How to Remove OneDrive From Windows 10 Computers

Want to get rid of Microsoft's cloud storage? Here's how

By

Joel Santo Domingo

Updated on April 17, 2021

Windows

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What to Know

To disable: In the taskbar, select OneDrive icon > Help & Settings > Settings > Account > Unlink this PC > Unlink account.
To uninstall: Go to Add/Remove Programs > Apps & Features > Microsoft OneDrive > Uninstall.

This article explains how to disable and uninstall Microsoft OneDrive from PCs running Windows 10.

If you go through with either of the following procedures, Microsoft 365 users will lose the ability to sync files between computers on the same account. For example, you’ll be unable to save a shopping list Word document on a computer, then check updates to the file on your phone. Additionally, Microsoft 365 defaults to saving its files in cloud storage on OneDrive, so anything saved there will only be accessible by signing in to OneDrive.com.

How to Disable OneDrive on Windows 10

To turn off OneDrive, you must disconnect your Microsoft account from the service, which will disable OneDrive in Windows 10 and save your PC from constant updates and data syncing from the cloud to your local hard drive or SSD.

Select the OneDrive icon in your taskbar, then select Help & Settings.
Select Settings.
Select the Account tab.
Select Unlink this PC under your account name.
Select Unlink account.

That’s it! Your Microsoft account will be unlinked from your PC. Any files synced to your OneDrive folder locally will still be there.

How to Uninstall OneDrive on Windows 10

After unlinking your account, you might want to remove OneDrive entirely, thereby saving you from seeing the occasional notification stating you need to update the OneDrive app to continue using it.

Go to the Add/Remove Programs system setting.

An easy way to get there is to type programs in the Windows search bar.
Enter one in the Apps & Features search box.
Select Microsoft OneDrive.
Select Uninstall.
On the next screen, confirm you want to uninstall OneDrive and the program will be removed from your PC.

Occasionally, uninstalling OneDrive will fail and return you to the Apps and Features list. Restart your PC, and you should be able to repeat the above steps to remove OneDrive from your Windows 10 PC.

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