For Win 11 Users

[WildWestDesigns]

Don't know how widespread (if at all) this is (but I wouldn't be surprised). I just thought I would put this out here for those that may not want that feature active to be on the lookout if it does happen.

Microsoft caught turning on automatic OneDrive folder backup in Windows 11

Microsoft has been caught quietly changing OneDrive to automatic backup without asking users for authorization in Windows 11's setup.

www.tweaktown.com

 

[Pauly]

it's the first thing i uninstall on a win11 machine.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I hope your always checking it. Not totally unknown for things to re-appear after an update as well. Or to be turned on (or back on) after they were turned off.

Although, the downside of uninstalling components of Windows, usually that neuters something else. I remember when people were removing cortana, before MS did to make way for copilot and that really messed indexed search within the local file system. Thinks like that. At some point, I imagine One Drive being the same thing, may not be now, but I can easily see that happening. Most of these companies (seeing it with Adobe as well) are moving away from what they were for a long time, to mainly all about data.

 

[Pauly]

I hope your always checking it. Not totally unknown for things to re-appear after an update as well. Or to be turned on (or back on) after they were turned off.

Although, the downside of uninstalling components of Windows, usually that neuters something else. I remember when people were removing cortana, before MS did to make way for copilot and that really messed indexed search within the local file system. Thinks like that. At some point, I imagine One Drive being the same thing, may not be now, but I can easily see that happening. Most of these companies (seeing it with Adobe as well) are moving away from what they were for a long time, to mainly all about data.

AFAIK onedrive isn't connected to anything major. i haven't had it on my laptop for years. and ive removed it from other laptops around the office.
i know MS office will try save to it every now and then, same with adobe saving crap to creative cloud.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

AFAIK onedrive isn't connected to anything major. i haven't had it on my laptop for years. and ive removed it from other laptops around the office.
i know MS office will try save to it every now and then, same with adobe saving crap to creative cloud.

It's always possible that it's attached to something that might not be major for you, but is used by someone else. Cortana removal (before MS started decoupling/removing) would cause the search on the taskbar (and I'm pretty sure thru Explorer/Files as well) to be hinky if user removed. However, it did not affect the "find" command, so it really does also depend on workflow. It may not be, it honestly shouldn't be (I firmly believe that a lot of MS' "features" shouldn't be there, as is the case with a lot of software OEMs now it appears), but there is a history of that, particularly in certain regions, some things are done, but not in other regions.

But there is a pattern here, co-pilot/recall/one drive, at least those are the big ones.