Windows 8.1: How to disable OneDrive

OneDrive has been an integral part of the operating system since Windows 8.1, so you cannot easily deactivate or uninstall it. We'll show you how to get around the lock with a little trick.

Disable OneDrive in Windows 8.1

Once OneDrive has been activated under Windows 8.1, the integration in Explorer cannot be undone. It can only be removed via an entry in the registry.

1. Press the "Windows" and "R" keys on your keyboard at the same time, so that the "Execute" command opens.
2. Enter "regedit" here and confirm your entry by clicking "OK".
3. The registry editor opens. You must now find the responsible entry here. To do this, navigate to the following path via the folders on the left: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Policies \ Microsoft \ Windows \ OneDrive"
4. Note: If the folder does not exist, you must first create it. To do this, right-click on the "Windows" folder. Now select the options "New" and "Key" in the context menu and name the folder "OneDrive".
5. Click in the folder on the right, move the mouse over the "New" button and select the "DWORD (32 bit)" option.
6. Name the entry "DisableFileSync" and double-click the file. Enter "1" as the value and click "OK".
7. Close the window and restart the computer. Then OneDrive should no longer be integrated in Explorer.