Modern technologies do not stand still, so a large number of new services appear regularly that make not only work, but also life easier. One of these is cloud storage Microsoft - OneDrive.
What is OneDrive
The service is an “online flash drive” that is integrated into Windows 10 and copies computer files to online storage.
The essence of his work is as follows:
- The system connects to the computer.
- The user selects the files needed to copy.
- Stores them online.
It is enough to make a minimum of effort, after which the program will automatically copy all the necessary files.
The service will be very relevant for working with contacts and files that need access from any device or reliable storage of files. In case of breakdown personal computer, the information will not be irretrievably lost, because sometimes it is not possible to recover data from the hard drive.
When synchronized with a cloud service, all important files and contacts can be easily restored. The program automatically starts when you turn on the computer, but if it heavily loads the processor, you can disable it.
How to disable OneDrive on Windows 10
You can disable automatic downloads in the Options menu. To do this, right-click on the application window in the tray and uncheck the “Automatically start the service when you turn on the computer” option.
You can disable automatic synchronization if the processor is heavily loaded with a large number of documents in the same settings section - “Stop communication with OneDrive.”
After this, communication with the computer will be terminated, but the program will remain in its system.
For complete removal service you need to follow a few simple steps:
- for 64-bit – %SystemRoot%\SysWOW64\OneDriveSetup.exe /uninstall
- for 32-bit – %SystemRoot%\System32\OneDriveSetup.exe /uninstall
If you need to install OneDrive again, just update the OS. If any problems or difficulties arise, you can always contact Microsoft support.
OneDrive - built-in Windows client cloud service from Microsoft. The thing seems to be important and useful, but why do many users have an irresistible desire to tear it out by the roots after just 15 minutes of acquaintance?
What is OneDrive for and why does it infuriate users so much?
Cloud OneDrive storage exists for more than 10 years, but it became part of the operating system only with the advent of Windows 8. The component is designed to synchronize user files on devices running Windows (computers, XBox), as well as on mobile devices running iOS-based, Android and some other platforms.
There’s nowhere without it these days, and the idea to equip the system with one of them is, to say the least, a good one. But, as happens with many Microsoft products, the implementation let us down. According to many Windows users, the OneDrive service turned out to be dull, awkward, intrusive and extremely inconvenient. Therefore, despite its apparent usefulness, it has no more users than Internet browser Explorer.
Below is a list of OneDrive qualities that cause the most dissatisfaction:
- Brakes. Loads data 5-10 times slower than .
- Censorship. Cases of deleting unlicensed and, according to Microsoft, unethical, user content from a storage (password protected!) are described.
- Deleting data from your computer. When the user disables synchronization with the storage, data from the desktop, from the Documents, Pictures, etc. folders can remain only in OneDrive.
- Frequent synchronization failures, resulting in files not being available at the right time, as well as changes made not being saved.
- Limit the size of one file to 2 gigabytes.
- The OneDrive client application constantly hangs in the system tray, eating up resources. When closed, it tries to get in there again.
In short, OneDrive is simply created for those who are looking for problems.
The only plus of the program is integration with the M$ Office package and increased storage capacity on certain tariff plans. The rest are unprivileged Windows users 10 get only 5 GB of disk space.
How to disable OneDrive
The client application of our miracle cloud is loaded with Windows by default. To stop this disgrace, right-click on the “pair of clouds” icon in the tray to open its context and select “ Options».
Uncheck the " Automatically start when you log into Windows».
To unlink OneDrive from your Microsoft account and stop syncing files, go to the " Account" and click " Remove connection to computer».
Then confirm your consent to this action again.
To disable file synchronization of the M$ Office 2016 software package, open the " Office" and uncheck the setting shown in the screenshot below.
In professional and corporate editions of Windows, the same can be done through the Group Policy Editing Tool GpEdit.msc (it’s most convenient to open through the system search). The settings we need are in the “ Computer configuration» -> « Administrative Templates» -> « Windows components» -> « OneDrive».
Here you can prevent saving documents in One Drive by default or activate a ban on using it to store files.
To change the setting, double-click on the required line in the right half of the editor. In the window that opens next, check “ Included" or " Disabled» and click OK.
