How to Disable OneDrive on Windows 10: A Comprehensive Guide

"Can I turn off OneDrive on Windows 10? It keeps syncing my files to OneDrive, and I even lost some files saved in the local OneDrive folder when I deleted them from the cloud. How can I recover lost OneDrive files?"

If you don't want to use OneDrive, don't worry. The easiest way to stop it from syncing your files in Windows 10 is to either disable or disconnect it. Follow the steps in this guide to learn how to disable OneDrive and troubleshoot OneDrive issues on your computer.

English to Chinese translation refers to the process of converting English text into Chinese text. Here is an example: English: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog." Chinese: "那只敏捷的棕色狐狸跳过懒狗。"

Note: If you're currently experiencing OneDrive file loss, try the 3 ways to recover lost files from OneDrive on Windows 10 before disabling it.

What is OneDrive?

OneDrive is designed for personal cloud storage. Save your files and photos to OneDrive and access them from any device, anywhere.

Currently, Microsoft has upgraded OneDrive to several editions for both home and business users. So you can choose an appropriate one to meet your needs of backing up and sharing files online via OneDrive:

Why You Do—and Don't—Need OneDrive

So why do so many people recommend OneDrive, and even want to disable or uninstall it from Windows 10? Let's find out:

Why do I need OneDrive?

Here are some features you might like:

• Access anywhere: Access, edit, and share files on any device, anytime.
• Protection and backup: Keep your files safe in OneDrive, so you don't lose them if your device is lost.
• Collaborate in real time: Share and edit documents and photos with Office apps, all in real time.

So if you're looking for a reliable file-backup plan and want to share files with friends, OneDrive is a good choice.

Get started with OneDrive

To begin using OneDrive, sign up for OneDrive now.

Why do you need to delete or turn off OneDrive?

According to some OneDrive users, they would also like to disable or even uninstall OneDrive from their computers. Here's a list of possible reasons why:

• Files on OneDrive get lost after deleting local disk data due to synchronization.
• OneDrive starts automatically and runs in the background, consuming significant CPU and RAM resources.
• The OneDrive folder occupies a large amount of space on the local disk.
• Insufficient OneDrive storage with expensive fees for expanding cloud storage.
• A personal preference against using OneDrive.

So how do you uninstall, unlink, delete, or even remove OneDrive from your computer? In the next section, we'll go over five reliable methods to delete OneDrive, using Windows 10 as an example.

How to Disable, Unlink, or Remove OneDrive in Windows 10 – 5 Ways

In this guide, we have compiled five methods that will help you disable, unlink, or even remove OneDrive from Windows 10. These methods also apply to computers running Windows 8.1, 8, or 7. Choose the appropriate method and follow the steps to remove OneDrive from your computer:

Note: Some of these methods might result in the loss of OneDrive files. Make sure to back up important OneDrive files to an external hard drive first.

#1. Disable OneDrive by unlinking your account

Source: Official Microsoft Solution

How to turn off, disable, or uninstall OneDrive? Please visit the following link for a detailed guide from Microsoft's official support: https://support.microsoft.com/zh-cn/office/关闭、禁用或卸载OneDrive-f32a17ce-3336-40fe-9c38-6efb09f944b0

Step 1. Click the white or blue OneDrive cloud icon on the Windows 10 taskbar.

Step 2: Click on "Help & Settings," and then select "Settings."

Step 3: Go to the “Account” tab and click “Disconnect from this computer,” then choose “Unlink account.”

Click "OK" to confirm.

#2. Permanently Disable/Remove OneDrive - Hide or Uninstall OneDrive

Source: Official Microsoft Solution

How to turn off, disable, or uninstall OneDrive: https://support.microsoft.com/zh-cn/office/disable-or-uninstall-onedrive-f32a17ce-3336-40fe-9c38-6efb09f944b0

Option 1: Hide OneDrive

Since OneDrive is built into certain versions of Windows, you can't uninstall it directly. You can hide it from your computer with these steps:

Step 1: Click the OneDrive app icon in the Windows 10 taskbar.

Step 2: Click on “Help & Settings,” and then select “Settings.”

Step 3: Under “General,” uncheck all boxes.

Step 4: Go to the AutoSave tab and set the “Documents and pictures” list to “This PC only,” then uncheck the other boxes.

Step 5: Click the Account tab, and then click Choose folders. Check or uncheck Sync all files and folders in my OneDrive.

Step 6: Click OK to save the changes.

Step 7: Open Settings, go to the “Accounts” tab, click “Unlink OneDrive,” and then close the “Welcome to OneDrive” window.

< strong > Step 8. Right-click on OneDrive in File Explorer, and select Properties.

Step 9: Go to the "General" tab and check the "Hidden" option.

Step 10: Go to Help & Settings and choose Exit OneDrive.

Option 2: Uninstall OneDrive

< strong > Step 1. < /strong > Click the Start button, type "Programs" in the search box, and then select Add or Remove Programs.

Step 2: Under Apps & features, select Microsoft OneDrive, and then choose Uninstall.

#3. Stop Syncing Files/Folders in the OneDrive Sync App

Source: Official Microsoft Solution

How to choose which OneDrive folder to sync with your computer https://support.microsoft.com/zh-cn/office/98b8b011-8b94-419b-aa95-a14ff2415e85

If you don't have time to sync now, or if you don't want OneDrive to sync certain files or folders to your computer, you can stop it from syncing them.

