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To clarify, only the Windows 11 Pro version has the "Only save files to this PC" option to opt out of OneDrive during installation. It seems that option was removed from the Windows 11 Home installation. Upon completion of the Windows 11 Home installation, OneDrive is installed, running and doing its (potentially unwanted) thing. No way around it.
I have the Home version, as far as I know, and I have the option to save docs either on One Drive or C>users
I see Method 2 and Method 4 as the easiest/most straightforward, and if I bought a new Windows 11 PC now, I would use one of those two methods.
I have one PC laptop that came with Windows 11 (purchased new in December of 2022). I was impatient, and I already had a Microsoft account, so I set it up signing into my Microsoft account.
I later signed out of my Microsoft account on that PC and created a local account and signed in under that. That was my journey re 'getting to a local account' (rather than the methods in the link above).
Being signed into a local account, for me, did away with the 'Windows 11 peskiness (including being 'bothered' by OneDrive)' that you've described in this thread.
I have the Home version, as far as I know, and I have the option to save docs either on One Drive or C>users
They all have that option. I was referring specifically to the installation process for Windows 11. Moot point for you since you received your laptop already installed.
OK, I am staying on Windows 10 for as long as I can...
I don't like having to scroll on the start menu in Windows 10 so, earlier this month, I pulled out/dragged/expanded the 'tiles section' of the Start Menu in Windows 10 on my 15.6" HP Spectre laptop as far as I could. I don't have that computer with me to look at (I'm in a cafe), but it covered (after the pull out) about 3/4 of the screen, or perhaps more. I was able to get 110 apps (icons, arranged in folders, but all of those icons visible without more clicking) into the tile part of the start menu.
'Stock' Windows 11 is much more limiting, and I wanted at least as expansive a view in Windows 11 on my Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360 as I had adapted the Start in Windows 10 on my HP to display.
In one place it says the trial is 30 days, but it's actually 100 days. Then (for 1 PC) you pay a one time $4.99 if you like it and want to continue.
You can choose 'Proper 11', 'Kinda 10', and 'Remastered 7'....and pick various options within each, with some going back to Vista and to XP.
I picked, among other things, 'Proper 11', also oriented the start over to the left (like before Windows 11), and I chose the 'fly out' (like what started in XP). With that I can view almost 200 apps (I counted them ) all at once without scrolling.
How do you uninstall Microsoft CoPilot in Windows 11? Please explain step by step.
You cannot uninstall it as you can other app in Settings. Each installed apps have 3 options that include uninstall, except CoPilot which "Advanced Options" . There is an option to Terminate whatever that means. But it does not work.
Why is Microsoft so sneaky and devious?
I had to figure out why people are disagreeing about this so I watched a few Windows 11 installation videos. This is what I found. OneDrive is indeed forced with a Windows 11 Home installation. But it didn't used to be that way.
To clarify, only the Windows 11 Pro version has the "Only save files to this PC" option to opt out of OneDrive during installation. It seems that option was removed from the Windows 11 Home installation. Upon completion of the Windows 11 Home installation, OneDrive is installed, running and doing its (potentially unwanted) thing. No way around it.
At this point, with OneDrive running and files going to the cloud, the user might say "I don't want that!" Oh well, they are already there. Now it is up to the user to figure out what is going on, figure out if they have to cough up more money to use it when they run out of space, and finally figure out how to force their way back out of OneDrive. Microsoft created an avoidable problem for people that are not tech-savvy.
User could also jump throught the hoops of downloading files to save locally and deleting from OneDrive.
I LIKE OneDrive, but don't care to be jammed into unnecessary stuff.
Awesome advice Turco, as usual. Hell I learned something too. Never played around with customizing the right click.
So you like how it works on your iPhone, but your PC works the same way, and you hate it.
In defense of OneDrive: There is SOME advantage to using OneDrive. And the cost to get the bigger drive...is $24 a year. Some would argue a tiny price to pay to know that your files are safe and backed up. And if you get a new computer or yours just flat out dies? Buy a new one, login with your Microsoft account and without you doing anything else...all your stuff is there. Like magic. or ...like an iPhone if you pay for the extra iCloud storage. Millions of people have -0- bother spending $12 a year for iCloud storage...but Onedrive? Which does FAR MORE? Well that's a bridge to far...
And all this brouhahaha about "the cloud"...
Fact: Microsoft does not get access to your stuff.
Fact: Google doesn't with if you use Google stuff.
Fact: Dropbox isn't looking at your photos either.
Fact: All these online storage companies encrypt and protect your data.
Fact: Employees at these companies aren't looking at your stuff.
In this day and age, I cannot even imagine how badly any of these companies would get raked over the coals if they were ever found to be looking at your stuff.
And YES Google does index your email. The main reason being so you can search a million emails in 2 seconds...not because they are reading your email.
I get it...it's popular to not trust and in some cases, even HATE these companies...but the fact is they do take your privacy seriously.
But, again, even if you create a MS account, you do NOT have to use OneDrive.
Using OneDrive as your main backup method works if you don't have gigabytes of files. But a lot do. To use OneDrive as your backup means keeping all your personal files on OneDrive and for some like me, that would be over 1000 gigabytes.
In the event of restoring 1000's of gigabytes of files, it could take days if not weeks, to download. Thus, except for some, OneDrive or DropBox should not be your main backup location.
I know someone who thought DropBox was the way to backup their data and it's always 'in process' because they have 100's of gigabytes. And DropBox will move windows system folders like your Desktop folder on your PC and we found no way to restore it.
I strongly advise not using the cloud as your main backup (of all your data). It can be a second backup.
One small thing I don't like about Windows 11 and this might be a Chrome thing and I probably won't be describing it correctly.
I keep 3 chrome windows open:
1) Yahoo Mail
2) Gmail
3) Facebook, Nextdoor, other misc tabs
I do this because in Win 10 I could see if I got new email without opening up the individual Chrome window, I'd see a little notification number in the window. In windows 10, all three Chrome windows showed the Chrome icon circle in my bottom tray. In Win 11, the 3 Chrome icons are on top of each other and I have to hover on it to go to the window I'm not on. It's just a little annoyance, the technician at the computer store said this was a Chrome thing.
I am not very technical so I might be saying Chrome window when it's really a tab. If anyone knows what I'm talking about and can help, please do so! Thanks!
Using OneDrive as your main backup method works if you don't have gigabytes of files.
There's literally a 1 TERABYTE option. If you need more then that? Yea, maybe look into something else.
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But a lot do. To use OneDrive as your backup means keeping all your personal files on OneDrive and for some like me, that would be over 1000 gigabytes.
So for the small handful of people like you, it may not be worth it.
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In the event of restoring 1000's of gigabytes of files, it could take days if not weeks, to download. Thus, except for some, OneDrive or DropBox should not be your main backup location.
You don't have to manually restore anything. You obviously haven't used it very much.
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I know someone who thought DropBox was the way to backup their data and it's always 'in process' because they have 100's of gigabytes.
Are they on dial-up?
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And DropBox will move windows system folders like your Desktop folder on your PC and we found no way to restore it.
This is simply untrue. I've used Dropbox since the very beginning. Never has it ever moved anything I didn't want moved. Sounds like user error.
Windows has a Night Light feature to block blue light but I have to manually click it on. My old computer automatically dimmed the monitor.
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) all at once without scrolling.
