Last year, it was reported that Samsung was planning to drop support for OneDrive backups in the Samsung Gallery app on Galaxy phones, as new strings were spotted stating that users would need to begin backing up photos to Samsung's own cloud service soon.

Now, Microsoft itself has confirmed that this is indeed happening later this year. Starting September 30, Samsung will cease to support OneDrive in the Samsung Gallery app on Galaxy phones, meaning from that date onwards, OneDrive will no longer be the default cloud provider for photo backups on Galaxy devices.

"After September 30, 2026, Samsung Gallery will no longer sync photos to OneDrive. All photos stored in OneDrive will disappear from your Samsung Gallery app. If you previously used Samsung Gallery to OneDrive sync feature, you will need to update your camera roll settings to continue backing up new photos and videos and to access any photos you have already backed up via the OneDrive app."

OneDrive has been integrated with Samsung phones since 2019, when Microsoft and Samsung first announced a special partnership that would see the Redmond giant provide cloud services and pre-install a number of its apps on Galaxy phones, along with deeper integration with Windows Phone Link.

Now, it seems the OneDrive aspect of that deal is coming to an end. Samsung has chosen to begin hosting its own cloud services for photo backups, and Samsung users will be encouraged to use Samsung's own service instead of OneDrive starting later this year.

After September 30, photos that were previously backed up to OneDrive via the Gallery app will no longer be viewable. Microsoft says that the photos will not be deleted, and will still be available to view via the OneDrive app or website. You'll just no longer be able to see them directly in the Samsung Gallery app.

The good news is that if you prefer using OneDrive for photo backups, you can continue doing so, just not via the built in Gallery app. Instead, you'll have to setup cloud backups in the OneDrive app itself, which will run in the background and backup your photos every day. This is how it works on all Android phones with the OneDrive app installed.

The experience is the same, but it just means you'll have to manually enable it when you set up your device going forward, as it will no longer be natively supported by the in-box photos app on Galaxy devices.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

A major change to OneDrive is about to roll out. Starting next month, files that are locally available on a device and then deleted from the cloud will no longer appear in the Recycle Bin of the device.

The change is being made to improve OneDrive sync performance and "make file recovery more predictable," according to Microsoft.

I recently managed around 300GB of data that was synced to OneDrive, including documents, photos, and videos. Between moving files, deleting items, and uploading new versions of older content, syncing took ages. I happily welcome anything that improves sync performance for OneDrive.

I'm curious to see if some people respond to the change negatively. It improves OneDrive sync performance, but it also removes a safety net of having files appear in the Recycle Bin or Trash of a physical device.

The current setup of OneDrive allows you to restore a cloud-saved file on your device without having to open a browser. That will no longer be the case after next month.

Microsoft sent word about the change through the Microsoft 365 Message Center (archived here).

"Starting May 2026, files deleted from OneDrive cloud won't appear in local Recycle Bin or Trash but can be recovered from the OneDrive or SharePoint web recycle bin. Local deletes remain unchanged. No admin action needed; users should be informed about the new recovery process."

As of right now, deleting a file from the cloud results in that file appearing in the Recycle Bin on Windows or Trash on macOS. If you delete a large number of files, that can create a lot of work to keep OneDrive in sync.

Following the change, deleted files will also be deleted from the local disk. You will still be able to recover the files if needed, you will just have to do so through the OneDrive or SharePoint web recycle bin. Those recycle bins keep files for up to 93 days, so you'll need to make sure to restore any files you need before they're deleted forever.

If you delete a file on-device, that file will still appear in the Recycle Bin or Trash depending on your operating system.

The change will start rolling out in early May and should be done before the end of that month.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft AI is here to remix your OneDrive images into different styles. A new feature called AI Restyle in OneDrive reimagines your photos as anime scenes, cinematic posters, and other styles.

AI Restyle in OneDrive retains the core elements of your photo, preventing drift that often occurs when asking AI to create images.

"Through it all, the people, places, and memories you care about stay unmistakably yours-just seen in a fresh new light," explains Microsoft.

The feature includes a "rotating set of one‑tap styles" with new styles being added regularly. You can also tweak the process with optional prompts.

AI Restyle in OneDrive is rolling out now to OneDrive for iOS, Android, and the web. To use the feature, you need to have a Microsoft 365 Premium subscription. Those start at $19.99 per month.

Even if you have a supported subscription, you may not see the option to use AI Restyle in OneDrive just yet, since it is rolling out gradually and availability depends on your region.

No mention of "Copilot"

I was somewhat surprised to see that the new OneDrive feature is not associated with the "Copilot" brand. Microsoft's blog post does not mention Copilot at all.

Not that long ago, it seemed like any AI feature had Copilot shoehorned in somehow. Microsoft 365 even had apps renamed to include the Copilot brand.

"Microslop" trended recently, and Microsoft has reassessed some of its AI efforts. Since pushback reached a head in January, Microsoft has changed its Copilot leadership structure, and confirmed plans to reduce AI bloat across Windows 11's systems apps and interfaces.

Copilot is sticking around. Some new products, such as Copilot Health, still use the name. But we seem to have shifted away from memes about Xbox being rebranded to "Xbox 365 Copilot."

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft OneDrive has been available on macOS for years, but the app did not look native on that platform until recently. Several visual changes are on the way to OneDrive for macOS that make the app feel at home when using a Mac.

The upgraded version of OneDrive that aligns with macOS is rolling out to Insiders with build 26.017. When the new experience is available, OneDrive will update automatically in the background. Microsoft outlined the changes in a recent Tech Community post.

Two improvements are now in testing: a new experience in the OneDrive Activity Center that aligns visually with macOS 26 and supports Liquid Glass, and new native dialog boxes for OneDrive.

The OneDrive Activity Center is the window that shows up when you click the OneDrive icon in the menu bar. The improved version should look in place alongside the rest of macOS. Perhaps more importantly, Microsoft says the new experience is "snappier" — I'm a bit sad they didn't say it seems faster.

Early feedback on the upgraded version of OneDrive is positive. A contributor named "martinvandiemen" commented:

"Great to see this update! This feels like a huge win for those of us who use Macs for work and want our tools to look like they actually belong in the OS.

I'm really looking forward to this, and it's great to see Microsoft adopting the native Apple experience with things like SwiftUI and Liquid Glass. It definitely makes the workflow feel more seamless. I would love to see this kind of "platform-first" design philosophy brought to more Microsoft apps on macOS!"

I'm curious how important it is to everyday users that an app looks native on an operating system. I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to this sort of thing, so I wonder if my love for native UI is shared by more people.

Do you care if an app looks native on an operating system? Let us know in the comments!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Last month, Microsoft announced its plan to retire Microsoft Lens (formerly Office Lens) from iOS and Android devices.

As you may know, the app allows users to trim and enhance pictures of whiteboards and documents, making readable. What's more, you can leverage the app to convert images into PDF, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files.

Microsoft has now confirmed that it has officially ended support for Microsoft Lens as of February 9, 2026. Consequently, the app is no longer available on the Apple App store and Google Play Store from today.