How to remove OneDrive
Unfortunately, not everyone supports completely removing the Microsoft cloud from your computer. Windows versions. If you are lucky enough to have a system that allows you to do this, all you have to do is open “ Applications and features" or " Programs and components", find the required (more precisely, unnecessary) element and click the button " Delete».
Those who are unlucky in this regard can do the following:
- Run the OneDrive installer with the -uninstall parameter.
- Uninstall the application using third-party uninstallers.
Both methods are unsafe. Uninstalling OneDrive where not provided, may impair the functions of the operating system. Therefore everything further actions- at your own risk.
Running the installer file OneDriveSetup.exe with key – uninstall, is executed in command console with admin rights. Paste the instructions of the appropriate version into it and press Enter:
%windir%\System32\OneDriveSetup.exe -uninstall::for 32-bit Windows.
%windir%\SysWOW64\OneDriveSetup.exe -uninstall::for 64-bit.
The OneDrive app must be closed before running the command. Removal occurs without any requests or warnings. After it, the contents of the folder and the cloud installer remain in place.
Removing OneDrive using third-party uninstaller programs is done in the same manner as those programs typically do. For example, in RevoUninstaller - through forced uninstallation by application name or path to the executable file (folder).
If after uninstalling you want to install OneDrive again, just run the installer on the command line again OneDriveSetup.exe(instructions are underlined with an orange line on the console screen). But this time without parameters.
Operating room users Windows systems 8.1 and Windows 10 may see a program icon called onedrive in the system tray near the clock. Few people install it on purpose. Onedrive is installed automatically along with the operating system, and also during system updates. In this article you will learn what OneDrive is for, what it is and how to remove it.
OneDrive system tray icon
What does Onedrive do?
OneDrive received this name in 2014. Until this time it was called SkyDrive.
Yandex and Google have their own cloud storages, which are analogues of OneDrive.
This program is a cloud storage on the Internet with a capacity of 15 to 25 GB. And completely free. Speaking more in simple language OneDrive is a piece of personal space on the Internet on Microsoft servers where you can copy and store any of your data.
Subsequently, they can be accessed from a smartphone or laptop from anywhere in the world where there is Internet access.
Thanks to support for the WebDAV protocol, the OneDrive cloud space is easily connected to your computer and appears as a separate local disk in "My Computer".
OneDrive connected via WebDAV protocol
How to remove OneDrive windows 10 completely?
If you do not plan to use the free 25 GB Internet from Microsoft, then OneDrive program you simply don't need it. And you can safely delete it, because it boots along with Windows and constantly hangs in RAM.
To remove OneDrive you need to go to "" and find "Programs and Features" there.
The OneDrive application is preinstalled by default in versions of Windows 8, 8.1 and 10. If you have ever used online storage, then you probably know about Google drive, Mail Ru cloud, etc.
OneDrive is the same cloud service, only from Microsoft. You can also store documents, music, videos, photos, etc. here. But this is not its main purpose.
The peculiarity of OneDrive is the integration of the cloud with all Microsoft Office products (word, excel, power point, OneNote, etc.) and on any device, be it a PC, iPhone, Android, MacOS, Xbox or Windows Phone.
To better understand how OneDrive works and is easy to use, Let's give two examples:
- A journalist, in a non-work environment, comes up with an ideal plan for a future article. In order not to forget it, he quickly makes sketches in word document on your smartphone. Since OneDrive storage is installed on his phone and work computer, the journalist only needs to come to the office, turn on the PC and the document with sketches is already in front of him. No need to look for any cables, connect the device to the computer, copy the file to HDD, edit, etc.
- A team of specialists needs to work on one project at a time. Thanks to OneDrive, everyone can work on a project from their device in real time.
Thus, OneDrive cloud More suitable for business, work or study. This is probably why this cloud service from Microsoft is not so popular compared to similar virtual storages. Although it has existed since 2007 and was then called SkyDrive, it had to be renamed after a lawsuit from a British company.
Advantages of OneDrive over similar services
- provide a link to a document with specific permissions (read only; read and edit.);
- instantly broadcast materials to social pages;
- automatically save videos and photos to the cloud;
- rest assured that your files and documents are safe, as the service automatically creates backups in case of system failures;
- There is a separate standalone version of the application for business.
How to start using the OneDrive cloud?
For this it is enough to have account at Microsoft. If you don't have one, you can register it by creating an email address on outlook.com (formerly Hotmail). After this, enter the same username and password in the program window for authorization.
