Can't uninstall One Drive

antspants · Jul 6, 2025

Hazel123 said:
Oops - I was looking on the wrong computer there

I kept turning my toasteroven on and off again, once, but it never booted. Not sure if it was due to the Whisky or the fact the toasteroven isn’t a PC.

Hazel123 · Jul 6, 2025

antspants said:
One more thing to look at

Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter

Navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows

Look for a folder named OneDrive and delete it (if it exists)

Also check here:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Look for an entry related to OneDrive and delete it if found

Ok - on the correct computer - deleted the folder in HKEY_CURRENT_USER as above. Couldn't see anything in local machine section.

Restarted. It seems to be gone from task manager but the xxxxing folder is still there in the start menu.

Hazel123 · Jul 6, 2025

I daren't touch it in the start menu! Last time I did that to right click and uninstall, it all started up again!. So - it's gone from registry, gone from taskbar, gone from task manager. But the folder is still there in the start menu.

Hazel123 · Jul 6, 2025

And it's in file explorer as well.

antspants · Jul 6, 2025

Take a look in here also

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Then check:

C:\Users\<YourUsername>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

And

C:\Users\<YourUsername>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

Delete any OneDrive-related shortcuts from these folders.

Then:

Press Win + S, type Task Scheduler, open it
In the left pane: Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Windows > OneDrive
Delete any OneDrive-related tasks if present

antspants · Jul 6, 2025

Hazel123 said:
And it's in file explorer as well.

Add or Remove OneDrive in Navigation Pane of File Explorer in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to add or remove OneDrive in the navigation pane of File Explorer for your account or all users in Windows 11. OneDrive is built-in to Windows 11 by default. With OneDrive, you can sync files between your computer and the cloud, so you can get to your files from...

www.elevenforum.com

Hazel123 · Jul 6, 2025

Nothing in that registry

There is a One Drive "icon" in C: My name - personal (no app data there?) - it won't let me delete it. "The action can't be completed because the folder or a file in it is open in another program".

antspants · Jul 6, 2025

I need to ask. How far along are you with the clean install?
If you haven’t really done anything yet, I’d honestly consider repeating the clean install and following this steps & tutorials in order, of the process glasskuter has listed brinks tutorials.

antspants · Jul 6, 2025

Hazel123 said:
Nothing in that registry

There is a One Drive "icon" in C: My name - personal (no app data there?) - it won't let me delete it. "The action can't be completed because the folder or a file in it is open in another program".

You ended all tasks?
Removed any OneDrive entries from Task Schedular?

antspants · Jul 6, 2025

Hazel, none of this should be necessary.
I think the initial removal of OneDrive you followed was incomplete.

In glasskuter & Brink, we trust

Hazel123 · Jul 6, 2025

antspants said:
I need to ask. How far along are you with the clean install?
If you haven’t really done anything yet, I’d honestly consider repeating the clean install and following this steps & tutorials in order, of the process glasskuter has listed brinks tutorials.

I had only just clean installed, upgraded to Pro, set policy editor and installed a browser. And done windows updates.

All I did after install was go to the One Drive folder in the start menu, right click and select uninstall - which took me to the apps list in settings - and it wasn't even there to uninstall. That's it really. Then when there was nowhere to uninstall it I did the winget command.

I just did a search for OneDrive in C: and masses of entries came up.

And yes I'm quite happy to start again but I think I might have the same issue. Does upgrading to pro install it in a different way?

antspants · Jul 6, 2025

Hazel123 said:
All I did after install was go to the One Drive folder in the start menu, right click and select uninstall

That’s the wrong process. (See below)

You’re a smart cookie so I know (?) that you created a system image before making any changes to Windows… Hazel… Hazel… you did, right?

Reload the image or reinstall Windows and follow this, line by line.

glasskuter said:
Onedrive-Remove-step by step
1. You first have to turn off backup folder syncing. This tutorial tells you how and also how to get your files onto your local drive.
https://www.elevenforum.com/t/turn-on-or-off-onedrive-folder-backup-syncing-across-windows-11-devices.4321/

NOTE: ONLY IF FOLDERS DO NOT MOVE TO DEFAULT LOCATION IN STEP 1 ABOVE DO THIS

If this happens, then you could try option three in the tutorials below to restore the default folder location and move your files manually from Onedrive into the folders..

