Users of the Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 operating systems can see a program icon called onedrive in the system tray near the clock. Few people install it on purpose. Onedrive is installed automatically along with the operating system, and also during system updates. In this article you will learn what OneDrive is for, what it is and how to remove it.

OneDrive system tray icon

What does Onedrive do?

OneDrive received this name in 2014. Until this time it was called SkyDrive.

Yandex and Google have their own cloud storages, which are analogues of OneDrive.

This program is cloud storage on the Internet with a volume of 15 to 25 GB. And completely free. Speaking more in simple language OneDrive is a piece of personal space on the Internet on Microsoft servers where you can copy and store any of your data.

Subsequently, they can be accessed from a smartphone or laptop from anywhere in the world where there is Internet access.

Thanks to support for the WebDAV protocol, the OneDrive cloud space is easily connected to your computer and appears as a separate local drive in “My Computer.”

OneDrive connected via WebDAV protocol

How to remove OneDrive windows 10 completely?

If you don't plan to use Microsoft's free 25 GB of internet storage, then you simply don't need OneDrive. And you can safely delete it, because it boots along with Windows and constantly hangs in RAM.

To remove OneDrive you need to go to "" and find "Programs and Features" there.

Logging into Control Panel in Windows 10

Removing Microsoft OneDrive

Hi all! If you have to use during the day various types computers - desktop in the office, laptop at home, tablet in the car, smartphone on the street, then it’s time to find out - OneDrive, what kind of program it is and how it can make your life more comfortable and your work productive.

About Microsoft OneDrive

Often promising ideas come to mind in a completely non-working environment. For example, a journalist came up with a wonderful paragraph for an article while walking in the park and recorded it on his smartphone. After arriving at the editorial office, you will need to connect your mobile device to your laptop or desktop, look for the draft file on your hard drive, insert it, edit it.

All this takes up a lot of precious time. While the user is looking for cables and thinking about where to plug them in, brilliant creative thoughts may be forgotten. The Microsoft OneDrive cloud is a wonderful service that will immediately relieve you of the difficulties described above.

By connecting to cloud service Microsoft user gets the opportunity to synchronize all your devices. This means that when a journalist has typed part of an article on a tablet, all edits are instantly saved on a remote server. And when will it be included in the editorial office? office computer, word processor MS Word will immediately open exactly where the entries made on the mobile device were completed.

How OneDrive works

OneDrive - what is this program and how does the whole system function? OneDrive is a so-called “regular drive”, in other words, a service for presenting a certain amount of memory on remote server, access to which is provided via the Internet.

You can install OneDrive for different platforms by downloading from the official Microsoft services website. Installation is carried out in the usual manner, like any other computer program. It is important to download OneDrive from the official website, since outdated versions may be incompatible with latest updates OS and firmware of mobile devices.

How to use OneDrive - easy start

To obtain the right to use a cloud drive, you must be a registered member of Microsoft services. Simply put, you need to create a Hotmail email address. It's free and open to the public.

How to sync OneDrive on a desktop computer? During the installation of the OneDrive app on your computer, you will be asked to select a folder on local disk, where folders and files to be synchronized across all devices will be stored.

If OneDrive was already included in the Windows OS distribution, then obviously the sync folder will already exist.

With help context menu can produce more fine settings synchronization

• Assign limited synchronization to only certain files and folders.
• Disable synchronization completely and store files only on the local disk.
• Move all files and folders that need to be synchronized to the OneDrive folder.

When you use mobile device, in the File Manager you can connect the Microsoft OneDrive cloud and, if desired, send files there for storage. When installing the MS Office application on your tablet, log in in the settings using the address Email and password and further in the process of working with documents, saving editorial changes in the cloud storage will be carried out automatically.

Automatic saving of photos and videos, instant sending to social profiles using the OneDrive service - how to use? There is nothing complicated here either.

• During the installation of the application on your smartphone or tablet, a window will appear asking you to enable the auto-saving function of photos and videos on remote disk. You can configure it to upload lighter versions of photos to the cloud, so as not to waste Internet traffic.

Similarly, in OneDrive settings you can specify accounts in in social networks, where you need to automatically send every photo taken with your smartphone and recorded video.

Troubleshooting OneDrive problems

Sometimes there is such a nuisance that OneDrive does not sync – loading indicator local files on cloud drive does not turn green and the Notification Panel does not display the normal synchronization process. What could be the problem here?

