneLake File Explorer removes that friction by bringing OneLake directly into Windows File Explorer.

With OneLake File Explorer, OneLake appears alongside your local folders in Windows File Explorer. You can browse your workspaces, navigate OneLake items like folders and files, and drag and drop data straight into OneLake using familiar desktop actions.

The_image_depicts_OneLake_in_Windows_File_ExplorerThe_image_depicts_OneLake_in_Windows_File_Explorer

Figure: OneLake in Windows File Explorer.

No portals. No scripts. No context switching.

With OneLake File Explorer, you can move the files you already have on your PC directly into OneLake, where the rest of your Fabric workflows already live.

OneLake file explorer is designed for scenarios where:

  • You want a single, unified view to browse all your OneLake data across workspaces.
  • Source data lives locally (Excel, CSV, Parquet, images, model artifacts).
  • Data needs to land directly in OneLake.
  • Files must be immediately usable by Fabric pipelines, notebooks, semantic models, or downstream analytics.
Instead of treating your laptop and OneLake as separate worlds, File Explorer brings them together.

Drag and drop—then get straight to work

The experience is simple:
  1. Open Windows File Explorer.
  2. Navigate to your OneLake workspace.
  3. Drag and drop files from your local machine.
As soon as the files land in OneLake:
  • Fabric pipelines can pick them up.
  • Notebooks can read them without extra configuration.
  • Models and semantic layers can consume them immediately.
Your data is no longer “local”—it’s part of your governed lake.

Because OneLake File Explorer lives directly in Windows File Explorer, teams can start using it immediately—without new tools or setup.

Download OneLake File Explorer for Windows and get started today.