If OneDrive is not pre-installed, you can download it for your PC, tablet or smartphone on the official site(onedrive.live.com).
After authorization, all that remains is to configure the application, and then everything will work automatically. You will be prompted to designate a folder on your drive to sync from all devices. In the pre-installed version of OneDrive, such a folder will probably already exist and automatic synchronization will start. And through context menu can be set synchronize only the folders or files you select.
You can also connect OneDrive as network drive and copy or move any files to it. Only the speed of such copying will be limited by the speed of your Internet.
To do this, go to “My Computer”. IN top panel Click “Computer” – “Map network drive”. Set any drive letter and leave a checkmark next to the “restore connection upon login” option. In the folder path section, enter the phrase: “and your cloud ID.” Click done.
Note! You can find out your ID by logging into the cloud via the link onedrive.live.com. Click on any directory. Your identifier will be written between the “?id=” and “%” tags.
How much memory is available to a OneDrive user and can it be increased?
The free plan comes with 7 GB of free space. And who has Windows 8 and legal updates installed - 25 GB. You can increase the volume in two ways: buy tariff plan or invite friends using a referral link.
For every friend who connects OneDrive, given + 500 MB. But in this way it is possible to increase the disk capacity by a maximum of 20 GB. As a result, this is 27 GB of available space.
How to disable OneDrive cloud storage?
If the OneDrive cloud is of no use to you, you can disable it in the program settings or through the editor group policy in Windows components. It is not recommended to remove the application by any means, since recently it has become a full-fledged component of Windows.
Deleting a repository may lead to unexpected errors. Therefore, it is enough to simply disable the program if it is not needed. In this state, OneDrive does not load the system in any way.
There is probably no need to say that the developer of Windows operating systems, Microsoft Corporation, is trying to constantly improve its software products. So many users, starting with OS versions 8 and 8.1, have encountered the OneDrive service. What it is will now be discussed. Moreover, many people know this service from past Windows versions, there it was called a little differently.
OneDrive: what is it?
So, first, let's look at what this service (or service, if you prefer) is. To understand the interpretation of OneDrive (what kind of program it is), you should have at least a superficial understanding of the increasingly popular Lately so-called “cloud storage”. But, in essence, OneDrive is just that.
True, unlike other similar services, this service has a number of quite interesting features. But first things first.
History of origin and development
In general, the OneDrive cloud as an independent service appeared in February 2014 after the renaming of the almost similar SkyDrive service (it was launched back in 2007), which initially belonged to the range of online services provided to users of Windows operating systems by Microsoft Corporation, formerly known as called Windows Live.
What’s most interesting is that the renaming of the service was just the result of a lawsuit by the British company British Sky Broadcasting Group. But he himself remained virtually unchanged in terms of functionality.
Key features of OneDrive
Now more about the capabilities of OneDrive. What is this program and what is it for? As mentioned above, this is precisely “cloud storage”, which on a remote server previously provided users of systems, starting with Vista, 7 GB of free storage space for storing files, then, however, the volume was reduced to 1 GB.
But a little later, 15 GB on a remote server became available to users, and registered G8 users (those who have an account Microsoft entry and use official system update packages) - 25 GB. Today, 50 GB is available for storing personal information after registration. And, as stated, this is not the limit.
The fact is that you can buy the space you need by paying a certain amount for its use. In this regard, Microsoft did not change its principles. However, this situation is observed today with almost all “cloud” services, which first provide users with a minimum amount of space on a remote server, and then, if there is not enough space, they offer to pay to increase it. True, here the question of the appropriateness of the purchase arises, especially if the user uses the service only to work with office documents or pictures. Naturally, if you put a video there (and even the highest resolution), there certainly won’t be enough space. However, this is a problem for each individual user.
Storing information and working with documents
As for the main functionality, OneDrive storage, as well as any other service of this type, allows you to upload to remote server files of any type (this won’t surprise anyone now).
But what really pleases users who use this service on a daily basis is that the procedure for uploading files to the server, again, compared to other storage facilities (if the corresponding client is not installed), is simplified as much as possible. The fact is that OneDrive’s own client is already integrated into the system, or more precisely, into the standard Windows Explorer. As is already clear, you can simply copy or drag the desired objects into the service area in Explorer. The download will happen almost instantly (provided, of course, that you have an uninterrupted Internet connection).
