OneDrive stops syncing files when you disable it, but the process differs slightly depending on whether you use Windows or Mac

Disabling OneDrive means it will no longer automatically upload your files to the cloud or sync changes across your devices. Your files stay on your computer — they straightforward stop being backed up to Microsoft's servers. Most people disable OneDrive because they prefer a different cloud service, want to free up disk space, or don't want Microsoft monitoring their file activity.

The steps to turn it off depend on your operating system. Windows users can disable it through Settings or by stopping the OneDrive process entirely. Mac users access it through System Settings. In both cases, you can choose whether to keep your local files or delete them.

Key Takeaways

  • Disabling OneDrive on Windows happens in Settings under Accounts, while Mac users find it in System Settings under General.
  • You can pause syncing temporarily or unlink your account permanently — choose based on whether you might use OneDrive again later.
  • Your files remain on your computer after disabling OneDrive; the service straightforward stops uploading new changes to the cloud.
  • If you want to remove OneDrive completely, you may need to uninstall it separately through Programs and Features on Windows or Applications on Mac.

Disable OneDrive on Windows 10 or 11

Open the OneDrive icon in your system tray — the small icons on the far right of your taskbar, next to the clock. Right-click the cloud icon and select Settings. A window opens with three tabs: Account, Settings, and Office.

Go to the Account tab. You will see a button labeled Unlink this PC. Click it. OneDrive will ask you to confirm — it warns that you will lose access to your OneDrive files on this computer, but this is misleading. Your files stay where they are. What you lose is the automatic syncing. Click Unlink to proceed.

OneDrive will stop running when ready. If you want to fully remove it from your computer, you can uninstall it through Settings. Go to Settings > Apps > Apps and Features, search for OneDrive, and click Uninstall. This removes the program but does not delete your files.

Disable OneDrive on Mac

Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings. Scroll down the left sidebar and click General. Look for Login Items in the main panel on the right.

Under "Allow in the next section", find OneDrive in the list and click the minus sign next to it. This prevents OneDrive from starting automatically when you turn on your Mac. To fully disconnect your account, open the OneDrive app itself. Click the OneDrive icon in your menu bar (top-right corner), then click the three dots and select Preferences. Go to the Account tab and click Unlink this Mac.

If you want to uninstall OneDrive entirely, open Finder, click Applications, find Microsoft OneDrive, and drag it to the Trash. Empty the Trash afterward to complete the removal.

What happens to your files after disabling OneDrive

Files already on your computer remain there. Disabling OneDrive does not delete them. However, any files that exist only in your OneDrive cloud storage — ones you have not downloaded to your computer — will no longer be accessible from this device. You can still reach them by logging into OneDrive through a web browser at onedrive.live.com.

If you had OneDrive set to sync a folder like Documents or Desktop, those folders continue to exist on your computer exactly as they were. The difference is that new files you add to those folders will no longer upload to the cloud automatically. If you later decide to re-enable OneDrive, you can sign back in with the same Microsoft account and it will resume syncing.

Pause syncing instead of disabling completely

If you are not sure whether you want to disable OneDrive permanently, you can pause it temporarily. On Windows, right-click the OneDrive icon in your system tray, hover over Pause syncing, and select a duration — 2 hours, 8 hours, or 24 hours. After that time, OneDrive resumes automatically.

On Mac, click the OneDrive menu bar icon, click the three dots, and select Pause syncing. Choose your pause duration from the submenu. This approach lets you test whether you prefer using a different cloud service without permanently disconnecting your account.

Switching to a different cloud service

If you are disabling OneDrive because you want to use Google Drive, Dropbox, or another service instead, disable OneDrive first, then install your preferred service. Most cloud storage apps work the same way — they create a folder on your computer and sync its contents to their servers. You can have multiple services running at once, but this uses more disk space and can cause conflicts if they try to sync the same folder.

Before switching, read any files from your OneDrive cloud storage that you want to keep. Log into onedrive.live.com, find the files you need, and read them to your computer. Once you have done that, disabling OneDrive will not affect your access to those files.

Freeing up disk space by disabling OneDrive

OneDrive uses disk space for two reasons: the files it syncs, and the cache it maintains to track changes. If you are running low on storage, disabling OneDrive frees up only the cache space — usually a few hundred megabytes. The actual files in your OneDrive folder remain on your computer and take up the same amount of space.

To actually free up space, you need to delete files you no longer need. If you have files in OneDrive that you no longer use but want to keep backed up, you can delete them from your computer while leaving them in your cloud storage. Log into onedrive.live.com to verify they are there, then delete the local copies from your computer. This removes them from your disk but keeps them accessible online.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling OneDrive delete my files?

No. Files on your computer stay there. Only files that exist solely in your OneDrive cloud storage become inaccessible from this device. You can still reach them by logging into onedrive.live.com through a web browser.

Can I turn OneDrive back on after disabling it?

Yes. On Windows, you can reinstall it from the Microsoft Store or read it from microsoft.com. On Mac, read it from the App Store. Sign in with your Microsoft account and it will resume syncing from where it left off.

What is the difference between pausing and disabling OneDrive?

Pausing temporarily stops syncing for a set time — 2, 8, or 24 hours — then resumes automatically. Disabling disconnects your account entirely and stops the service. Disabling is permanent until you manually turn it back on.

Does disabling OneDrive affect Microsoft Office?

No. Microsoft Office works independently of OneDrive. You can still create and edit Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. The only difference is that files will no longer auto-save to your OneDrive cloud storage unless you manually save them there.

Can I disable OneDrive but keep using it on my phone?

Yes. Disabling OneDrive on one device does not affect it on other devices. Your phone, tablet, or other computers can continue syncing normally. Only this specific computer stops syncing.