OneDrive is the online file storage service (in what is commonly called the cloud) of Microsoft, which is also the publisher of Windows 10, its latest operating system. Practically, this type of service allows you to save your files (photos, videos, music, etc. …) and even share them easily. Microsoft through Windows 10, pushes a little to the adoption and use of its file storage service since OneDrive is installed by default with Windows 10. It is also fully integrated into the Windows 10 file explorer since it appears in the file tree:
But maybe you use another online file storage service like its competitors Dropbox or Google Drive. Or you don’t want to use an online storage service (that’s your right) to back up your files in the cloud.
The problem if you don’t want to use Microsoft OneDrive is that it is integrated with your Windows file explorer and there is always a folder and an icon in your explorer… Even if you have followed the tutorial to remove OneDrive from Windows 10 file explorer, the icon will remain and you may want to get rid of it like me!
Tutorial: How to Remove OneDrive Folder and Disable OneDrive icon in Windows 10 File Explorer
To disable OneDrive from file explorer (whether it is installed or you have uninstalled the software on your computer), you will have to once again go through the Windows 10 registry editor which allows you to change some Windows settings that are not accessible through the control panel:
- Right click on the Windows 10 Start menu (bottom left of your screen) and select Command Prompt (admin). or PowerShell (admin) if Command Prompt is not available in the Start menu.
- Type regedit in the Windows 10 command prompt to access the registry editor.
- Go to the folder HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTCLSID{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6} . For a 64 bit system, the key can also be located here: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTWow6432NodeCLSID{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6}
- Modify the key named System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree by right clicking on it and selecting Modify … . Set the value to 0 to disable the OneDrive icon in Windows Explorer.
- Restart your computer to permanently disable the OneDrive icon.