Forum Discussion
Remove "Start backup" from File Explorer
Latest Windows 11 update shows this very annoying button, and can't find a way to remove it (I don't want to use this backup feature):
Any PS script to disable this?
Hope MS is working on solution for this, even tho it looks like OneDrive upsell, another ad in OS...
- This makes me so angry! This has always been "This Computer" and it served a purpose. Replacing this with an advertisement is suck a dick move, Microsoft!
hhudo
THIS WORKS! Pay very special attention to this section:"If for some reason you do not get the previous message, and it does not let you disable this message, what you have to do is, first, turn on sync for a folder. We will choose the folder that takes up the least space, and we activate it. Once done, just follow the previous steps, deactivate your synchronization and, in this case, you will receive the message to disable the function."
https://crast.net/493395/remove-annoying-onedrive-start-backup-message-in-windows-folders/
INTREPID-FL Thanks for the message this actually works, I was going nuts for that annoying built-in ad in the path bar. Now we have a useless pc icon, but nothing happens if I click accidentally and looks better. Thanks again pal, best wishes.
- It may work. I got rid of that button long ago when I uninstalled OneDrive anyway.
I still use OneDrive through the browser. I don't need sync folders.
Try this to get rid of the "Start back up" button in Windows Explorer address bar:
- Open RegEdit
- Go to HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StorageProvider\OneDrive
- Remove or rename the key StorageProviderKnownFolderSyncInfoSourceFactory
- Restart Windows Explorer
Seems to have worked for me too. Thanks for that. Great detective work!
(Just in case there are issues down the track, I saved the key value by 'exporting' it to a .reg file before deleting the key.)- Yes, your reminder that exporting the registry entry before doing anything to it is a wise precaution to include in a general public forum like this.
It's concerning that while my "Windows 10" folder has an even mix of registry entries to add useful capabilities (command prompt on context menu, Unicode from numeric keypad) and remove annoyances (Bing search), so far my "Windows 11" folder is just getting rid of annoyances (Gallery, Start Backup, Widgets). Though, to be fair, launching a terminal from the context menu is now part of Windows Explorer without hackery.
- That seems to have worked for me, though I haven't restarted or had any updates yet. For step 4, all I had to do was make sure all Explorer windows were closed (I was also checking Task Manager), then I started it up again with Windows-E and clicked "Desktop" which is one of the usual victims of this advertising. Doesn't seem to be whining about missing its registry key in the event log, either.
- I don't have this problem after reverting back to 21H2.
For me it's really annoying because I made the terrrible mistake of allowing Windows to backup all my files to the cloud. What it doesn't tell you in advance is that it's going to move everything from your personal folders on your local drive. That is not backing up. That is migrating. It's also vandalism of my PC.
- I don't like it too. It's stupid.
- "Start backup" button and "Gallery" button make me crazy. Please remove from File Explorer.
- This "Start backup" button is absolutely ridiculous...
They also added a non-removable "Gallery" button in the sidebar, which I also don't want there.
In some update months ago, they also forced OneDrive to be above the pins in the sidebar, when I want it to be below the pins.
These non-customizable OneDrive decisions are making me want to NOT renew my MS 365 subscription, and move to another alternative, such as Dropbox or Google Drive. - For some unknown reason, this annoying ad button went away, even i didn't change anything! Seems some of the recent update removed it. I still have it one computer, and not sure why. Maybe MS realised this features caused more anger than profit.
- It will still be there is you open a folder that's potentially shareable to OneDrive.
- It's infuriating. I can no longer drag a folder path from the address bar to create a shortcut. Plus now I wonder if I could accidentally mess up folder locations by hitting that dumb button. And finally it just adds visual clutter with something that has zero use for me. Bad move by MS.
- If it makes you feel a smidge better, hitting that button won't mess up folder locations. It takes you to the option of backing up which folders you want to back up. But see, I turned that off, a long time ago. And yet I still have that button. Long time when I turned it off, it got rid of that button. But this recent update brought it back and now I can't rid of it, as all the settings are already in place that it should have been gone.
- That does make me feel a smidge better, thanks. Still very much hate that button though. Incredible that they're mucking around with core functionality like an address bar for OneDrive ads. I'm really beginning to dislike MS. Feels like every other month I need to fight another customer-hostile move (news widgets that can't be disabled / web searches in start etc).
There is no official way to remove the "Start Backup" button from the address bar of File Explorer, as it is a new feature of Windows 11 that is meant to encourage users to use OneDrive.
- Wrong, wrong, wrong.
Can you explain in more detail - what's wrong?
DeletedThere is a way to remove it. I did it months ago. But after this update, it came back and now I can't get rid of it, because I'd already done it before. All the settings to remove it are all already there.
aewtx Hi,
Are you talking about the 23H2 update?