Move or Restore Default Location of Desktop Folder in Windows 11

Move or Restore Default Location of Documents Folder in Windows 11 Tutorial

Move or Restore Default Location of Pictures Folder in Windows 11

Move or Restore Default Location of Videos Folder in Windows 11

2. Then you have to unlink account & PC from onedrive.
Unlink Account and PC from OneDrive in Windows 11

Once you do this the files you have in onedrive will remain there until you login to Onedrive on the Web and delete them.
Microsoft OneDrive

3. You can then either uninstall Onedrive or disable it. I prefer to disable it. Open Task Manager>Startup Apps
Find Onedrive in the list and, right click on it, select disable. This prevents Onedrive from auto-starting.

4. If you want to uninstall it instead, the best way is to use Revo Uninstaller Freeware Portable. You’ll find Onedrive under the Windows Apps section. Be sure to scan for and delete any leftover files and registry entries Revo finds. Download Revo Uninstaller Freeware - Free and Full Download

5. You can also use option 1 in this tutorial to uninstall it. It will leave a few registry entries behind though. Uninstall and Reinstall OneDrive in Windows 11

antspants · Jul 6, 2025

My process would be;

Once Windows is installed
You have completed Windows Update
You have upgraded to Windows Pro (if it isn’t already set digitally at Microsoft)
Create a system image.

Then attack the OS. At least then you can go back if something like this is amiss.

Step One: Remove OneDrive (glasskuters list)
Step Two: …
Step Three: Profit $$$
Step Four: Create another system image if all goes well.

et cetera et cetera

Hazel123 · Jul 6, 2025

Thanks. No I didn't do an image - I'd only just installed! But it's a good point to do one before changing anything with One Drive

Things must have really changed because I have never had such issues before. My current laptop was installed maybe 18 months ago (maybe longer). I installed Windows 10, uninstalled One Drive from programs in control panel. Upgraded to Windows 11. Uninstalled One Drive again from programs in control panel. Not a sign of it on this computer and it's on 24H2.

It seems now (and it seemed like that at install) that it AUTOMATICALLY syncs you to One Drive at install, before you get chance to uninstall it - is that right?

Hazel123 · Jul 6, 2025

I'm trying to work this out. Which version do I need to go back to, to be able to simply uninstall it, as I have in the past, without it starting to sync? And presumably straight after install and before any updates. (Although your method above sounds less time consuming

)

antspants · Jul 6, 2025

Hazel123 said:
It seems now (and it seemed like that at install) that it AUTOMATICALLY syncs you to One Drive at install, before you get chance to uninstall it - is that right?

It’s true that OneDrive doesn’t muck around or waste any time.

You could:

Disable the internet, follow glasskuters list then re-enable the internet and use Windows Update

Let it do whatever the hell it wants to, update your PC then follow glasskuters list. After that, remove your files from your Microsoft Account online

Go to OneDrive in your browser

Visit: https://onedrive.live.com
Log in with your Microsoft account (the one tied to OneDrive)
Remove files (But only after you have followed glasskuters list)

antspants · Jul 6, 2025

Hazel123 said:
Which version do I need to go back to

Not sure what you mean?

Are you happy to do a clean install?
I think the takeaway here is to “Follow glasskuters list in order” after a clean install.

If you clean install and immediately unlink your PC (Step one in glasskuters list) you should be fine.
But after all is done and dusted, you can log into OneDrive as I mentioned above, and remove any synced files.

I stress, complete glasskuters list before removing files online.

Poor @glasskuter, I’ve mentioned her 100 times lol

antspants · Jul 6, 2025

Clean install
Unlink PC from OneDrive
Remove OneDrive
Run Windows Update (which would already be downloading cumulative updates)

Hazel123 · Jul 6, 2025

Thanks - I appreciate all the help. I am not happy about this happening at all. I mean, I've been uninstalling Onedrive for years and never had an issue. It makes me feel like giving up on Windows 10 and 11 altogether (not that there's an option to keep 10 or 23H2!).

Sorry - just fed up! Whinge over. Logically I know - I just disconnect it from the computer and uninstall and then ignore. But - I don't like the way it's all over the place and synced automatically. I used to feel in control! And now I don't. Bah.

There's an interesting article about it here. Apologies to any fans of onedrive!

Microsoft is Silently Reversing Some OneDrive Enshittification in Windows 11

When it comes to Windows 11, OneDrive, and enshittification, I'm the canary in this particular coal mine. And I have something new to report.

www.thurrott.com

Hazel123 · Jul 6, 2025

So if I install Windows 10 22H2 from my usb stick (final version but there are still some updates after that) I can uninstall it in programs/control panel before I even connect to the internet. But I suspect when I do my digital pro upgrade, it will put it back on again. Just going to see if that happens anyway. But as soon as I upgrade to pro and set policy editor - it cuts my internet (but only installing Windows 10, not installing Windows 11!).

Can't uninstall One Drive

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