[Guide] Disable OneDrive on Your Windows PC

Why Do People Disable Onedrive?

Several reasons someone might choose to disable OneDrive on their Windows computer. One of the primary reasons is privacy concerns, as users may not want their files stored in the cloud and accessible by Microsoft. Also, there have been reports of issues with OneDrive, such as decreased system performance or syncing problems that can lead users to prefer to keep it disabled.

Some users don’t need the features that OneDrive provides and would free up disk space by disabling it altogether. The decision to disable or enable OneDrive depends on each user’s needs and preferences. It’s essential for any user who chooses to disable OneDrive to know how this affects other services that rely on its integration with Windows, such as Skype and Office. Thus, users should weigh the pros and cons of disabling OneDrive before deciding.

It’s also important to remember that enabling or disabling OneDrive won’t affect any of your existing files stored in the cloud. They will still be accessible if you choose to re-enable them later. The article below will provide the best methods to uninstall OneDrive.

Deactivate Onedrive From Registry Editor

Microsoft OneDrive is a tremendous feature for users to store their precious data. Being an online cloud storage product, you can now access your data anywhere. But sometimes, OneDrive in Windows 10 may cause specific functionality errors. In this case, you need to quit OneDrive. One can avoid the errors by following a single command, i.e., disable Microsoft OneDrive. Windows registry editor can be used in uninstalling/deactivating OneDrive on the device. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Launch the Run command box from the Windows key+ R on the keyboard. In the command box, type regedit and click ok to continue, and it will launch the registry editor.

Step 2: In the window of the registry editor, locate the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows

Step 3: Right-click the key and select the option of new, followed by selecting the key from the context menu.

Step 4: Name the new key as OneDrive. Click the OneDrive icon and right-click in the space to select the option of new, followed by choosing DWORD(32-bit) Value.

Step 5: Click the key and change its value to 1. Finally, click ok to complete the action. Reboot the device to check if the changes are applied.

Deactivate Onedrive via Settings

If you want to deactivate the OneDrive app on the device or pursue the action of uninstalling OneDrive in Windows 10, then Windows settings can be utilized to fulfill the quick fix. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Launch OneDrive from the Windows main menu. Right-click the drive icon in the menu and select the option of more from the drop-down menu.

Step 2: In the next step, click on the settings tab and navigate to the option of Start OneDrive automatically when I sign into Windows. Uncheck the option to continue. Click ok to continue.

Step 3: Move to the next option of the account tab and click the option of unlink this PC. In the pop-up window, click the option to unlink the account. Select ok to complete the action.

Remove OneDrive

In Windows 10, one can perform the action to pause OneDrive syncing and easily remove/unlink OneDrive from the device. In this context, the Windows control panel is the best utility. Here is how you can do it.

Step 1: Launch the control panel from the Windows main menu. Type the control panel in the taskbar’s search box and double-click the option in the list.

Step 2: In the control panel window, click the option of programs followed by selecting programs and features.

Step 3: From the list of programs and features working on the device, locate the option of OneDrive.

Step 4: Select OneDrive and click uninstall to complete the action.

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Deactivate Onedrive With Group Policy

Group policy editor in Windows 10 helps to amend the settings of various apps and software. The same goes for OneDrive settings. It can be deactivated/removed from the device via the group policy editor feature. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Launch Run the utility with Windows key+ R and type gpedit.msc in the command box. Click ok to continue. It will launch the local group policy editor.

Step 2: In the next window, head to the option of computer configuration, followed by selecting the option of administrative templates.

Step 3: In the next step, click the option of Windows components, followed by selecting OneDrive.

Step 4: Select Microsoft OneDrive, locate the option of Prevent the usage of OneDrive for file storage, and double-click it to launch.

Step 5: Next, select the option enabled from the left pane in the pop-up window to prevent the usage of OneDrive for file storage. Select Apply, then click ok to complete the action and save changes.

Uninstall Onedrive With Command Prompt

A command prompt, i.e., a command line-based solution, is always the viable option to deal with various errors on the device. In the case of uninstalling OneDrive, the command line can be utilized. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Launch the command prompt from the taskbar’s search box in Windows the main menu. Type the cmd.exe and click the option in the list. Select run as administrator.

Step 2: In the command prompt, type the following command and click enter to complete the action. It will disable/uninstall OneDrive.

taskkill /f /im OneDrive.exe %SystemRoot%\SysWOW64\OneDriveSetup.exe /uninstall

Conclusion: Simplify Your PC Experience by Disabling Onedrive With Ease

In conclusion, while OneDrive is a great cloud-based storage solution for many Windows users, some may prefer to disable it for various reasons. The methods listed above, such as deactivating OneDrive via the registry editor, settings, or group policy, and uninstalling OneDrive with the command prompt, provide simple and effective ways to disable OneDrive on your Windows PC.

Following these steps simplifies your PC experience and ensures that OneDrive no longer interferes with your workflow. However, if you ever need to re-enable OneDrive in the future, you can easily do so by following the appropriate steps.

Frequently Asked Questions About How to Disable OneDrive