[Guide] How to Disable OneDrive on Your Windows PC

[Guide] How to Disable OneDrive on Your Windows PC

/ Sed Galope

What is OneDrive?

OneDrive is an online storage service provided by Microsoft, with plans ranging from 5 GB of free storage to 1 TB of storage. It allows users to store photos, documents, music, and videos in the cloud and access them anytime and anywhere on any device.

OneDrive also makes it easy to share files with others quickly and securely by simply sending a link. With Office 365 integration, users can collaborate in real-time on Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents stored on OneDrive. OneDrive is secure and reliable, keeping your data safe even if your device gets lost or stolen.

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You can also backup your files automatically with the Files On-Demand feature, which keeps all your files accessible without taking up too much space on your device.’

Disable OneDrive via Settings

Being a famous file hosting service powered by Microsoft, the facility can be utilized as an application, i.e., OneDrive in windows 10. But Microsoft OneDrive can result in various errors on the device. In this context, if you are looking to disable OneDrive, disabling the application via settings is your quick-fix solution.

This action can also be done from OneDrive settings. 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.

onedrive settings

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.

start onedrive automatically

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.

unlink pc in onedrive

Disable OneDrive with Group Policy

Due to any potential reason, if OneDrive is resulting in errors on the device, one can choose to quit OneDrive. In this regard, another easy way to disable OneDrive is to use a group policy to unlink OneDrive. 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.

gpedit msc

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

select administrative templates

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

onedrive in windows components

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

onedrive folder in gpedit

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, followed by clicking ok to complete the action and save changes.

disable onedrive in gpedit

Disable OneDrive from Registry Editor

Registry editor is one of the powerful utility tools in windows 10 for setting the errors in various system utilities and applications running n the device by changing their registry values. The same goes for disabling OneDrive; the most straightforward way is using the registry editor. Here is how you can perform the action.

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.

regedit

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

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows

hkeylocalmachine microsoft windows folder

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

create new key in registry

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

onedrive new dword entry

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.

onedrive new dword edit value

Uninstall/Remove OneDrive

If you cannot resolve the issues with OneDrive from the registry editor or group policy editor, then uninstalling OneDrive or disabling OneDrive from the control panel can serve the purpose. Here are the steps to follow:

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

windows search control panel

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

control panel programs options

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.

uninstall onedrive

Pause OneDrive Sync

Suppose you don’t want to remove or disable OneDrive from the device but still want to resolve the errors associated with the app. In that case, you can pause the OneDrive folder, i.e., pause OneDrive syncing. It will not allow the files or folders to be synced and automatically upload videos (media) on the drive storage. Here is how you can switch off the auto-save tab for OneDrive.

Step 1: Start the process, i.e., click the Microsoft OneDrive icon in the main menu of windows 10. It will launch OneDrive. Click the “Gear” icon.

Step 2: Click on “Pause Syncing” and select the number of hours you want the auto-sync to pause.

onedrive pause sync

Remove Syncing Folders

If you are looking for how to disable the Blue OneDrive Cloud Icon, and you already have paused the sync of OneDrive, then it’s time to remove the syncing folders (sync files) from sync settings. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Click the OneDrive icon in Windows’ main menu and select the option of more, followed by selecting a setting.

Step 2: In settings, click the option of pause syncing and select the time frame.

onedrive pause sync

Step 3: Now launch OneDrive and navigate to the destined folder. Back up the files and then delete the folder from OneDrive. Resume the sync function.

delete onedrive folder

Disable/uninstall OneDrive using Command Prompt

Command prompt in windows 10 can also be used to resolve how to disable OneDrive. It will help to either disable or uninstall the feature from the device. 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 command and click the option in the list. Select run as administrator.

run command prompt 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

taskkill onedrive in cmd

Prevent OneDrive from starting

Disabling OneDrive action can also be performed via task manager in windows 10. Here is how you can perform the quick-fix solution.

Step 1: Launch the task manager by right-clicking anywhere in the taskbar and selecting the task manager option.

open task manager

Step 2: In the task manager window, navigate to the startup tab and select the Microsoft OneDrive app icon tap from the list. Click disable at the bottom of the window to complete the action.

disable onedrive in startup
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Frequently Asked Questions About How to Disable Onedrive

Why Should I Disable Microsoft OneDrive?

One of the main issues with OneDrive is security. Because your data is stored on Microsoft’s servers, it can be vulnerable to hacking attempts or other malicious activity. Also, if your account gets hacked, all of your stored documents could potentially be accessed by someone else without your permission.

Can I Delete the OneDrive App?

If you’re using an operating system (OS) such as Android or iOS, you can delete the OneDrive app from your device. You can do this by going to your device settings and tapping on the “Uninstall” option for the app. If you are using a PC or laptop, you may need to go into your Control Panel to uninstall the OneDrive app.

Can I Deactivate My Onedrive Account?

You can deactivate your Onedrive account by going to Settings > Accounts > Your Profile and selecting “Deactivate.” Once this is done, any devices or locations connected to your Onedrive account will no longer sync with it. Deactivating your Onedrive account does not delete the files stored in it, but you will no longer be able to access them.

Why Should I Reset All the OneDrive Settings?

Resetting all the settings for OneDrive can be a great way to get a fresh start if you’re having any issues with syncing, accessing files, or running into other problems. It’s also a good idea to reset your settings if you’ve made changes that haven’t worked out as expected.

Sed Galope
Meet the author

Sedfrey is an experienced writer and editor. He's also a PC hardware and gaming enthusiast. In his spare time, he enjoys reading about the latest innovations in the PC market and finding fixes to hardware and software errors.