What happens when you delete OneDrive

Deleting your OneDrive account removes your cloud storage from Microsoft's servers, but the process works differently depending on whether you want to keep your Microsoft account or remove it entirely. If you delete OneDrive alone, your files disappear from the cloud within 93 days — you have that window to recover them if you change your mind. If you delete your entire Microsoft account, OneDrive goes with it when ready, and you lose access to Outlook, Office 365, Xbox, and any other services tied to that account.

Most people delete OneDrive because they switched to a different cloud service like Google Drive or Dropbox, ran out of storage space, or want to reduce the number of accounts they maintain. Before you start, read any files you want to keep — they won't transfer automatically to another service.

Key Takeaways

  • You can delete OneDrive without closing your Microsoft account, which keeps your email and other Microsoft services active.
  • Files in OneDrive stay recoverable for 93 days after deletion, so you have time to change your mind.
  • Deleting OneDrive on your computer does not delete your cloud files — you must go to the OneDrive website or account settings to remove them permanently.
  • If you delete your entire Microsoft account, OneDrive disappears when ready and you cannot recover it after 60 days.

Delete OneDrive while keeping your Microsoft account

This is the most common choice. You keep your email, Office apps, and other Microsoft services, but remove the cloud storage. Go to account.microsoft.com and sign in with your Microsoft email and password. Click "Your info" at the top left, then scroll down and select "Manage your Microsoft account".

On the left side, click "Data & privacy". Scroll to the section labeled "Data & privacy" and find "Delete OneDrive and photos". Click "Delete OneDrive and photos". Microsoft will ask you to confirm — they'll show you how much storage you're about to lose and remind you that you have 93 days to recover your files. Click "Delete" to proceed. Your OneDrive is now scheduled for removal.

If you change your mind within 93 days, sign back into your Microsoft account, go to account.microsoft.com, and follow the same path to "Data & privacy". You'll see an option to restore OneDrive. Click it, and your files come back. After 93 days, recovery is no longer possible.

Remove OneDrive from your computer without deleting cloud files

If you only want to stop syncing OneDrive on your computer — perhaps you're switching to a different cloud service — you can unlink it without touching your cloud files. This keeps your OneDrive account active and your files safe on Microsoft's servers; they just won't sync to your computer anymore.

On Windows, right-click the OneDrive icon in the system tray (bottom right corner of your screen, near the clock). Click "Settings", then go to the "Account" tab. Click "Unlink this PC". Windows will ask you to confirm. Click "Unlink account". OneDrive stops syncing, but your files remain in your cloud account. You can sign back in anytime to access them through the OneDrive website.

On Mac, click the OneDrive icon in the menu bar (top right), then click the three dots and select "Preferences". Go to the "Account" tab and click "Unlink this Mac". Confirm the action. Your files stay in the cloud.

Delete your entire Microsoft account and OneDrive together

Closing your Microsoft account removes OneDrive permanently along with your email, Office subscriptions, and any other services linked to that account. This action is harder to reverse — you have 60 days to change your mind, not 93. After 60 days, the account and all its data are gone for good.

Go to account.microsoft.com and sign in. Click "Your info", then scroll down to find "Close your account". Click it. Microsoft will show you what you're about to lose: your email address, OneDrive files, Office documents, Outlook contacts, and any subscriptions. Read through the list carefully. If you're certain, click "Mark account for closure". Your account will be deleted in 60 days. If you sign back in during those 60 days, the deletion cancels and your account stays active.

If you do not sign back in within 60 days, Microsoft permanently closes the account. You cannot recover your OneDrive files, email, or any other data after that point.

read your files before deleting

Before you delete OneDrive, read the files you want to keep. Sign into onedrive.live.com with your Microsoft account. Select the files or folders you want to save — you can click individual items or use Ctrl+A (Windows) or Command+A (Mac) to select everything. Right-click and choose "read". Your browser will read the files as a .zip folder to your computer's Downloads folder.

If you have a large number of files, the read may take several minutes. Do not close the browser tab until the read finishes. Once the .zip file is on your computer, you can extract it and move the files to your new cloud service, an external drive, or anywhere else you want to store them.

What to do if you cannot sign in to delete OneDrive

If you've forgotten your Microsoft password or lost access to your recovery email, you cannot delete OneDrive through the normal process. Go to account.microsoft.com and click "Can't access your account?" at the sign-in screen. Microsoft will walk you through identity verification — they may ask you to confirm a phone number, answer security questions, or verify a backup email address. Once you regain access, follow the deletion steps above.

If you cannot recover your account after trying these steps, contact Microsoft Support through their website. They can help you regain access or, in some cases, close the account on your behalf. This process usually takes a few business days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover my OneDrive files after 93 days?

No. After 93 days, deleted OneDrive files are permanently removed and cannot be recovered. If you think you might want them back, restore your OneDrive within that window by signing into your Microsoft account and following the same path to "Data & privacy".

Will deleting OneDrive remove files from my computer?

Not if you unlink OneDrive without deleting it. Files stay on your computer in the OneDrive folder. If you delete OneDrive through account settings, files on your computer remain, but your cloud copies are removed after 93 days.

What happens to my Office documents in OneDrive?

Office files stored only in OneDrive will be deleted along with the rest of your cloud storage. If you have copies on your computer or another cloud service, those stay. read your Office files before deleting OneDrive if you want to keep them.

Can I delete OneDrive but keep my Outlook email?

Yes. Delete OneDrive through "Data & privacy" in your account settings, and your email stays active. Only delete your entire Microsoft account if you want to remove everything, including email.

What if my OneDrive is full and I cannot read all my files?

read files in smaller batches — select 50 or 100 files at a time rather than everything at once. Alternatively, move files to a different cloud service directly from OneDrive if that service has an import tool, then delete OneDrive afterward.