Moreover, the OneDrive cloud itself has a number of other interesting functions. It turns out that using this service, you can not only exchange office documents between users connected to the service and who have shared access to certain folders. Thanks to Office support Web Apps, directly when working with the OneDrive application, you can view most known formats that correspond office programs(Word, Excel, Power Point etc.). In addition, there is also support for viewing PDF documents and ODF, although, unfortunately, the search function for them is completely missing.
An equally interesting opportunity is the creation of office documents online. Moreover, if the OneDrive folder has the attribute public access for several users, editing of such documents can be done by all users.
Separately, it is worth noting the presence of synchronization between the Hotmail mail service and search engine Bing. In the second case, you can even save your Bing search history to the storage.
Synchronization with operating systems other than desktop versions of Windows
Now regarding the other, no less interesting side of OneDrive. What this is in terms of synchronization with other systems is not difficult to understand if you take into account the fact that the storage can be accessed even from mobile systems Android, iOS, MeeGo, Symbian and, of course, Windows Phone, not counting full support for access even from Xbox consoles.
The only thing that is required is to install a special client, have an Internet connection at the time of access, and log in using your own username and password. It is thanks to this approach that Microsoft has managed to significantly increase the number of cloud users.
However, not all owners stationary systems Windows likes using this service. Firstly, it constantly hangs in startup and even when the service is turned off, it synchronizes files and folders with the storage. And secondly, disk space is clearly reduced from this. That is why a legitimate question arises: how to disable OneDrive in the system? There is no talk yet about deleting the program, although this can be done.
How to disable OneDrive in Windows by editing Group Policy
When it comes to disabling this service, there are several basic methods you can use. Each of them works, in general, the same way, but first we’ll focus on using editing Group Policy settings. For example, let's take Windows 8, although in the same “top ten” the actions will be absolutely identical.
To do this, in the “Run” menu, use the gpedit.msc command or call the computer configuration from the main menu, where in the root settings we go first to administrative templates, and then to system components. There you simply select the OneDrive section. When you open the settings, a window will appear in which you must select a ban on saving files in the cloud, and then confirm your choice.
Disabling OneDrive through the registry
Now let's see how to disable OneDrive using the registry. This is done just as easily. First we access the editor using regedit commands, entered either in the Run menu or when calling it via the Win + R keys.
Now at the end on the right we use RMB (right click) and create a DWORD parameter, call it DisableFileSync, open it and set the value to “1”. All that remains is to exit and reboot the system.
Reset settings directly in OneDrive
In order not to delve into the system settings, and even more so in the system registry, you can do it even simpler.
We go into the computer settings, select the OneDrive section, and then go directly to the file storage. There is a default document saving line. We just turn the switch to the off position, that's all.
for and is it worth doing?
For many users, simply turning off is not enough. Let's see how to remove OneDrive. But it’s worth saying right away that this service cannot be restored. You can only install it again when you reinstall Windows. Removal steps are recommended only if this service is not really used on the local computer or is simply not needed.
So how do you remove OneDrive? This is not so easy to do, but it is possible. First you need to end the process, not from the Task Manager, but from command line, where the combination taskkill /f /im OneDrive.exe is entered. Now, if you have a 32-bit system, from the same command line we use %SystemRoot%\System32\OneDriveSetup.exe /uninstall, and for systems with 64-bit architecture - %SystemRoot%\SysWOW64\OneDriveSetup.exe /uninstall. After this, we reboot the terminal, and the storage problem disappears.
You can also delete the directory with files to clear disk space. The default OneDrive folder is located at C:\Users\, followed by the username and the OneDrive subkey. By the way, this can be done by simply disabling the service, without even using its complete removal.
Conclusion
Here, in fact, is all the basic information regarding OneDrive service. We have more or less figured out what it is. In general capabilities and functions, I think, everything is clear. But regarding the issue of disabling or deleting a service, it is still recommended to disable it and not delete it. But you never know what situation might arise when you need quick access to cloud storage, and with the least amount of time?
So think a hundred times before making a final decision, because there will be only one way to restore the service - complete reinstallation systems. And no amount of rollback to the checkpoint will help here. On the other hand, if you use any official client for access not from Windows, but from some other device, then, in general, there is no need to keep such a service on your computer.
