Uninstalling OneDrive - Where do Docs go?

Greetings,

I'm tired of OneDrive always popping up (even when not running via Startup Programs). I'm not going to use it so I don't want it on my system. I can uninstall it using the Tutorials here on the site, but what happens to the Docs that I already have there? Do I move them? How does Windows know where they went?

Thanks for helping out this noob......

Taliseian said:

Greetings,

I'm tired of OneDrive always popping up (even when not running via Startup Programs). I'm not going to use it so I don't want it on my system. I can uninstall it using the Tutorials here on the site, but what happens to the Docs that I already have there? Do I move them? How does Windows know where they went?

Thanks for helping out this noob......

Click to expand...

That's a hot potato, nobody bites LOL. OK, I will

The short answer to your question is to back up your user data on an external backup medium and after you get rid of OneDrive, restore your user data back on your computer.

The long answer to your question is pretty long. Getting PERMANENTLY rid of OneDrive is MUCH MUCH more than just uninstalling the OneDrive app. Moreover, Microsoft is still working on OneDrive and the steps in getting rid of OneDrive are changing accordingly. Someone once described it as clearing mines in a changing minefield LOL

But I can still try to describe the steps in getting rid of OneDrive by describing the steps in terms of what you need to achieve, little step by little step.

The first little step is to back up your user data on an external backup medium. Make sure that you can restore your user data back on your computer.

The second little step is to change the OneDrive setting to stop sync for all OneDrive folders. Restart a couple of times while connected or disconnected from the Internet. Make sure that the OneDrive setting remains at 'no sync' for all OneDrive folders under all conditions.

The third little step is to uninstall the OneDrive app. Restart a couple of times while connected or disconnected from the Internet. Make sure that the OneDrive app remains uninstalled under all conditions.

The fourth little step is to delete the OneDrive folders. Restart a couple of times while connected or disconnected from the Internet. Make sure that the OneDrive folders remain deleted under all conditions.

The fifth little step is to make sure that your library folders (Desktop, Downloads, Documents, etc.) are located on your C: drive. Restart a couple of times while connected or disconnected from the Internet. Check that your library folders remain located on the C: drive under all conditions.

If you use Microsoft apps (like Word, Excel, etc.) then you need to take a sixth little step, which is to change the default file save location to 'computer'. Restart a couple of times while connected or disconnected from the Internet. Make sure that the default file save location remains 'computer' under all conditions.

The seventh little step is to restore your user data back on your computer. Work with your user data and make sure that ALL your files from ALL your apps are saved on your computer by default.

The eigth little step is to restart a couple of times while connected or disconnected from the Internet. Make sure that what you have achieved in the previous seven little steps remain unchanged under all conditions.

Good luck!

For the "third little step" above... use REVO Uninstaller (free), to uninstall OneDrive, and make sure that you use REVO's "scan for leftovers" as well. Delete everything that the "scan for leftovers" finds.





Note: For "any" program or app that you want or need to uninstall... use REVO Uninstaller, and it's "scan for leftovers" tool.

It has not been mentioned that 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/

Then you have to unlink account & PC from onedrive.
https://www.elevenforum.com/t/unlink-account-and-pc-from-onedrive-in-windows-11.15162/
Once you do this the files you have in onedrive will remain there until you login to Onedrive on the Web and delete them.
Sign in - Microsoft OneDrive

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.

If you want to uninstall it use Revo Uninstaller Freeware Portable. Be sure to delete any leftover files and registry entries Revo finds.

Do you really need to uninstall OneDrive? After years of using and fighting with Windows, I find the best thing to do is to NOT uninstall any built-in applications. They tend to come back and bite you later. I would just disable it.

If you have a Microsoft account, then you have a OneDrive folder in your Microsoft account by default.

After doing the little steps in my post #2, that OneDrive folder in your Microsoft account is completely passive, it's like having a USB stick in the cloud.

That's the only thing that I did not delete, but I don't use it much either (only a few MB in it) If you don't use the USB stick in the cloud, you won't even notice that it exists.