While it is still possible to continue using the app to scan documents through early next month, Microsoft says that you'll "need to be signed into your last active account on the Microsoft Lens app to access past scans".

As Microsoft is set to completely discontinue the app next month, the tech giant has promoted its OneDrive as a viable alternative. "To continue using scanning capabilities, we recommend the OneDrive app, which includes a built-in scanning feature," added Microsoft.

To leverage OneDrive's scanning capabilities, launch the app on your device and select the + button in the bottom corner. Then, select the Scan photo option to scan your documents. Your scanned file will be saved in your desired location in your OneDrive.

Interestingly, unlike Microsoft Lens, which would let you save your scanned files on your local device, "OneDrive does not support saving scans locally on your device".

Elsewhere, Microsoft is unleashing AI agents in its OneDrive app, transforming it into the ultimate productivity hub, and bolstering smarter file and project management. However, it's worth noting that you'll need a Microsoft 365 Copilot license to create your own OneDrive AI agent.

If you’re comfortable with AI accessing your cloud‑stored documents, photos, and files, AI agents in OneDrive just shipped to general availability. These agents can summarize discussions, maintain shared context as projects evolve, and highlight owners, deadlines, and risks.

Over the past few years, Microsoft has doubled down on its push into one of tech’s hottest new commodities — generative AI. The company has deeply integrated the cutting-edge technology across its products and services, including Windows 11.

However, its efforts haven't gone well with the vast majority of its users, earning it a new nickname — Microslop. Amid growing user concern and backlash, Microsoft announced it is slowing its Windows 11 AI rollout while shifting strategy for Copilot and Windows Recall.

So, just like a document and spreadsheet, these AI agents are saved directly in OneDrive as .agent files. When you launch them, you'll be directed into a full-screen Copilot experience, focusing on the specified topic or project.

"Agents behave like any other file in OneDrive," Microsoft added. "You can search for them, filter by file type, open them, and update them as work progresses. As projects change, you can add or remove files or refine instructions, so your agent stays aligned with the latest information."

Microsoft has at least made creating an agent in OneDrive a relatively straightforward process. This means you won't need any technical support to create one that meets your specific needs, if you choose to use them.

How to create an AI agent in OneDrive

Before you start the process, it's worth noting that you need a valid Microsoft 365 Copilot license:

1. Launch OneDrive on the web
2. Then click Select + Create or upload and select Create an agent
3. Alternatively, you can select files and select Create an agent from the toolbar or right‑click menu
4. Finally, pick up to 20 files, name your agent, add optional instructions, and save.

The agent you created should automatically pop up in OneDrive as a .agent file. Microsoft says AI agents in OneDrive will promote productivity by keeping conversations in a unified location instead of having to jump through hoops to find a specific file.

What's more, the company says the tool preserves the history of each project. "As projects change, you can add or remove files or refine instructions, so your agent stays aligned with the latest information," Microsoft added.

You can also share AI agents in OneDrive with your counterparts. However, they'll need to have access to the source documents for the tool to furnish their queries with crafted responses about the project.

With the lost art of physical albums and printed photographs, everything has seemingly gone digital. Right now, you can simply take a photo on your phone and upload it to the cloud, then delete it from your phone's storage for extra space.

In a perfect world, the process should be as simple as I just described, but unfortunately, this isn't always the case. Over the past few years, multiple people have run to social media to express their frustrations after losing access to their fondest memories and even confidential work information.

In June 2025, a OneDrive user took to Reddit to express their frustrations, indicating that Microsoft had randomly locked their account without any warning. The user revealed that they lost access to their account after moving 30 years' worth of photos and work.

The user submitted 18 compliance forms in an attempt to have the issue resolved, but the efforts were rendered futile. While it's still unclear whether the user ever got any assistance, the issue seems to be persistent.

A Windows Central reader facing the same predicament recently reached out to me, expressing his frustrations:

"Two days ago I was stung by this very same issue losing decades of purchased content (mainly Xbox and subscriptions), documents, emails, access to third party services at the whim of an AI.

On NYE I took a photo of my kids watching a film while in silly positions in our living room without even thinking about it. The next morning my OneDrive was blocked for potential child abuse. My email was still working (I checked) so I launched an appeal using my MS email. A few hours later, I found out that email was also disabled. I immediately reappealed the same day with an alternative email. It quickly became clear that the photo from the night before was the culprit, as it was the only thing not synced to my other devices."

The user says that the photo wasn't inappropriate. "I think the AI scan was triggered because the angle showed one child wearing pink clothes slightly overlapping the youngest child, who also has pink clothes and arms behind their head," he added.

While the user admits that the composition of the photo is slightly confusing with poor lighting, "any human looking at the image for more than a second would see there is no issue."

They made an appeal to have the account restored, but the ban was upheld. "There are no other routes for me to contact MS at present, phone numbers are all AI bots with no escalation path, contact forms all require a sign in."

This case isn't unique; there's a ton of videos and posts across social media about this specific issue. "I think they should have to go to jail for this," another user lamented on TikTok. "If you're unaware, for last few years, Windows has come with a piece of malware called OneDrive." The user claimed that if you're not careful, the app will spontaneously delete files from your computer.

Microsoft lack of transparency about OneDrive Backup's changes is to blame for the confusion

Microsoft shipped Windows 11 version 25H2 to broad availability on September 30, 2025, with a new Start menu and improved gaming experience. But what you might have missed is that the OneDrive Backup feature is also enabled by default when you sign in with a Microsoft account on a new PC (via ZDNet).

As such, your folders like Documents, Pictures, and Desktop are moved into OneDrive, which is why some users have been complaining that they can't access their data and files directly from their PCs.

Prior to Microsoft's recent changes to its OneDrive Backup feature, users had to locate files and manually transfer them back to their designated folders when disabling the feature. However, the recent changes have made the process a tad easier, allowing users to automatically move files to where they should be in their local profiles.

According to the outlet, when adding an account to an existing Windows 11 installation, Microsoft's Out of the Box Experience (OOBE) will include an option to "Only save files to this PC," though it is easy to miss, especially if you are rushing through the setup process.

This gets a bit complicated when using a Microsoft account to sign in during a Windows 11 clean installation, regardless of whether it's a new or existing account. However, when adding your Microsoft account, you'll be notified that "We'll also back up your files and photos on this device to OneDrive to help keep them safe."

You won't get the option to save your files locally during the setup process. As such, this changes your settings and backs up files from your local Documents, Pictures, and Desktop folders to OneDrive.

The new changes aren't limited to Windows only, either. If you're using a pre-release version of Microsoft 365 Personal or Family, new files create on Word or any other productivity app will be automatically saved by default in OneDrive.

It's worth noting that if you're saving your files locally, you can access them in the usual location across your default folders in your user profile. However, if you have enabled the OneDrive Backup feature, the files are moved to OneDrive. The files will remain on your local PC and are synced to the cloud.