• Stay tuned for updates operating system computer - an outdated version of the OS is common cause OneDrive malfunctions.
• Uploading files to the cloud is limited to 10 GB. If the file is larger in size, synchronization will not occur. Squeeze big file using WinRar or WinZip and send as an archive.

What to do if OneDrive won't start ? The problem could be an internal glitch in the program or operating system. First, try restarting your computer and starting over. If rebooting doesn't help, uninstall the app and try installing OneDrive again.

Sometimes a notification appears that “OneDrive - Personal files have stopped syncing”. In such a situation, the following algorithm helps.

• Go to the folder with installed program and holding down the Shift key, right-click on an empty space open folder and select menu item "Open command menu", further in command line Type the command “onedrive.exe /reset” and press Enter. After that, run the program again by entering “onedrive.exe” and pressing Enter.

The OneDrive program will reset and after that normal operation should recover.

That's all I have for OneDrive. There is also an article about a similar one on my blog. See you soon!

Best regards, Evgeniy Kuzmenko.

OneDrive is a cloud storage created ten years ago by Microsoft specialists; it is part of a package of online services. It used to be called SkyDrive, but after a lawsuit from a British company, the sign had to be changed, although the functions did not change. Many users have already appreciated its advantages.

OneDrive - what is it?

What is OneDrive - this is online storage for important materials, initially 7 GB of space was provided, then the amount was reduced to 1 GB. Constant improvements to software products by Microsoft specialists have made it possible to open access to 15 GB on a remote server. To those who have account Microsoft and legal update packages, even 25 GB available. You can add more if you wish. This program is convenient because:

• there is a preview of recordings in the form of thumbnails or slides;
• you can determine the level of access yourself, from personal to “for everyone”;
• There are applications for Androids and iPhones;
• for business you can get a stand-alone version of the program;
• the procedure for downloading files is simplified;
• users can exchange materials;
• you can create office documents online.

What is Microsoft OneDrive for?

The Microsoft OneDrive cloud allows you to store a lot of documents and videos without cluttering up your computer's memory; access to the storage is easy even through Android, Symbian and Xbox. The principle of operation is the same as that of other file synchronization services. A folder is created, files that are accessible from different devices where the OneDrive account is used.

The main thing is the presence of the Internet and installation of a special client. Why OneDrive is needed - this program opens up almost unlimited storage possibilities important information, and also:

• automatic saving of videos and photos;
• instant sending of materials to social profiles;
• mailbox and the ability to work with materials online.

Which is better - OneDrive or Dropbox?

Many users are wondering which is better - OneDrive or Dropbox? Experts note: both operate according to the same model: they synchronize online storage with a computer or tablet, indicating synchronization folders. Brief comparative characteristics:

1. OneDrive and Dropbox provide the ability to edit materials, which are then synchronized with the online version.
2. Both do not open using file version history from the desktop application.
3. Unlike OneDrive, Dropbox provides a web link in the home menu to this magazine.
4. Dropbox provides a short history of file changes and provides the ability to take screenshots, but OneDrive does not.
5. They don't give you a chance to encrypt files manually.

How to use OneDrive?

OneDrive is a service in which you can store up to 5 GB of information completely free of charge; for many, this space is quite enough. Using OneDrive is easy, the main thing is to strictly follow the instructions. First, you need to register for a Microsoft account. This is done in three steps:

1. Make sure you have - latest version Windows. To register you need to use the mailbox Hotmail.
2. Sign in with your Microsoft account. To do this, click “Start”, then “Settings”, then “Accounts” - “Your account”.
3. You will be signed out of your local account to your Microsoft account. When you next boot Windows, you need to specify the username and password from your Microsoft account.

OneDrive – registration requires the following step: log into the application with your email and password. File synchronization will start automatically immediately. Select a folder for the files to be synchronized and transfer the materials to the “OneDrive” folder. How to automatically save photos and videos using this service? During installation of the application, a window will appear asking you to enable autosaving to a remote disk.

How to connect OneDrive?

OneDrive - what is this program and how to create an account on OneDrive? You need to go to “this computer”, click on “computer”, select “connect network drive" The action diagram follows:

1. Select the name of the disk, check the box next to “restore connection when logging in.”
2. In the folder location column we enter docs.live.net@SSL and - user_id. To find out the ID, you need to go to OneDrive, open one of the directories and copy the data to address bar, which stand between “?id=” and “%”.
3. Click "Done".

How to invite friends for OneDrive?

