How to Turn Off & Uninstall OneDrive Without Losing Files – Disable OneDrive on Windows or Mac

Quick answer: To uninstall OneDrive without losing files, right-click your OneDrive folder and choose Always keep on this device. When every file shows a solid green check, copy the whole folder to an external drive. Then turn off folder backup and pick Only on my PC, unlink your account, and uninstall the app.

Do the steps in that order. Uninstalling first can leave your photos and documents stuck online, where you can’t open them without the internet. We’ve seen too many customers lose irreplaceable files this way. See the full steps below.

Why You Must Uninstall OneDrive

OneDrive moves your files off your computer without asking, and one wrong click can delete them everywhere. That’s why we tell our customers to remove it.

• It turns itself on. In June 2024, PCWorld reported that Windows 11 setup started switching on OneDrive folder backup without asking. Your Desktop, Documents, and Pictures quietly move into OneDrive.
• Your files may not be on your computer. Files with a blue cloud icon live online only. They look like files, but you need the internet to open them (Microsoft’s icon guide).
• Deleting spreads. OneDrive syncs every change. Delete a file on one device to free up space, and it disappears from your other devices too. Sync is not a backup.
• The free plan fills up fast. Free accounts get 5 GB, shared with Outlook.com email. When it’s full, you can’t upload or sync files, and you can’t send or receive Outlook.com email (Microsoft storage FAQs).
• Turning it off the wrong way empties your desktop. Stop backup and pick the wrong option, and your files stay in the cloud while your computer gets a shortcut called “Where are my files.”

What Jason Pargin warns about. In the video above, Pargin, author of John Dies at the End, walks through how OneDrive wipes computers with no warning or confirmation. A Windows update turns it on, and it starts uploading everything, sometimes 40 GB of videos, work files, and private records. Turn off backup, and the next day your desktop is empty except for a “Where are my files” icon. Download everything back, then delete it from OneDrive to get it off Microsoft’s servers, and OneDrive deletes it from your computer again. He says many people who see this think they’ve been hit by ransomware, and we see the same panic at our repair bench.

Never delete files at onedrive.com while OneDrive is still on your computer. That’s the exact trap Pargin warns about. Finish every removal step below first.

Some files should never sync. Crypto wallet files, seed phrases, tax records, and family photos belong on a drive you control, plus an offline copy on a USB drive you unplug after each backup.

How to Safely and Completely Remove OneDrive Without Losing Data

Follow every step in order and don’t skip ahead. Each step has a check that tells you it worked. If a check fails, stop and fix it before you move on.

Before you start, you need:

• An internet connection, so OneDrive can download your files
• Enough free space on your computer for everything in OneDrive
• An external USB drive for a safety copy (strongly recommended)

How to Uninstall OneDrive on Windows 11 and Windows 10

Step 1. Download every file to your PC

1. Open File Explorer. Press the Windows key + E, or click the yellow folder icon on your taskbar.
2. In the left column, click OneDrive. It may show your name, like “OneDrive – Personal.”
3. Press Ctrl + A to select everything.
4. Right-click any selected item and choose Always keep on this device. On Windows 11, click Show more options if you don’t see it.
5. Wait. Large folders can take a while to download.

Check that it worked: Look at the Status column. Every item needs a solid green circle with a white check. Circular arrows mean it’s still downloading. A red X means a file has a problem, so stop here and get help.

Low on space? If Windows says your drive is full, stop. Don’t delete anything to make room. Call a technician or use a larger external drive.

Step 2. Make a safety copy

1. Plug in your external USB drive.
2. Click the File Explorer address bar, type %UserProfile%, and press Enter.
3. Right-click the OneDrive folder and choose Copy.
4. Open your external drive in the left column, right-click an empty spot, and choose Paste.
5. Wait for the copy to finish.

Check that it worked: Open a few photos and documents from the external drive. If they open, your safety copy is good. Keep this drive and don’t erase it until you finish every step and check your files.

Our guide to backing up your computer files to an external drive covers this step in more detail.

Step 3. Turn off folder backup

1. Click the OneDrive cloud icon near the clock. If you don’t see it, click the small ^ arrow first.
2. Click the gear icon, then Settings.
3. Open the Sync and backup tab and click Manage backup.
4. Click the switch next to Desktop to turn it off.
5. When Windows asks where to keep the files, choose Only on my PC. Never choose “Only in OneDrive.”
6. Repeat for Documents, Pictures, and any other folder that’s switched on.

If you see “Some files couldn’t be moved,” some files are still online only. Go back to Step 1.

If you see “OneNote notebooks can’t be moved,” your notebooks live online. Open OneNote and export them before you continue, or get help.

Step 4. Confirm your folders are back on your PC

1. In File Explorer, right-click Desktop in the left column and choose Properties.
2. Open the Location tab.
3. The path should look like C:\Users\YourName\Desktop, with no “OneDrive” in it.
4. If it still says OneDrive, click Restore Default, then OK. Click Yes when Windows asks to move your files.
5. Repeat for Documents and Pictures.

