How to prevent OneDrive from opening on startup in Windows

Tired of booting up OneDrive with Windows? Here’s how to stop it.

OneDrive is a popular cloud storage client that comes preinstalled on Windows computers. By default, OneDrive runs automatically every time you start your computer. However, if you find that OneDrive’s autostart feature isn’t serving a useful purpose for you, you can turn it off.

In this post, we will discuss 5 easy ways to prevent Microsoft OneDrive from opening at startup on Windows.

1. Configure the OneDrive startup settings

If the OneDrive app is already open on your computer, you can configure its settings to prevent it from launching at startup. To do this, follow these steps:

1. press the OneDrive icon on the taskbar. If it’s missing, expand the Show hidden icons menu and then click OneDrive icon.
2. press the gear shaped icon and select settings from the menu that appears.
3. in the Sync and backup Tab, toggle the switch next to off Start OneDrive when I log into Windows.

   

2. Disable OneDrive from launching using Task Manager

Task Manager is a useful utility for managing startup apps on Windows. Here’s how you can use Task Manager to prevent OneDrive from opening at startup.

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc together on your keyboard to quickly open the task manager app.
2. Switch to startup apps Tab.
3. Locate OneDrive.exe on the list. Right-click on it and select Deactivate from the context menu.

   

3. Disable OneDrive as a startup app using Windows settings

Another way to enable or disable startup apps on Windows is through the Settings app. Here’s how to prevent OneDrive from opening on startup from Settings:

1. Right click on the Start icon and select settings from the list.
2. Navigate to Applications > Home.
3. Scroll through the list to find them Microsoft OneDrive and then disable the switch next to it.

   

4. Stop OneDrive from starting with Registry Editor

You can also use Registry Editor to disable OneDrive from starting automatically on Windows. Since editing registry files is a bit risky, you should only use this method if the others don’t work. Also, you should consider backing up all registry files or creating a restore point before proceeding. If you need help with this, see our guides on backing up the Windows registry and creating a restore point on Windows.

1. Press victory + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type regedit in the field and press Input.
3. Choose Yes when the User Account Control (UAC) prompt appears.
4. In the Registry Editor window, in the left pane, navigate to Computer > HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Run.
5. In the right pane, right-click the A ride Start file and select Extinguish.
6. Choose Yes to confirm.

   

5. Stop OneDrive startup with Command Prompt

If you’re unfamiliar with Registry Editor, you can also use Command Prompt to delete the OneDrive startup file and prevent the app from launching on startup. Here’s how:

1. Click on the magnifying glass icon in the taskbar or use the victory + S Shortcut to open the search menu.
2. Type command prompt in the search box and select Execute as administrator.
3. When the User Account Control (UAC) prompt appears, select Yes keep going.
4. Paste the following command into the console and press Input.

    reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run" /f /v "OneDrive" 

Once you run the above command, the OneDrive startup file will be removed from your system and the app will no longer run on startup.

Prevent OneDrive from opening at startup on Windows

Now you know several ways to prevent OneDrive from opening at startup on Windows. This not only frees up valuable system resources, but also reduces Windows startup time.

If OneDrive isn’t your preferred cloud storage service, you can also disable it or completely remove it from your Windows computer.