The OneDrive app is very convenient, but many would be willing to increase the number of gigabytes on the cloud. Microsoft gives another 500 MB for each person you invite. The maximum number of gift “spaces” is 10 GB. How to invite friends? The action plan is as follows:

1. Go to OneDrive, then go to “storage management”.
2. Click on the line “Increase storage space”, select “Bonus for invitations”.
3. A referral link will appear, using which friends can become users.

OneDrive update

Sometimes users have a problem: why is OneDrive not updating? For those who use Office-365 for business with the Click-to-Run app, the update occurs automatically, as long as this feature is turned on. If problems arise, first you need to make sure what technology your applications were installed on. You can update OneDrive like this:

1. In the Office application, select “File”, then “Account”.
2. In the Product Details section, look for Office Updates.
3. If the update options indicate that “updates are downloaded and installed automatically,” then the applications were installed using Click-to-Run technology.
4. Click the “Enable updates” command button.

How to increase OneDrive space?

For many users, the cloud space initially offered is insufficient, and it is not always possible to improve the situation with the help of friends. How to increase OneDrive? It is possible to get 1 terabyte of free space, but to do this you need to subscribe to the Office-365 package. The price is noticeable, but so are the benefits. Because you immediately have unlimited access to many valuable programs, not to mention OneDrive on operating systems.

How to disable OneDrive?

There are situations when users want to disable OneDrive Microsoft, but they don’t know in what way. There are several methods, they work the same way, each user chooses which one is easier for him to use. The three most popular are:

1. In the “Run” menu, click the “gpedit.msc” command or go through the administrative templates to the system settings. Select the “OneDrive” section. A window will appear in the settings where you need to prohibit saving files in the cloud.
2. Can be disabled via the registry. Using the “regedit” command, go to the editor, then follow the “HKEY_- LOCAL_- MACHINE” chain to the “Software” section. Next - through Microsoft settings– in OneDrive. Click on the right to create a DWORD parameter. Exit the registry and restart the machine.
3. The easiest option. Through the settings, go to “OneDrive”, go to file storage. Find the line “saving documents by default”. Set it to "turn off".

How to remove OneDrive?

OneDrive is very useful application What kind of program this is is already more or less clear. If necessary, you can remove it, but you can install it again only if you re-install Windows. This aspect is very important to consider, but if the service is not needed and the decision is final, then the question immediately arises: how to remove Microsoft OneDrive? The easiest way is to disable saving documents in the storage:

1. Click on the “Win” icon and select “Find”.
2. IN search bar Enter the words “computer settings”.
3. Select the option of the same name.
4. In the list of options, click on “OneDrive”.
5. The “file storage” function will appear; there, put the icon in the “off” position.

The Windows phone cloud will make working with your smartphone much easier thanks to its virtually inexhaustible storage capacity (up to 100 GB), in which you can store any media files as well as personal data, such as contacts or SMS texts, and in case you lose your phone or replace it with another, with the help of cloud storage they can be easily restored and transferred to another smartphone.

How to use Windows Phone 8 cloud

In order to start using cloud storage on version 8 of the operating system Windows systems, you just need to register your account in the system, and after that the cloud storage will always work as long as the Internet is turned on.

Every new message you write or receive will definitely be entered into the cloud, and if you have access to this moment If there is no connection to the Internet, it will be transferred later, when you first access the Internet. It is also possible to enable the Applications + Settings backup function. When you turn it on, almost every action you perform on your phone is recorded in the cloud: words that the dictionary remembers, application settings, progress in applications, their cache, voice mail and even desktop settings with the location of icons - all this is saved in the cloud and can be used on a new phone in seconds to make it as convenient as possible and personalized specifically for you.

The same applies to contacts - all new contacts are saved on your account, and if necessary, they can always be transferred to another phone. We will now tell you how to do this.

How to save contacts to the Windows Phone cloud

Saving contacts on Windows smartphones is very simple - you just need to create an account in Windows Live and all basic data, such as SMS messages and contact book, will be automatically saved in the cloud.

How to delete data from the Windows Phone cloud

To clear all data from the cloud, you will first need to disable all synchronization settings on all devices with which you are connected. this account. Next, you will need to enter the cloud storage page https://skydrive.live.com/win8personalsettingsprivacy, and agree to the deletion by pressing the only “Remove” button on the page.

If you need to delete not all data from the cloud, but some specific ones, then you need to go to https://skydrive.live.com/Options/DeviceBackups and delete all backups unnecessary to you more file, now all that remains is to delete the original file on your smartphone.

Conclusion