Check that it worked: Open your Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders. Your files should be there and open normally.

Step 5. Unlink OneDrive from your PC

1. Click the OneDrive cloud icon, then the gear icon, then Settings.
2. Open the Account tab.
3. Click Unlink this PC, then Unlink account.
4. Close the OneDrive sign-in window that pops up. Don’t sign back in.

Want your files off Microsoft’s servers too? Wait until you finish Step 7 on every computer signed in to your OneDrive. Then sign in at onedrive.com and delete them there. Deleting online any sooner can wipe the copies on your computers.

Step 6. Move any leftover files

1. Type %UserProfile%\OneDrive in the File Explorer address bar and press Enter.
2. If any files or folders are still inside, select them, right-click, and choose Cut.
3. Open Documents, right-click an empty spot, and choose Paste.

Check that it worked: The OneDrive folder is empty, and the moved files open from Documents.

Step 7. Uninstall the OneDrive app

• Windows 11: Click Start, then Settings, then Apps, then Installed apps. Search for OneDrive, click the three dots next to it, and choose Uninstall.
• Windows 10: Click Start, then Settings, then Apps. Find Microsoft OneDrive under Apps & features and click Uninstall.

On some PCs, Windows won’t let you uninstall OneDrive. If that happens, go to Settings, then Apps, then Startup, and switch off Microsoft OneDrive. Since it’s unlinked, it can’t touch your files.

Step 8. Keep OneDrive from coming back

• If Windows ever asks to back up your files with OneDrive during setup or an update, say no.
• Windows 11 and 10 Pro: Press Windows key + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter. Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > OneDrive. Double-click Prevent the usage of OneDrive for file storage, choose Enabled, and click OK.

How to Uninstall OneDrive on a Mac

On a Mac, copying your files out of OneDrive is the most important step. Unlinking can remove the OneDrive folder from your Mac, so don’t count on files staying in it.

Step 1. Download every file to your Mac

1. Open Finder. In the left sidebar, click OneDrive under Locations.
2. Press Command + A to select everything.
3. Hold Control, click any selected item, and choose Always Keep on This Device.
4. Wait for the downloads to finish.

Check that it worked: No cloud icons remain next to your files or folders.

Step 2. Copy everything to a regular folder

1. In Finder, click Go in the top menu, then Home.
2. Click File, then New Folder, and name it My Files.
3. Go back to OneDrive in the sidebar and press Command + A, then Command + C to copy.
4. Open My Files and press Command + V to paste.
5. If you have an external drive, paste a second copy there too.

Check that it worked: Open a few photos and documents from My Files. If they open, your files are safe on your Mac.

Step 3. Turn off folder backup

1. Click the OneDrive cloud icon in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
2. Click the gear icon, then Settings (called Preferences in some versions).
3. Find the backup section and turn off Desktop and Documents.
4. Open your Desktop and Documents folders. If they’re empty, drag those files from My Files back into them.

On a Mac, OneDrive doesn’t move files back for you. Your copy in My Files is what keeps them safe.

Step 4. Unlink OneDrive from your Mac

1. Click the OneDrive cloud icon in the menu bar, then the gear icon, then Settings.
2. Open the Account tab and click Unlink this Mac.

Step 5. Quit OneDrive and stop it from opening

1. Click the OneDrive cloud icon, then the gear icon, then Quit OneDrive.
2. Open System Settings, then General, then Login Items & Extensions.
3. Select OneDrive and click the minus (-) button (Apple’s login items guide).

Step 6. Delete the OneDrive app

1. Open Finder and click Applications.
2. Drag OneDrive to the Trash.

Check that it worked: The cloud icon is gone from your menu bar, and your files open from My Files, Desktop, and Documents.

How to Check If Your Computer Has Been Infected with OneDrive

If you see a cloud icon near your clock or in your menu bar, OneDrive is on your computer. The checks below show whether it has already moved your files.

Check a Windows PC

• Look for the cloud icon near the clock. Click the ^ arrow to see hidden icons.
• Check your Desktop’s real location. Right-click Desktop in File Explorer, choose Properties, and open the Location tab. If the path includes “OneDrive,” your Desktop was moved into it.
• Check your installed apps. Go to Settings, then Apps, and search for OneDrive.
• Look at the file icons. Open OneDrive in File Explorer and check the Status column.

Source: Microsoft’s icon guide

Check a Mac

• Look for the cloud icon in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
• Check Finder. Look for OneDrive in the sidebar and in your Applications folder.
• Find the hidden sync folder. In Finder, press Shift + Command + G, type ~/Library/CloudStorage, and press Enter. A OneDrive folder there means it’s syncing files (Microsoft’s OneDrive blog).
• Check login items. Open System Settings, then General, then Login Items & Extensions.