Lost in Upload Center? Find Your Office Document Cache Settings Here!

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The Office Document Cache is an integral component of the Microsoft Office suite, specifically designed to work in conjunction with the Microsoft Office Upload Center. This feature provides users with a transparent view into the status of their files as they are being uploaded to a SharePoint server or other web-based locations. By leveraging the Office Document Cache, individuals gain enhanced control over their documents, enabling them to monitor upload progress and promptly address any files that may require attention or intervention. This system ensures a smoother and more reliable document management experience, especially in collaborative environments where file sharing and synchronization are paramount.

Office Document Cache

Managing the settings for the Office Document Cache is a straightforward process, primarily achieved through the customization options available within the Microsoft Office Upload Center. When a user initiates the upload of a file to a web server, Microsoft Office first performs a crucial step: it saves a local copy of that file within the Office Document Cache before commencing the actual upload process. This preliminary caching mechanism is designed to enhance efficiency and provide a buffer during the upload. Understanding how to navigate and configure these settings is key to optimizing your document handling workflow. Let’s delve into the steps required to effectively manage your Office Document Cache settings.

1] Open Microsoft Upload Center to check the status of all cached files

Frequently, users may encounter situations where a file or document becomes stalled during the upload process. This can manifest as a ‘pending’ or ‘failed’ status within the Upload Center. Such issues can create complications, particularly when checking documents in and out of shared repositories, potentially disrupting collaborative workflows. To diagnose these problems, the Microsoft Upload Center provides a clear overview. By opening the Upload Center’s main window, users can quickly identify any files or documents that are causing bottlenecks or errors in the synchronization process.

Upon opening the Upload Center window, navigate to the ‘Refresh’ button located in the interface. Adjacent to this button, you will find a drop-down arrow. Click on this arrow to reveal a menu of options. From this menu, select the ‘All cached files’ option. This action will populate the window with a comprehensive list of all files currently held within the Office Document Cache. For each file, the Upload Center presents a range of pertinent information, allowing for detailed monitoring and troubleshooting. The details provided include:

  • Location: This specifies the file path indicating where the original document is stored on your local system or network.
  • Name: Displays the filename of the cached document, allowing for quick identification.
  • Size: Indicates the file size, which can be useful for assessing upload times and potential bottlenecks related to large files.
  • Last Sync: Shows the timestamp of the last synchronization attempt, providing insight into when the file was last processed by the Upload Center.
  • Status: The status column is crucial for identifying issues. It displays the current state of the file, such as ‘Pending Upload’, ‘Uploading’, ‘Uploaded’, ‘Failed’, or ‘Completed’, allowing users to quickly pinpoint any проблемatic files requiring attention.

Upload Center All Cached Files

This detailed view of cached files empowers users to proactively manage their document uploads, identify potential issues, and ensure smooth collaboration and data synchronization across SharePoint and other web-based platforms. Regularly checking the ‘All cached files’ view can significantly improve document management efficiency and reduce the chances of encountering upload-related disruptions.

2] Change Cache Settings

For users seeking to customize the behavior of the Office Document Cache, the Microsoft Upload Center provides a dedicated ‘Settings’ interface. Accessing these settings allows for configuration of various parameters that govern how the cache operates, including file retention policies and automatic deletion options. To access these customizable options, you need to open the Microsoft Upload Center and navigate to the ‘Settings’ section within its interface.

Within the Settings panel, you will find an option labeled ‘Days to keep files in the Office Document Cache’. This setting allows users to define a time-based limit for how long files are retained within the cache. By selecting a desired value for this option, you can control the maximum number of days that files will be stored locally in the Office Document Cache. This feature is particularly useful for managing storage space and ensuring that older, potentially outdated files are automatically removed from the cache over time.

Files that have been in the cache for a duration exceeding the specified ‘Days to keep files in the Office Document Cache’ limit will be automatically purged from the cache. It is important to note, however, that this automatic removal process is contingent upon the files not having any pending uploads or synchronization tasks associated with them. The system is designed to prevent the deletion of files that are actively in the process of being uploaded or require further synchronization. This ensures data integrity and prevents accidental loss of unsynchronized changes. By adjusting this setting, users can strike a balance between maintaining readily available cached files and managing storage space efficiently, tailoring the cache behavior to their specific needs and workflows.

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3] Delete the Office Document Cached files

Users have granular control over the Office Document Cache, including the ability to manage when and how cached files are deleted. One such option is the setting to ‘Delete files from the Office Document Cache when they are closed’. When this option is enabled, by checking the corresponding checkbox, the system automatically removes files from the cache as soon as they are closed in their respective Office applications. This setting is particularly beneficial for users who prioritize working directly with server-based versions of their documents and prefer to minimize local caching. By enabling this feature, you ensure that your local cache remains uncluttered and reflects only the documents you are currently actively working on.

Upload Center Delete Cached files option

In addition to automatic deletion upon file closure, the Microsoft Office Upload Center also provides a manual option to clear the cache on demand. At any time, users can initiate a complete clearing of the Office Document Cache by simply clicking the ‘Delete cached files’ button located within the Upload Center interface. This action immediately removes all cached file content, providing a quick way to free up storage space or reset the cache.

It is crucial to understand the nuances of these deletion options. While both the ‘Delete cached files’ button and the ‘Delete files from the Office Document Cache when they are closed’ setting effectively remove the document content from the cache, they do not entirely eliminate all traces of file activity. Specifically, even after clearing the cache using either method, a listing of files that have been opened will be retained within the cache and stored on your computer. This file listing, while not containing the actual document content, serves as a record of recently accessed files. This design ensures that certain metadata and access information are preserved, even after the bulk of the cached data is removed, potentially for system logging, recent files lists, or similar functionalities. Therefore, even after deleting cached files, users should be aware that some file-related information may persist within the system’s cache storage.


Understanding and managing the Office Document Cache is essential for optimizing your experience with Microsoft Office, especially when working with SharePoint or other online document repositories. By regularly monitoring the Upload Center and customizing cache settings, you can ensure smooth document synchronization, efficient storage management, and minimize potential disruptions to your workflow.

Do you have any experiences managing your Office Document Cache? Feel free to share your tips and questions in the comments below!

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