As a result, the local folders (even though they are empty) remain on your Windows PC despite being moved and backed up to OneDrive. This is the issue being flagged up by most users across social media. It's not that Microsoft has deleted your files from your local folders; they have just been relocated and synced to OneDrive because the backup feature was enabled by default when upgrading to Windows 11, version 25H2.

While it's easy to look at this whole situation as an opportunistic business strategy by Microsoft to bolster its cloud services, the recent changes also protect you against the absolute loss of your data to malware or when your device fails or gets stolen.

What are your thoughts on Microsoft's new changes to OneDrive's sync system? Let me know in the comments and cast your vote in the poll!

Microsoft 365 is about to go up in price, and users in the UK are getting a friendly reminder of that fact. Earlier this week, Microsoft sent an email to some subscribers about the price hike.

This increase has been known for quite some time. I first got an email about it in July (my subscription renewed in August). But it seems Microsoft wants to make sure people know about the change, so it is sending out a reminder.

I believe this email may be sent out to those who are about to have their plan renewed, since the text refers to the price increase on February 14, 2025.

The new price has been live for new subscribers for months on Microsoft's website.

Here's what the email says:

"Thank you for being a valued Microsoft 365 subscriber. To reflect the value we’ve added over the past decade, address rising costs and enable us to continue delivering new innovations, we’re increasing the price of your subscription.

Effective 14 February 2025, the price for Microsoft 365 Family subscriptions will increase from GBP 79.99* per year to GBP 104.99* per year. To continue with the new price, no action is needed—your payment method on file will be automatically charged. To make changes to your subscription plan or turn off recurring billing, visit your Microsoft account at least two days before your next billing date.

By maintaining your subscription, you’ll enjoy secure cloud storage, advanced security for your data and devices and cutting-edge AI-powered features, along with all your other subscription benefits. Experience a whole new life for your favourite apps with Microsoft Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Outlook, plus create stunning designs and edit photos in a flash with Designer. Thank you for choosing Microsoft."

The company also shared links on how to cancel Microsoft 365 and how to switch your Microsoft 365 subscription.

Discounts on Microsoft 365 in the UK are not as good as deals in the US. I have found some small discounts that can help you save a few quid.

You can stack Microsoft 365 for up to five years, meaning you can extend your subscription by purchasing codes at a discount. If you know you need Microsoft for a long time, it's worth stacking.

If you're in the US and received a similar warning, you can check out my roundup of the best Microsoft 365 deals.

Canceling Microsoft 365

I've subscribed to Microsoft 365 since before that was even the name of the subscription. I've had some form of Microsoft 365/Office 365 since Microsoft shifted to a subscription-based model. The upcoming price increase is enough for me to genuinely consider other options.

I use Microsoft 365 daily. I rely on Word, Excel, and OneDrive in both my professional and personal lives. But subscription fatigue is real and the cost of living keeps going up.

When Microsoft's latest reminder about the price increase hit my news desk, I spoke with my wife about how much she uses Microsoft 365. I use it the most out of anyone in our family, but I wanted to double-check I wouldn't hurt anyone else's workflow by canceling or changing our plan.

I have some time to decide since the new price increase won't go into effect until February 14, 2026 (Happy Valentine's Day from Microsoft). Between now and then, I'll look into iCloud storage plans, using the web version of Office exclusively, and turning a computer into a NAS.

Microsoft and Anthropic's Claude AI just got a bit friendlier. It was announced today that a new Microsoft 365 connector will allow Claude to access SharePoint, OneDrive, Outlook, and Teams.

Anthropic says that its newfound access to SharePoint and OneDrive will allow its AI to comb through documents saved "across sites and libraries," which removes the necessity of uploading the documents directly to Claude.

Claude will also be able to read your emails in order to "extract insights from your correspondences," which it believes will help users fully grasp "project status, client feedback, or team alignment."

And for Microsoft Teams — you guessed it — Claude can search through your conversations and meeting notes to get a better idea of what the team has been planning.

This collaboration is made possible using Anthropic's Model Context Protocol (MCP), a feature introduced in 2024. It's an open and universal standard created to allow for easy AI integration, and it's something that Microsoft quickly adopted as it looks for new ways to add AI to Windows 11.

Microsoft's big announcement this week regarding a new, dedicated AI assistant that can be commanded with natural language — "Hey, Copilot!" — includes Manus, an AI agent designed to quickly and easily build websites.

Thanks to an MCP connection, Manus can be commanded to grab files and photos from your PC to build a custom website while you work on other projects.

Alongside the new Microsoft 365 integration, Anthropic has introduced an enterprise search feature that's intended to make it easier to find specific data in shared projects.

Once a shared project is set up with connected apps and data sources, custom prompts can be used to quickly search a knowledge pool that includes everyone involved in the project.

Anthropic offers an example of how enterprise search can aid professionals working within a large team:

"For example, ask Claude about your company's policy on remote work and get information from HR documents in SharePoint, email discussions in Outlook, and team guidelines from various sources in one detailed report."

The newfound AI alliance won't be available for just any Microsoft 365 users. The new connector that adds Claude to SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, and Outlook is only available for Claude's Team and Enterprise subscribers. Enterprise search is also now enabled for those same subscribers.

Claude's new permissions with the Microsoft 365 connector

I don't blame you for questioning how Anthropic and Microsoft are keeping your data safe with the new Microsoft 365 connector.

As stated by Anthropic, "all permissions are delegated permissions." If you don't have access to view something in Microsoft 365, neither will Claude. The AI assistant only has read access, meaning it can't create new content, delete files, or modify anything within Microsoft 365.

Beyond that, Anthropic says that Claude "mirrors your existing Microsoft 365 permissions" and can only access data "when you explicitly ask questions requiring it."

Microsoft and Anthropic get closer as OpenAI's dominance wanes

Microsoft and OpenAI have a complicated relationship. The Redmond giant has poured billions of dollars into OpenAI in exchange for a hefty 49% stake in the AI company's for-profit division, which also resulted in ChatGPT being hosted exclusively on Microsoft's Azure servers.

That exclusivity changed in January 2025 when OpenAI announced the Stargate project. The initiative roped in key investors from Softbank and Oracle to build $500 billion worth of data centers in the US.

While Microsoft continues to hold "right of first refusal" — allowing it to have first dibs on hosting OpenAI's models on its own servers — OpenAI can look elsewhere for computing power if Azure can't keep up.

With OpenAI often treating its partnership with Microsoft as something it can use and abuse, Microsoft has begun to diversify its AI reliance. GitHub Copilot, for example, offers ChatGPT, xAI, Gemini, and Claude. That only makes sense from a business standpoint.

On September 10, 2025, Microsoft made another big move towards diminishing its overreliance on ChatGPT when it announced it would be using Anthropic's AI to run new features in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

While OpenAI and Claude continue to work side-by-side in Microsoft 365, Claude's Sonnet 4 model is particularly adept at generating slides, PDFs, and spreadsheets from a chat prompt, a huge boon for those who frequently use Office apps.

