OneDrive is a cloud storage service provided by Microsoft that is installed with the Windows 11 operating system. With OneDrive, Windows users can backup, sync, and access photos, files, and any other data on all devices connected to their OneDrive account. Whenever you sign in to OneDrive, you’ll be prompted to save files, documents, and photos to OneDrive. If you have accepted this request, your system will automatically upload files, documents, photos, and screenshots to your OneDrive account. Once this data is backed up to the cloud by OneDrive, you’ll only find shortcuts on the drive, and to access the files an internet connection is needed. If you haven’t set it to automatically save data, you may occasionally see a popup asking you to back up your data.
If you’re using any other online cloud storage and want to prevent files from being saved to OneDrive on your Windows 11 PC, keep reading this article. Here, we’ve curated some methods that can help you disable OneDrive on your Windows PC so that your files are not automatically saved in the OneDrive folder.
Method 1: Temporarily suspend syncing files to OneDrive
Step 1: Open the OneDrive window by clicking the OneDrive icon located in the system tray.
Step 2: Click the Help and Settings icon in the upper left corner of the window.
Step 3: In the menu that opens, click Pause Sync, and then choose from the list when you want to stop syncing to OneDrive.
Step 4: This option pauses the sync process for the time you choose, and starts syncing again after the time has elapsed.
Method 2: Temporarily suspend syncing folders to OneDrive
Step 1: Repeat the step 1 and 2 mentioned in the method 1;
Step 2: Click Settings in the menu;
Step 3: In the OneDrive Settings window, select the Sync & Backup tab.
Step 4. Click the Manage Backup button on the right that is associated with backing up important PC folders to OneDrive;
You’ll see a list of folders that are being backed up to OneDrive. You can also turn off the toggles associated with the folders you don’t want to back up.
Step 5: When all get done, click save changes.
Method 3: Stop Auto syncing folders to OneDrive
Step 1: On the taskbar, click the OneDrive icon to open the OneDrive window.
Step 2: Click on the Help and Settings icon in the upper left corner.
Step 3: Select the Settings option in the menu.
Step 4: In the OneDrive Settings window, make sure the Sync & Backup tab is selected.
Step 5: On the right, under the Preferences section, turn off the toggle switch next to Start OneDrive when I log in to Windows.
Then close the setting window and the Onedrive will not launch automatically in the Windows 11 startup process.
Method 4: Unlink Microsoft account from OneDrive
Step 1: Click the OneDrive icon in the taskbar.
Step 2: In the OneDrive window, click the Help & Settings icon.
Step 3: In the OneDrive Settings window, select the Accounts tab.
Step 4: Click the Unlink this PC link below your name and linked account;and confirm to cancel the link;
Step 5: Restart the computer.
Step 6: You will now unlink your Microsoft account from OneDrive and be able to save files directly to your computer.
The OneDrive icon will still appear in the taskbar, but when you mouse over it, you will see “Not signed in”.
Conclusion
Except the above methods to stop saving files to OneDrive in Windows 11, there are still other ways to do that. As some of them is more difficult for our common computer users, we will not recommend them in this article.
