OneDrive is Microsoft’s built-in cloud storage service that comes pre-installed in Windows 11. While it can be useful for syncing files and folders across devices, you may want to turn OneDrive off or disable it completely if you don’t need it or want to use a different cloud storage service.
Here are the steps to turn off, disable, or uninstall OneDrive in Windows 11:
Table of Contents
Pause or Disable OneDrive Syncing
The easiest way to temporarily stop OneDrive is to pause syncing:
- Click the OneDrive icon in the system tray (bottom right of your screen)
- Select “Settings” > “Pause Syncing”
- Choose how long you want to pause syncing
This prevents OneDrive from syncing any files but leaves the app installed.
Disconnect Your Microsoft Account from OneDrive
If you want to keep using your Microsoft account but don’t need OneDrive, you can unlink it:
- Open OneDrive settings
- Go to the “Account” tab
- Click “Unlink This PC” to disconnect your account
This stops syncing and removes access to OneDrive storage tied to that Microsoft account.
Uninstall the OneDrive App
To completely remove OneDrive from Windows 11:
- Open “Settings”
- Click “Apps”
- Select “Apps & features”
- Find “Microsoft OneDrive” and click “Uninstall”
After uninstalling, OneDrive will no longer run on your PC.
Use Group Policy Editor (Pro/Enterprise Windows Editions Only)
If available on your Windows 11 edition:
- Open “Run” (Windows + R)
- Type
gpedit.msc
and press Enter - Go to
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > OneDrive
- Double click on
Prevent the usage of OneDrive for file storage
and enable it
This prevents OneDrive from running or syncing in the background.
Reset File Explorer to Remove OneDrive
If you still see OneDrive folders in File Explorer after uninstalling, you can reset File Explorer to default settings:
- Open “Run” (Windows + R)
- Type
control folders
and press Enter - Select the “View” tab
- Click “Apply to Folders”
- Click “Yes” to confirm
This will remove any customizations like OneDrive folders.
By following these steps, you can completely turn off OneDrive syncing, remove the app, disconnect your Microsoft account, and eliminate any trace of OneDrive from your Windows 11 computer. The process differs slightly across Windows versions, but these instructions cover the core methods to disable OneDrive in Windows 11.