(via The Verge)

Microsoft held a special OneDrive and Copilot event today where it announced a number of new features for the cloud-storage service. Buried in the announcements is one change that Microsoft is soon making to Word that might ruffle some feathers among those who are still pushing back against OneDrive and the cloud.

"Starting today, new documents in Word desktop on Windows (Insiders) now save directly to OneDrive, with autosave enabled," says Microsoft. This means that creating new documents in Word in the future will automatically save said documents to your OneDrive storage, with autosave enabled from the get-go.

The change is designed to make it easier for users to back up and access their documents across devices, but some might find Word attempting to automatically upload documents to the cloud by default to be a privacy concern. Many will likely not even notice that Word's behavior has changed, as the entire saving and backup process is automatic.

Of course, users will be able to turn off this behavior if they prefer saving files manually or locally, but going forward, Word will default to automatically saving all new documents to the cloud. Until now, Word's default behavior has been to create a new document that is in an unsaved state locally and prompt you to save the document to OneDrive to enable auto-save.

In addition to the automatic file saving to OneDrive in Word, Microsoft announced lots of other improvements that are coming to OneDrive, including new Copilot integration features that make accessing Copilot and learning about, managing, or editing files and photos easy and quick using AI.

The company also confirmed that it's working on a dedicated OneDrive app for Windows 11, which will make viewing and editing photos easier and quicker. Let us know in the comments what your thoughts are on these improvements and changes being made to OneDrive.

Microsoft looks to be building a brand-new dedicated OneDrive app for Windows 11, complete with a modern interface that prioritizes photo and video viewing alongside file management and editing.

The new app first leaked from Microsoft's own servers, and is hidden as a separate executable named OneDrive.app.exe within the app's program files. When launched, the new OneDrive icon appears on the Taskbar, and an app window that brings you to your OneDrive photo library appears.

This app is web based and is using a unique design language that merges Fluent Design with the web. It features lots of rounded menu bars and drop down menus, which are complete with Acrylic blur effects to give it that Windows 11 aesthetic.

At the top left of the app, you have the option to switch between gallery mode and file mode. If you want to use OneDrive to organize your cloud files, you can switch modes and be taken to the file management interface that's already present on the OneDrive website.

While the file management interface is identical to the OneDrive website, there is a new Copilot feature that appears when you hover over files. This lets you quickly jump into a Copilot chat where you can ask questions about the file or generate a summary or FAQ without opening it.

When you switch over to the gallery tab, here are buttons along the top that let you navigate between the different areas and features of OneDrive when it comes to photo and video editing. There's Moments, Gallery, Albums, People, and Favorites.

The moments feature is very similar to the moments feature you find in the OneDrive app on phones. It shows you a collection of pictures that were taken on the current day in years past, and it's presented really nicely in this new Windows app.

This new Gallery mode is new, and not currently available on the normal OneDrive website. The gallery tab itself has also been redesigned, with a floating menu bar that appears along the bottom of the app when you select a photo to edit or delete. The app does include built-in editing tools, though much of it appears to be the same as what's available in the Windows Photos app.

Overall, it's not clear what purpose this app serves on Windows 11, as the OS already has OneDrive built into both the File Explorer and Photos app, which is where users can go to view their OneDrive contents. Perhaps Microsoft deems a dedicated OneDrive app important for users who just want to organize everything in one place, instead of through multiple system apps.

I will say that the new OneDrive app does look good, and feels very responsive for a web app. It makes me question why the Outlook app for Windows 11, which is also a web app, feel so terrible to use in comparison. If all web apps felt this native, I wouldn't be so against them.

It's not clear when this new OneDrive app is expected to rollout. The company is holding a special OneDrive event on October 8, so perhaps we'll hear more about this new app then.

Thanks for the tip, Gareth!

In 2019, Microsoft and Samsung announced a special partnership that would see many Microsoft apps and services be preloaded onto millions of Galaxy handsets worldwide. That partnership has continued to this day, with the latest Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Flip 7 handsets continuing to ship with Microsoft apps like Outlook, Office, Phone Link, and OneDrive pre-installed.

The partnership also resulted in OneDrive being deeply integrated into Samsung's ecosystem, becoming the default cloud backup solution for photos taken and stored using Samsung's included Gallery app. Samsung dropped its own cloud-backup solution in favor of Microsoft's, and that's what has powered photo backups on all Galaxy phones since.

Now, Android Authority reports that it looks like Samsung is gearing up to drop support for OneDrive, 6 years after it was first introduced. Strings spotted in the OneUI 8.5 version of the app appear to confirm that Samsung is preparing to sever ties with OneDrive, with strings such as "Sync with OneDrive ending soon" being present.

Instead of OneDrive, it looks like Samsung wants to start using its own cloud backup solution. Samsung Cloud has existed for many years, and now it wants Samsung Cloud to handle your photos too. OneDrive integration will be ripped out of the Gallery app, though you'll still be able to backup photos to OneDrive using the dedicated OneDrive app if you want.

Most users have moved away from using OneDrive as a photo backup solution these days. OneDrive used to be great for this, but competing services like Google Photos and iCloud have improved a lot in recent years, to the point where most users just choose to use whatever comes as default on their phone.

OneDrive still exists for those who want it, and it's a great cloud backup solution for files and documents. It's also good for photos if you use it as a secondary backup service in addition to the one that comes on your phone. That's how I use it, and it works well.

What are your thoughts on Samsung dropping OneDrive as its photo cloud backup solution? Will this impact you? Let us know in the comments.

Cloud storage is a convenient and quick way to store your data. It allows you to access your files from any device with an internet connection, it doesn't take up space in your PC or office, and there's a certain level of security to keep your data (mostly) safe.

However, the cloud — whether it be in the form of Dropbox, OneDrive, iCloud, Google Drive, AWS, or any other popular service — should never be your only form of data storage.

Proper data storage is a topic I've been covering since at least 2017, and the perils have not changed in the past eight years. That's despite cloud storage becoming more popular than ever.

According to Threadgold Consulting, personal cloud storage hit an estimated 2.3 billion users in 2025, up from approximately 1.1 billion users in 2014.

That's a big jump, and I'm sure that some of those 1.2 billion new users don't have a secondary backup in place. Relying solely on the cloud for your important data is a bad practice. Here's why, and what you can do to change it.

The risks of cloud storage — Lessons from recent data deletion stories

There have been several high-profile stories in recent weeks regarding data loss resulting from cloud storage providers, serving as a sober reminder to not rely solely on the cloud for your important data.

In June, a OneDrive user was locked out of a trove of photos and work built up over 30 years. They received no help from Microsoft support. According to the user:

"Microsoft suspended my account without warning, reason, or any legitimate recourse. I've submitted the compliance form 18 times—eighteen—and each time I get an automated response that leads nowhere. No human contact. No actual help. Just canned emails and radio silence."

Then came the story that a member of the LibreOffice — a free alternative to Microsoft Office — development team received a similar OneDrive ban that locked data. Microsoft's support was woeful, according to Kaganski, but the data was eventually restored.

