Optimizing Windows 11: Making the Most of Your Cloud Storage with OneDrive

Microsoft’s OneDrive is really good as a cloud storage service, but like many other services from the company, Microsoft oversells it and pushes it to people who might not want it. Windows 11 is now going a step further and making it difficult to turn off automatic backups to OneDrive.

Microsoft is under fire for enabling automatic OneDrive folder backup by default in new Windows 11 installations without user consent. The issue itself lies within OneDrive’s folder backup feature, which can be useful for people who need online backups of PC folder, but appears to be implemented in an extremely aggressive manner for new users. Once a Microsoft Account is linked, OneDrive automatically backs up desktop folders, potentially leading to a cluttered desktop and exceeding the free 5GB storage limit.

A lot of people tend to clutter their desktop with downloads and shortcuts, as well as “easy access” files that can be heavy, and this can get problematic if those files get uploaded to the cloud with such a low limit. You always get access to 5GB of OneDrive storage with every Microsoft account, and that’s what your computer uses to back up that stuff.

While the feature can be turned off, the fact that it is enabled by default and coupled with prompts to upgrade storage has (understandably) irritated a lot of people. You might not even immediately realize your files are being uploaded to the cloud. Allowing people to install and use OneDrive by default is not the problem, and suggesting users to use OneDrive over other services is not a problem either as long as it’s done the right way. By doing this kind of thing, however, it might drive away people instead.

Ultimately, you can uninstall OneDrive to avoid the issue entirely. However, it’s clear that Microsoft should reconsider its approach to better respect user preferences and avoid alienating customers. The next time you set up a Windows 11 computer, or help a friend or family member set up their shiny new PC, this is probably something you should keep in mind.

Source: The Register