How to stop saving files to OneDrive in Windows 11

OneDrive is a cloud storage service provided by Microsoft and installed with the Windows 11 operating system. Using OneDrive, Windows users can back up, sync, synchronize 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 accept 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 will only find shortcuts on the drive, to access these files you will need an internet connection. If you haven't set it up to automatically save your data, you may sometimes see a pop-up asking you to back up your data.

If you are using any other online cloud storage and want to prevent files on your Windows 11 PC from being saved to OneDrive, continue reading this article. Here, we have curated some methods that can help you disable OneDrive on Windows PC so that your files are not automatically saved in the OneDrive folder.

Method 1 – Temporarily pause syncing to OneDrive

Step 1. Open the OneDrive window by clicking the OneDrive icon located in the system tray.

Step 2. Here, click the Helpand Settings icon in the upper left corner of the window.

Step 3. In the menu that opens, click Pause Sync and select from the list when you want to stop syncing to OneDrive.

Step 4. This option pauses the sync process for the time you select and starts sync again when the time is up.

Method 2 – Pause OneDrive sync of a folder

Step 1. Find the OneDrive icon in the taskbar.

Step 2. Click this OneDrive icon, then click the Help and Settings (gear) icon in the upper left corner of the opened OneDrive window.

Step 3. In the menu that appears, click Settings.

Step 4. In the OneDrive Settings window, select the Sync & Backup tab.

Step 5. Then, click the ManageBackup button on the right associated with Back up important PC folders to OneDrive.

Step 6. You'll see a list of folders being backed up to OneDrive.

Here, turn off the toggle switches associated with the folders you don’t want to back up.

Step 7. Then, click to save changes.

It will start syncing only the files in the folders you have switched on.

Method 3 – Save Microsoft Office documents to your computer by default

Step 1. Open Microsoft Office application files that you want to save locally instead of OneDrive, such as Word/Excel/PowerPoint.

Step 2. Click the File menu.

Step 3. Then, click Save As in the left panel.

Step 4. Click "This PC" on the right.

Select a folder on your PC to use the "More" option Save File... link and click Save.

Step 5. To always save files to your computer instead of OneDrive, click "File" –> Options.

Step 6. In the Word Options window, go to the Save tab.

Step 7. On the right, scroll to the Save Document section and check the box next to Save to computer by default.

Step 8. Click OK to save changes.

Method 4 – Stop OneDrive from starting automatically

Step 1. On the taskbar, click the OneDrive icon to open the OneDrive window.

Step 2. Now, click on the Help and Settings (gear) 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 Launch OneDrive when you sign in to Windows.

Step 6. Close the settings window.

This will prevent OneDrive from starting automatically when Windows 11 starts.

Method 5 – Unlink your Microsoft account from OneDrive

Step 1. Click the

OneDrive icon in the taskbar.

Step 2. In the OneDrive window, click the

Help & Settings (gear) icon.

Now, select

Settings in the menu that opens.

Step 3. In the

OneDrive Settings window, select the Account tab.

Step 4. Click the

Unlink this PC link below your name and linked account.

Then, click the

Unlink Account button to confirm.

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 move your mouse over it you will see "Not signed in."

Method 6 – Disable OneDrive using Registry Editor

Before making changes to the registry on your system, make sure you have created a backup that can be used to restore at any time if any issues arise Registry.

step 1. Click the

Windows key on your keyboard and type Registry Editor in the search bar.

Step 2. Click

Registry Editor in the search results.

Step 3. Navigate to the location mentioned below.

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\OneDrive

Step 4. After entering the

OneDrive key, find the entry DisableFileSyncNGSC in the right pane.

Step 5. Open

DisableFileSyncNGSC by double-clicking it to edit its value.

In the

edit window, change the Value Data field to 1.

Then, click

OK.

Step 6. Close the registry and

restart the PC. Check if you can prevent OneDrive from automatically saving files.

Note: If the OneDrive folder or DisableFileSyncNGSC DWORD is not found, you must create them.

Once you reach the Windows folder in the above path, right-click on the

Windows folder and select New –> Key.

Name this new key

OneDrive.

Now, right-click on the

OneDrive key and select “New –> DWORD (32-bit) Value” .

Name this DWORD

DisableFileSyncNGSC.

As described in the above steps, open an edit window for this DWORD and set its

value data to 1.

To enable OneDrive at a later point in time, simply change the value of

DisableFileSyncNGSC to 0.

Method 7 – Uninstall OneDrive

Step 1. Press

Windows R to open the "Run" box.

Step 2. Type

ms-settings:appsfeatures and press Enter to open the Installed Apps page in Settings.

Step 3. On this page, use the search box to find the Microsoft OneDrive app.

Step 4. In the search results, click the three-dot menu associated with Microsoft OneDrive and select Uninstall.

Step 5. Click "Uninstall" in the confirmation prompt to confirm the uninstall process of Microsoft OneDrive.

Step 6. After the uninstallation is completeRestartthe computer.

Now, OneDrive will be completely removed from your system, so your files will not be saved in the OneDrive folder.

You can still access your data using a web link and logging in.

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