OneDrive isn't the only cloud service that's received negative attention lately. On August 2, software engineer Abdelkader Boudih (aka Seuros) published a lengthy blog post detailing "a catastrophic internal mistake at AWS MENA" that locked up years of important data.

In an update, Boudih was finally able to retrieve their data "because one human being inside AWS decided to give a damn." Nevertheless, the community outpouring Boudih received — with countless AWS community members claiming they'd received similar treatment — didn't go unheard.

As Boudih states, "I'm continuing with my gem releases and projects. The difference? Double and triple backups." Although you might not be dealing with developer tools and complex projects, the risk of data loss when you rely solely on the cloud doesn't change.

While these stories have mainly touched on faulty suspensions and miserable customer support, your data could disappear for any number of reasons, including technical failures, breaches or other security failures, and accidental deletions.

How to safeguard your data — Best practices for cloud storage users

You wouldn't want an unknown entity controlling your PC's hard drive, so why do the same with the cloud? Yes, cloud storage is super convenient; I'm not saying it shouldn't be used. However, it shouldn't be treated as the end-all solution for PC storage.

First and foremost, you should have strong authentication enabled on your cloud service account. Multifactor authentication is a given, but you can go further with biometrics and authenticators. If your cloud service isn't providing strong encryption for your data, it's probably time to look for a different provider.

👉 Related: How I saved the internet on an SSD — Documents, survival guides, and entire websites to prepare for the apocalypse

Let's assume that you already have your data stored securely in a cloud provider's vault. Nothing has gone wrong so far, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be proactive in setting up safeguards against data loss.

The 3-2-1 backup rule has been around for decades, and it remains a solid foundation for proper data retention.

The rule suggests that you have three copies of your data at any one time. These three copies should be stored on two different types of media or devices (like a hard drive, external SSD, or cloud service). And one copy of the data should be stored off-site.

If you're using Windows 10 or Windows 11, you can back up your PC's data automatically with relative ease using the built-in Backup and Restore tool. This feature makes regular and full backups of your PC's drive to an external hard drive, allowing for easy restores should something go wrong.

👉 Related: Best external solid-state drives

If you'd rather save specific files and folders rather than your entire PC, Windows 11's File History tool is a solid option that allows for automatic backups to an external SSD. With external storage backups handled, you can configure something like Microsoft's OneDrive to make the same backups in the cloud. Our guide on how to get started with the Windows 11 Backup app has a lot more information.

That hits the 3-2-1 rule's suggestion: you have a copy of your data on your PC, on an external drive, and in the cloud. It's on two different devices, and one of them (the cloud) is off-site. Adding extra redundancies, setting up your own NAS storage system, and storing data in additional off-site locations might be required to achieve peace of mind.

You can, of course, go a lot further than the 3-2-1 rule, especially if you're dealing with particularly sensitive data. The 3-2-1-1-0 rule has gained traction in the era of ransomware, adding an extra copy that's stored immutably (disconnected from any network) and with zero errors in the data.

It's a strange, bittersweet day for Windows, as Microsoft's previous-generation operating system simultaneously celebrates its 10th anniversary with a wealth of defining moments for Windows 10 while its steadfast users prepare for an impending end-of-life status due in October. Opinions are often divided on the various iterations of the company's paid OS, but Windows 10 stands as a more universally praised attempt that had a particularly interesting pitch.

Besides the unusual passing-over on Windows 9, an omission that itself is up for debate as to its origins, the skip-ahead to Windows 10 felt like a more significant leap forward than a simple generational level-up.

Microsoft promised a unified experience across its broad assortment of hardware as part of its "OneCore" ecosystem, essentially scaling Windows apps to practically any form factor, even away from a traditional desktop.

It was certainly alluring, and its marketing was appealing to me, particularly as a disgruntled user who so disliked the initial tablet-centric style of Windows 8 and its "Metro" Start menu design philosophy. After falling back to the comfortable familiarity of Windows 7 for a while, I'd eventually come back to a conventional desktop in Windows 8.1, but not before traveling a free upgrade path to Windows 10, alongside buying a wealth of Microsoft-branded devices to fill up my home.

Yeah, I bought into it pretty heavily. It's fair to say that I gradually went all-in, buying into Microsoft's vision with an onslaught on my wallet that was justified because I felt as though I was "future proofing" myself. I picked up an Xbox One console with a TV tuner add-on in the United Kingdom, eager for a DVR function that Microsoft promised would come in a later update to ensure I'd never have to use my TV provider's set-top box ever again.

Unsurprisingly, at least in hindsight, the DVR function for Xbox One never materialized, much to the disappointment of the few users who were expecting it, including me; frustrated by the forced reorganization of my entertainment setup after the first dream died.

To be clear, it's not as though television is something I ever associated with Windows, even after dabbling in Windows Media Center, an ambitious project for its time but one nevertheless destined for the "Microsoft Graveyard".

No, I was just trying to get a head start on my newfound and all-encompassing life within the Microsoft ecosystem by consolidating as much of my hardware and software as possible. I signed up for a Groove Music Pass, moved from Google's Gmail to Microsoft Outlook, and started backing up my life's work to SkyDrive — now known as OneDrive — all in preparation for my next purchase: a Nokia Lumia 735 (after changing my mind and exchanging the Microsoft Lumia 640 days before), to complete a switch from iOS to Windows Phone.

The youth of today might look at the colorful Lumia slabs and wonder whatever happened to those useful Live Tiles decorating the home screens. Now, these overlooked smartphones will likely be relegated to modern memory as "the one used by Trevor in Grand Theft Auto V".

Little would they know of how a now-dead Windows 10 Mobile might have disrupted the market by becoming a strong third player, but a lack of support for my mobile banking app and a handful of other annoyances had me defecting to Android phones a couple of years later.

Around this time, my Windows 10 PC had no issues whatsoever, so my primary interest in Microsoft was holding strong. In fact, it was a breath of fresh air, proving to be as popular with my future boss Daniel Rubino in his original Windows 10 review, but it was everything floating around it that was starting to falter and plunge, like a collection of junk satellites orbiting an otherwise healthy product, trying to hold my praise.

An escapade with the Microsoft Band 2 was, to my knowledge at least, the final brand-new purchase of that era that I grabbed without question — and what a way to go out. It was a great fitness companion that paired well with the Lumia, and eventually, partially well with the slew of boring Android phones that I was slipping between, never living up to the hype of the Lumia 1020's glorious camera that I always craved but never had a chance to try.

Over the past few years, I've migrated all of my devices to Windows 11, including a second-hand Surface Pro X with its first-generation Microsoft SQ1 processor that I picked up just for fun, replacing its original Windows 10 installation. It's still going strong, serving as little more than a glorified web browser while I'm on the couch looking to kill time, but at least it's still alive.

It's more than I can say for my Xbox One, Microsoft Band, and Windows Phone that are collecting dust as little more than paperweight ornaments, still trying to connect to lifeless Microsoft apps and services that were axed years ago. Now, Windows 11 just feels like the obvious choice, standing as the world's most compatible and widely supported OS, but I still flirt with Linux via SteamOS and Fedora KDE, reliant on a UI that resembles Microsoft's iconic desktop.

