How to Turn On or off OneDrive in Windows 11

How to Turn On or Off OneDrive Using the Local Group Policy Editor

The Local Group Policy Editor lets you manage OneDrive for every user account on the computer by changing one policy. It is built into Windows 11 Pro, Education, and Enterprise. It is not included in Windows 11 Home, so if you can’t find it, skip to the registry method further down. Because this is a machine-wide policy, you don’t have to change settings in each user profile.

1. Click the Start button and type Edit group policy.
2. Click the Edit group policy app in the search 🔍 results. The Local Group Policy Editor opens. If Windows asks for permission, click Yes.
3. In the left pane, click through the folders to follow this path:
   
   
   Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > OneDrive
   
4. When you reach the last folder, look at the right pane. Double-click the setting named Prevent the usage of OneDrive for file storage. A settings window opens.
5. Pick one of the three options:

   • Not Configured (default) – OneDrive works normally.
   • Enabled – OneDrive is turned off and cannot be used.
   • Disabled – OneDrive is turned on and works normally.
6. Click OK, then close the Local Group Policy Editor.
7. Restart your 🔄 computer to make the change take effect.

“Enabled” means the block is enabled, so OneDrive is off. When the block is active, OneDrive stops syncing and disappears from the File Explorer 📁 navigation pane. Your existing files are not deleted. They stay in the local OneDrive folder and in the cloud.

To undo the change, open the same policy again, choose Not Configured, click OK, and restart. This returns the PC to its default state, which is usually the cleanest way to reverse it.

How to Turn On or Off OneDrive Using the Windows Registry

You turn OneDrive on or off by adding or changing one value in the registry. This method changes core system settings, so follow the path and value name exactly. A typo can create a setting that does nothing, or cause errors you then have to track down. Sign in with an administrator account before you start.

1. Press Win + R on your keyboard, type regedit, and press Enter. Click Yes if User Account Control asks for permission. The Registry Editor opens.
2. Optional but wise: click File › Export and save a backup of the registry to a location you can find later. If something goes wrong, you can restore it with File › Import
3. In the left pane, expand the folders to reach this path:
   
   
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\OneDrive
   
4. Check whether an OneDrive key already exists under Windows. If it doesn't, right-click Windows, choose New › Key, and name it OneDrive. The new key appears in the left pane.
5. Click the OneDrive key to select it. In the empty area of the right pane, right-click and choose New › DWORD (32-bit) Value.
6. Name the new value DisableFileSyncNGSC and press Enter. It appears in the list with a value of 0.
7. Double-click DisableFileSyncNGSC and enter the value data:

   • 1 to turn OneDrive off
   • 0 to turn OneDrive on
8. Click OK, close the Registry Editor, and restart your computer.

Keep the value name exactly as written, including the capital letters. To undo the change later, set the value back to 0, or right-click the value and choose Delete. Restart afterwards. The value is the same one the Group Policy method sets, so you can use whichever tool is available.

Summary

• OneDrive helps you save and access files online on Windows 11.
• You can turn OneDrive on or off using the Local Group Policy Editor or Windows Registry.
• Turning OneDrive off stops syncing and removes it from File Explorer.
• If you want, you can completely uninstall OneDrive from your PC.
• Always restart your computer after making changes for them to work.

What Happens When OneDrive Is Disabled?

• You won’t be able to open OneDrive from its app or the file picker window.
• Apps from the Microsoft Store won’t be able to use OneDrive.
• OneDrive will not show up in the File Explorer sidebar.
• Your files won’t sync with the cloud anymore.
• Photos and videos won’t automatically upload from your camera roll.

How to Uninstall OneDrive from 🪟 Windows 11

If you want to completely remove OneDrive from your PC, you can uninstall it.

Follow the detailed guide here: How to uninstall and remove OneDrive from Windows 11

More Help and Official Information

For official Microsoft help, check out their page here: Microsoft OneDrive Support

Summary

• OneDrive helps you save and access files online on Windows 11.
• You can turn OneDrive on or off using the Local Group Policy Editor or Windows Registry.
• Turning OneDrive off stops syncing and removes it from File Explorer.
• If you want, you can completely uninstall OneDrive from your PC.
• Always restart your computer after making changes for them to work.