Remove OneDrive Icon from File Explorer in Windows

Removing the OneDrive icon from File Explorer in Windows can be a bit tricky, but it's a straightforward process that only takes a few clicks.

To start, you'll need to open File Explorer and navigate to the "This PC" section, where you'll find the OneDrive icon.

Clicking on the OneDrive icon will open the OneDrive settings, where you can manage your OneDrive account and sync settings.

To remove the OneDrive icon, you'll need to disable the "OneDrive" option in the "File Explorer Options."

A different take: How to Open Onedrive in File Explorer

The OneDrive desktop application is preinstalled in Windows 11/10, making it easy to store data in the cloud and save local storage. OneDrive may constantly pop up to ask if you want to back up data online. It may take up unnecessary storage from your computer. OneDrive's notifications can be annoying and disrupt your workflow. The preinstalled OneDrive application can also clutter your File Explorer.

You can easily remove the OneDrive shortcut from File Explorer in Windows 10/11 by uninstalling it just like any other desktop application.

There are three quick ways to do this, depending on your Windows account version.

Here are the three methods:

The first method, removing OneDrive from Windows Settings, is the simplest way to get rid of the shortcut. Just head to your Windows PC Settings and uninstall the OneDrive desktop app.

To remove the OneDrive icon from File Explorer in Windows 11, you can use the Windows Registry method. This involves modifying a few registry keys to hide the icon.

You can open the Registry editor by pressing Win + R and typing regedit into the Run box. Navigate to the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6} and double-click the System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree DWORD value to change its value data from 1 to 0.

To complete the process, you'll also need to delete the {018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6} entry under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace.

Explore further: Windows 11 How to Remove Onedrive Icon in Hidden Folder

Here are the steps to remove the OneDrive icon using the Windows Registry method:

If you need to undo the change, you can simply change the System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree value back to 1 and recreate the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6} key.

Worth a look: How to Change Where Onedrive Saves Files