For me, Windows 10 quietly fades away in the background, collected with other Microsoft-made fascinations of its time, but at least it stands as the best example among them. For those who cling to it with adoration and even an obligation to certain apps — I get it — but a decade is long enough. It's time to make a decision, whether that's with an upgrade to Windows 11, sticking around with extended security updates, or finding a replacement OS elsewhere.

.. At least I never bought a Kinect.

On Windows 11, if you use OneDrive, you're probably familiar with its core functionality, syncing files across devices and backing up your important data to the cloud. However, the cloud storage service includes many lesser-known features that can improve productivity, improve privacy, reduce clutter, and make file management easier.

From customizing folder colors and restoring previous file versions to turning off unwanted notifications and AI photo tagging, OneDrive offers more control than most users realize.

In this how-to guide, I'll highlight some of the lesser features that everyone should know how to use in OneDrive for Windows 11.

7 features you probably didn't know about OneDrive

These are some of the features you may not know that can improve your experience in OneDrive.

1. Organize OneDrive with custom folder colors

Although the ability to assign a color to a folder is a minor aesthetic detail, it can be beneficial for organization, productivity, and visual clarity, especially for folders with many files.

To set a color for the folder, use these steps:

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Click on the OneDrive folder from the left pane.
3. Right-click the folder you want to colorize.
4. Select the OneDrive menu and choose the Folder color option.

5. Select the color for the folder.
6. Click the Apply button.

Once you complete the steps, the folder icon will be updated with the color you specified.

The ability to change the folder colors should be available through the web, but in my personal account, I couldn't find the option, and I'm not the only one.

2. Silence “On this Day” reminders

The "On this Day" feature has been designed to show you photos and videos that you may have taken on that specific day in previous years.

Although this feature can bring a touch of nostalgia by resurfacing your digital content from the same calendar date in previous years, the problem is that after a while, you're constantly receiving daily notifications to view this content. The other issue is that even though you may use the Photos app already connected to OneDrive, the notification always opens the contents in the web version of the cloud storage service.

If you have had enough of these notifications, you can easily turn this feature off using these steps:

1. Click the OneDrive icon in the System Tray.
2. Click the Settings button.
3. Click the Settings option one more time.

4. Click on Notifications.
5. Turn off the "Notify me when 'On this day' memories are available" toggle switch.

After you complete the steps, OneDrive will no longer send you notifications for this particular feature.

You can also change this setting from the web, more specifically from the Notifications page.

3. Disable AI-powered photo tagging

OneDrive can use AI to scan and tag pictures and faces in your images to make it easier to find them. However, if you don't like the idea of AI scanning your images, you can always disable these features.

To disable photo tagging in OneDrive, use these steps:

1. Open OneDrive (web).
2. Click the Settings button on the top-right.
3. Click on Options.

4. Click on Photos from the left pane.
5. Turn off the "Use tags to find and organize photos" toggle switch to prevent AI from adding related tags to your pictures.
6. Turn off the "Use AI to find and organize photos" toggle switch to prevent AI from scanning your images for faces.

Once you complete the steps, OneDrive will stop using AI to tag images and faces on your pictures.

If you turn off this feature, it may also affect the search functionality when searching for a specific object or person from content in the cloud.

4. Import files from Google Drive or Dropbox

If you want to use OneDrive as your only online storage provider, the service offers options to import your files from Google Drive and Dropbox (but not from iCloud).

To import your files from other cloud storage providers, use these steps:

1. Open OneDrive (web).
2. Click the Settings button on the top-right.
3. Click on Options.

4. Click on Import cloud photos and files from the left pane.
5. (Option 1) Click the "Connect to Google Drive" option.

6. (Option 2) Click the "Connect to Dropbox" option.
7. Continue with the on-screen directions to complete the transfer.

This process will require signing in with your other cloud provider and allowing permission for Microsoft 365 to copy your files over OneDrive.

Also, this action will only make a copy of the files. Your original data will remain available in the other storage provider.

5. Use OneDrive's account restore tool

Although you can recover deleted files from the OneDrive Recycle Bin, Microsoft also offers a restore tool that allows you to restore all the changes from a previous point in time.

This option usually comes in handy if something goes wrong in OneDrive, and you have to restore the storage to a previous point in time.

To restore OneDrive to a previous state, use these steps:

1. Open OneDrive (web).
2. Click the Settings button on the top-right.
3. Click on Options.

4. Click on Restore your OneDrive from the left pane.
5. Select the date (such as yesterday, one week ago, three weeks ago, or custom) from the available settings.
6. Click the Restore button.

7. Continue with the on-screen directions to complete the restoration (if applicable).

Once you complete the steps, the changes will be restored on your OneDrive account.

6. Revert via file version history

OneDrive keeps multiple previous versions of your files, allowing you to revert to an older state.

To access the file history and restore a previous version, use these steps:

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Click on the OneDrive folder from the left pane.
3. Right-click the file you want to restore a previous version.
4. Select the OneDrive menu and choose the Version history option.

5. (Optional) Click the View online option to review the file before restoring.
6. Click the menu (three dots) button and choose the Restore option for the revision to recover.

After you complete the steps, the selected file will replace the existing one. However, this isn't an issue since you can always store the previous version using the steps.

If you want to compare the files, it's best to make a copy before trying to restore the previous version.

7. Secure sensitive files in Personal Vault

OneDrive Personal Vault is a protected area in your account (such as documents, personal records, pictures, etc.) designed specifically to store sensitive information. The data upload is encrypted and utilizes more robust security, including two-factor authentication, in addition to the standard sign-in process.

If you usually upload important content to cloud storage, you should be using the Vault feature instead of simply dropping files in your main folder.

The Personal Vault feature is available for free, but you can only store up to five files. If you want unlimited uploads, you will have to use a Microsoft 365 subscription.

To get started with the OneDrive Personal Vault, use these steps:

1. Click the OneDrive icon in the System Tray.
2. Click the Settings button.
3. Click the Unlock Personal Vault option.

4. Click the Next button.

5. Click the Allow button.

6. Sign in with your Microsoft account.
7. Continue with the on-screen directions (if applicable).

Once you complete these steps, you can start uploading and downloading to the secure area of OneDrive.

When the vault is open, it'll lock automatically after 20 minutes of inactivity, but you can change this setting from OneDrive Settings > Accounts page. The "Lock Personal Vault after" option allows you to keep the folder open for up to four hours.

More resources

Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Storing files in the cloud helps you keep backups of your files, sync data across devices, and have better peace of mind when it comes to images, documents, and videos. It can be an expensive endeavor to back up all your files, but it doesn't have to be costly or complicated.

A deal on pCloud saves you up to 70% on a lifetime of cloud storage, meaning you don't have to pay a subscription to back up your files. A limited edition 1TB plan reduces the entry cost of storage through pCloud.

What is the best cloud storage provider?