According to some users, files tend to go missing from their computers, especially when you delete files from OneDrive with the sync feature enabled.

Step 1: Click the OneDrive icon in the taskbar, select “…” or “Help & Settings,” and then click “Pause syncing.” Choose “For 2 hours.”

Step 2: Click the OneDrive icon, select “Help & settings,” and then click “Settings.”

Step 3: Click the “Accounts” tab, then choose “Select Folder.”

4. In the Sync OneDrive files to this PC window, clear the check box of any folders you don't want to sync to your computer, and then click OK.

Later, you can edit and make changes to the file on OneDrive or your computer without affecting the data on other platforms.

Is OneDrive not syncing on your Windows PC?

You'll learn some tricks to ensure OneDrive is running smoothly so you can access and sync your files. Also, remember to try the quick fix first.

#4. Disable OneDrive via Group Policy

Step 1: Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box, type gpedit.msc, and then click "OK".

Step 2: When the Local Group Policy Editor window opens, navigate to:

"Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\OneDrive"

Step 3: Double-click Disable storage on OneDrive for files.

Step 4: Check the “Enabled” box and click “Apply” and then “OK” to save your changes.

After the restart, you'll see that OneDrive is installed on your computer but isn't accessible yet.

#5. Disable OneDrive using the Registry Editor

Important: It's generally not recommended that you use the Registry Editor to disable OneDrive. While it can be done, making a mistake can have serious consequences.

Be careful when following the steps to disable OneDrive.

Step 1: Press Windows + R, type regedit, and click "OK".

Step 2. Once Registry Editor is open, navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows is a path in the Windows Registry. In a Chinese context, it can be translated approximately as: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\软件策略\微软\Windows" Please note that "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" generally represents the registry entries for the local computer, and "\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows" contains policies and settings specific to the Microsoft Windows operating system.

Click on the “Start” button, type “regedit” in the search box and press “Enter” to open Registry Editor.

Step 3. Right-click the Windows key and select New > Key.

Step 4: Name the new key "OneDrive".

Step 5: Right-click in the blank area of the right pane and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.

Step 6. Rename the new key to DisableFileSyncNGSC, double-click the key, change its Value data to 1, and then click OK.

Then, restart your computer.

How to Access and Recover Lost or Deleted OneDrive Files - 3 Methods

Some of you might also be wondering how to access and restore lost OneDrive files online or on a local computer.

Here, we have gathered two approaches that can help:

#1. Recover Deleted Files from OneDrive Recycle Bin

Step 1: Go to the OneDrive website:

This link directs to the official Microsoft website for more information about Microsoft products or services. In Chinese, it can be expressed as: "访问微软官方网站以获取更多关于产品或服务的详细信息：https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkID=251869."

Step 2: Log in to your account, and then click Recycle Bin in the left pane.

Step 3: Select the file or folder you want to recover and hover over the deleted item.

Click the checkbox that appears, then click “Restore.

#2. Recover Deleted OneDrive Files or Folders on Your Computer

Step 1: Open the Recycling Bin on your computer and locate the deleted file.

Step 2. Right-click the deleted OneDrive file or folder, and then choose Restore.

#3. Recover Permanently Deleted OneDrive Files from Computer

If you have permanently deleted and emptied OneDrive files from your computer's recycle bin, you can recover them with a reliable data recovery tool like Data Recovery Wizard.

It thoroughly scans and recovers permanently deleted OneDrive files from your computer in just 3 steps, as shown below:

Bonus Tip: The Best OneDrive Alternatives for Windows 10/8/7

If you're one of those who've given up on OneDrive but still need a robust file sync tool to protect your data or automatically back it up to a target storage device, you've come to the right place.

Here, you will find a perfect alternative – Todo Backup tool, to replace OneDrive for file sync and data backup in Windows 10/8/7.

See what Todo Backup can do for you:

• 1. Supports file backup, operating system backup, and disk/partition backup.
• 2. Offers disk cloning, system cloning, and OS migration.
• 3. Supports cloud backup, such as backing up files to OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, and more.

So how to use an alternative tool – Todo Backup – in Windows 10 instead of OneDrive? Let's see:

#1. Perform a Full Backup of Windows 10 Data

#2. Automatically Back Up Windows 10 Files

#3. How to Transfer or Migrate Windows 10 OS to SSD Without Reinstalling

This is an embed code for a YouTube video. When placed on a webpage, it will display a video player with a width of 700 pixels and a height of 410 pixels, allowing features such as full-screen view, accelerometer, autoplay, clipboard write, encrypted media, gyroscope, and picture-in-picture.

You can disable OneDrive without causing any damage to your files.

On this page, we introduce what OneDrive is, discuss when you should use it, and when you might want to disable it from your PC. Depending on your needs, we offer 5 methods to disable, remove, or disconnect OneDrive on your Windows 10 computer.

Those who have deleted OneDrive files can also use these 3 file recovery methods to restore lost OneDrive data. Among them, the tool Data Recovery Wizard is very efficient and powerful for recovering OneDrive files.

Also, if you need a OneDrive alternative to protect and back up your Windows files, Todo Backup is worth a try.