There's certainly no shortage of cloud storage options in 2025. Tech giants like Microsoft (OneDrive), Google (Google Drive), and Apple (iCloud) all have their own solutions. Amazon is another big player in the space, as is Dropbox.

There are also cloud storage options with specific focuses, such as backing up data that's also stored elsewhere.

pCloud is an attractive option for those who want to back up files they also have stored elsewhere or those who do not want to pay subscription fees to keep files on the cloud. The company offers several lifetime plans, which allow you to pay upfront for access to your files for up to 99 years.

pCloud also has several security features, such as using TLS/SSL encryption. Files stored through pCloud are kept in at least three server locations as well. Client-side encryption is another benefit of pCloud.

You can sync pCloud to devices running all major operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. The service also has browser extensions available and even has a Linux version.

Many people use multiple cloud storage providers to back up data. Adding another cloud service also prevents you from relying on a single company to keep your critical documents, images, and videos.

A recent story saw a user lose access to "30 years worth of photos and work" that was stored on OneDrive. While we don't know all the details of that story, and have not heard from Microsoft about the situation, it highlights the importance of having multiple copies of important files.

If you're on a mission to secure and back up your data, I'd also suggest picking up one of the best external SSDs.

Based on the promotional material for the current pCloud deal, you may assume that the company is based in the United States, but that's not the case. Instead, the 4th of July theme appears to be a way to celebrate the holiday with a deal available to people in the US.

pCloud is based in Switzerland, which I would argue is a good thing when it comes to data protection. Switzerland has strict laws surrounding digital security.

"Your files are protected by Swiss laws, which are the strictest for personal data, since our company is based in Switzerland," reads the company website.

You can choose if your data is stored in the United States (Dallas, Texas) or in the European Union (Luxembourg).

Remember when we used to give physical photo albums to guests as a source of entertainment? Well, the world has evolved, and people are seemingly becoming more reliant on their phones to capture "Kodak moments" with their friends and family.

With the option to save and store your fondest and most treasured moments in cloud services like Google Photos, iCloud, Dropbox, or Microsoft OneDrive, it seems like a foolproof way to preserve these memories for an entire lifetime (or so I thought).

Recently, a OneDrive user took to Reddit to express their frustrations about Microsoft "randomly" locking their account without any substantial reason or warning. They further revealed that they were locked out of their OneDrive account shortly after moving "30 years' worth of irreplaceable photos and work" to the platform (via Neowin).

According to the user:

"I was consolidating data from multiple old drives before a major move—drives I had to discard due to space and relocation constraints. The plan was simple: upload to OneDrive, then transfer to a new drive later."

Perhaps more concerning, the user revealed that they've since submitted the compliance form 18 times, but the efforts have been rendered futile with an automated response that doesn't provide any meaningful aid. They continue:

"This feels not only unethical but potentially illegal, especially in light of consumer protection laws. You can’t just hold someone’s entire digital life hostage with no due process, no warning, and no accountability. If this were a physical storage unit, there’d be rights, procedures, timeframes. Here? Nothing. Just a Kafkaesque black hole of corporate negligence."

Always have a backup for your backup

Not to point any fingers, but a decision to move all of your old files from drives to a cloud storage service without having a physical backup is still risky. You could store them on an external drive for good measure; even the cheapest USB flash drives would be a good idea.

This way, when an unfortunate incident like the one shared by the Redditor occurs, you can easily access your treasured data from other points. To that end, it's still unclear why Microsoft locked the user's account, as it didn't provide any legitimate reason.

Hopefully, the user should be able to get through to a Microsoft representative or support agent to find a solution for the issue, and possibly trace the lost data buried somewhere in Microsoft's servers. Fingers crossed.

OneDrive for Mac will soon support syncing to removable external drives. Earlier this year, the app gained the ability to sync to non-removable external drives, and now that functionality is expanding to include removable ones.

OneDrive is Microsoft’s cloud storage solution that lets you sync files across all your devices. OneDrive storage is included with Microsoft 365 whether you have a personal, family, or business subscription, though the amount of storage depends on the plan.

If you sync OneDrive to a removable drive, files will sync in the same way as if you used any other supported drive. If you unplug the drive, syncing will stop, but plugging in the drive and restarting OneDrive will resume syncing.

The feature is in testing among Insiders. Microsoft outlined the requirements to sync OneDrive for Mac to an external drive in a Tech Community post:

• Starting today, Insiders can try out this feature (you’ll need build 25.097 or later), with broader availability coming soon.
• You also need to be running macOS 15.0 or later.
• The drive you select must meet the following requirements:
  • Formatted for APFS
  • Protected by FileVault
  • Not read-only, a network drive, or marked as quarantined by macOS.

The feature is a welcome addition, but it does have its limits. You cannot move an external drive from one Mac to another to migrate your OneDrive files. To switch between Macs, you’ll need to set up OneDrive with the external drive again on the new device.

Microsoft is seeking feedback on the feature. Users can share their thoughts by clicking the gear icon in the macOS menu bar and selecting “Send Feedback.”

The timeline for the new syncing feature has not been shared by Microsoft.

OpenAI recently announced that Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint users will be able to connect their files to ChatGPT's Deep Research feature for analysis. The feature is currently in beta and only available to those with an active ChatGPT Plus, Pro, or Team subscription.

According to OpenAI, "When you connect Microsoft OneDrive or SharePoint to deep research, ChatGPT can access live data from your files and analyze them in real time. Simply connect, ask a question, and deep research will read, analyze, and cite relevant content from your files."

Earlier this year, OpenAI launched its AI agent designed to assist users in conducting multi-step research on the Internet for complex tasks. The ChatGPT maker described the agent as a groundbreaking productivity tool, capable of completing tasks that would typically take humans several hours in just ten minutes.

And now, users can integrate the technology with Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint. To connect it, you'll need to select Deep Research in the composer, click the dropdown menu, and select SharePoint.

Next, you'll be prompted to sign in to your account to authorize the ChatGPT Connector. Finally, you can select the folders you'd want ChatGPT to have access to.

You can also choose to make the connection from ChatGPT's settings by navigating to Connected Apps and selecting Connectors. Next, click the Connect button adjacent to the Microsoft OneDrive (work/school) to complete to process.

The feature is still in beta and unavailable for users in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, and the UK. OpenAI is expected to announce when the feature will be available for Enterprise users soon.

What you need to know

• Microsoft will start archiving unlicensed OneDrive Business accounts for over 90 days from January 2025.
• Archived unlicensed accounts will attract a monthly fee of $0.05 per GB for storage in the Microsoft 365 Archive.
• Affected users will pay $0.60/GB to reactivate archived accounts, which can take up to 24 hours.

Microsoft recently announced critical changes to its storage policies for unlicensed OneDrive accounts. The company will start archiving unlicensed OneDrive accounts from January 2025 (via Petri). For context, this will apply to accounts that have remained unlicensed for over 90 days.

Users won't have access to their unlicensed OneDrive accounts once archived. The only way around this is through admins who will be required to enable unlicensed account billing in the Microsoft 365 admin center.

It's worth noting that archived unlicensed accounts will attract a monthly fee of $0.05 per GB for storage in the Microsoft 365 Archive. Users will also need an additional $0.60/GB to reactivate archived accounts, which could take up to 24 hours.

A new monthly archive fee

Microsoft says unlicensed OneDrive accounts pose a great security threat in enterprise environments.

An unlicensed account can cause confusion and occasionally lead to duplication. The company details that an unlicensed account will exist within a tenant if it falls under the retention policy, which prevents deletion or lack of a valid license.

To this end, Microsoft recommends navigating to SharePoint admin center > Reports > OneDrive accounts to check the list of unlicensed accounts. Users with unlicensed OneDrive accounts are advised to take necessary precautionary measures to avoid setbacks. Commercial customers should be able to check the number of unlicensed accounts and the reasons why they are unlicensed from August 16, 2024.

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What you need to know

• Microsoft has several new features in testing and on the way for OneDrive.
• Copilot is among the new capabilities in the works, and it is now expected to ship "this summer."
• OneDrive will also get a faster file viewer, enhanced search in its web version, and a media view on the web for viewing photos and videos.
• Offline mode for OneDrive for web promises loading times up to three times faster than when interacting with files through the web when not in offline mode.

Microsoft OneDrive has a lengthy list of new features that will ship over the coming months. The cloud storage service will soon integrate with Copilot, have a faster file viewer, and feature an enhanced search experience. Several other improvements are on the way to OneDrive as well, including a better share experience across Microsoft 365 applications, support for branded external file requests, and the option to create new files from templates.

The new capabilities are outlined in a blog post from Microsoft. We've known about many of these features for a while, such as Copilot for OneDrive for web, but we now have more details, some additional video examples, and more up-to-date release dates.

Copilot is arguably the biggest addition that OneDrive will receive in 2024. Copilot can generate summaries of Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and PDF files. It can also answer questions based on the contents of those files, all without requiring you to open the files in question. You can also use Copilot to generate FAQS and suggestions to improve a file.

Copilot within OneDrive for web is expected to ship "this summer," according to Microsoft.

Using OneDrive offline

Offline mode speeds up performance and adds several options when browsing OneDrive for web when offline. With offline mode, you can interact with files, look through folders, and use the My files view of OneDrive to organize and rename files. You can also open Office and non-Office files you have stored locally on your system through native applications and make and save edits.

Despite its name, offline mode also has some features available when you are connected to the web, which Microsoft outlined in a recent blog post: 

• You can designate files or folders as available for offline access directly from OneDrive for web.
• You can free up local storage space by making your local files or folders online only directly from OneDrive for web.
• You will experience up to 3X faster loading times when viewing and interacting with your files in OneDrive in your browser and in the OneDrive app in Microsoft Teams and Outlook.

Without offline mode, the first two features listed above were only available through File Explorer on Windows or Finder on macOS.

Offline mode for OneDrive now lets you control the Files On-Demand feature as well, allowing you to select files to always have on your device. Files On-Demand already worked through File Explorer but is now accessible through OneDrive for web as well.

I use the web and native versions of Office and OneDrive. To me, it's strange which capabilities are exclusive to the different versions. It's hard to say which version is better, since some options are only available on the web while others are exclusive to the native versions of Office or through File Explorer. But it's always nice to see new features roll out to OneDrive. I have a massive library of files I manage through the cloud, so I look forward to being able to search through them with Copilot and interact with them offline.

Everything that's on the way to OneDrive

Here's a quick rundown of everything that's on the way to OneDrive with some snippets from Microsoft explaining the features:

Copilot: Magic at your fingertips

Catch up on the files you care about by generating summaries for your Word, PowerPoint, Excel and PDF files, all with Copiloted in OneDrive. And why stop at summaries? You can also ask questions and get answers from the contents of your files without even opening them. Copilot is also great at helping you with tasks like comparing documents, generating FAQs, getting suggestions on improving docs, and much more!

Updated, faster file viewer

We’ve recently updated the file viewer for Microsoft 365 which can preview more than 300 file types in OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams, and other apps. The updated file viewer is up to 2X faster than the previous version, plus it’s more intuitive and functional. For example, you can edit PDFs and images, annotate eBooks, favorite files, and request electronic signatures securely.

Accelerate teamwork and productivity

OneDrive helps you and your team work smarter and faster. We want to make it easy for you to find and track your work, and to access the files when you need them. And with safe sharing options, you can work together without worries, knowing your data is secure.

Enhanced search in OneDrive for web

OneDrive for web now lets you find your files faster than ever with its new and improved search functionality. Whether the file is in your OneDrive, shared folders, or document libraries, our improved search feature allows you to seamlessly sift through your entire digital workspace from one centralized location. The enhanced search features include:

• New filters: Added filters for different file types to help you find exactly what you need.
• Date filter: Narrow down your search results by files created or modified within a specific timeframe.
• Scoping options: Easily conduct precise searches within specific folders, sites, or document libraries.
• Updated interface: Visual enhancements and more metadata help you locate your files more quickly.

Simple, smart, and secure collaboration

Sharing is one of the most widely used features across Microsoft 365. Our goal is to make collaboration quick and seamless. We’ve streamlined the sharing dialog, making it faster and easier to use. When you open the share experience across Microsoft 365 applications, you can now focus more easily on the core sharing tasks by sending an email invite or copying a link for others to start collaborating on your files.

Branded external file requests

The external file request feature allows you to collect files from others by providing them with a secure upload link. This tool is especially useful when you need to gather documents, photos, or other files from people outside your organization. Soon you’ll be able to make your brand stand out to partners, clients, or stakeholders, with a custom branding request and landing page. From the branded email requests to personalized landing pages for uploaded documents, every interaction matches your brand identity.

OneDrive experience in Document Libraries

The next generation OneDrive experience available in OneDrive for web will soon be available in SharePoint document libraries. When you go to your document libraries, you’ll see fresh new visuals, simplified navigation with filters and search, best in class performance, and your favorite features from Microsoft Lists, like board views. We can’t wait for you to try it later this summer.

Create new files from templates

We've refreshed the file creation experience in OneDrive for web which you initiate by clicking the “Add new” button. Now, clicking the “Add new” button will give you the option to create a blank file or choose from a selection of high-quality, beautifully designed Word, Excel and PowerPoint templates to jumpstart your work, including templates provided by your organization. This update is rolling out soon and is currently available for customers in Targeted Release. 

Browse your photos and videos with Media view

We're adding a Media view to the left navigation of OneDrive for web, for work and school users. You can use this view to easily browse and access your photo and video content in OneDrive. Media view in OneDrive for web is now rolling out to customers.

Experience lightning-fast performance with offline mode

We are making OneDrive for web faster and more offline-capable with the new offline mode (formerly known as Nucleus). Once enabled, you can browse your OneDrive files in Edge, Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers, online or offline, with lightning speed and efficiency. In fact, you can expect to see up to 3X faster loading times when viewing and interacting with your files in OneDrive in your browser and in the OneDrive app in Microsoft Teams and Outlook.

OneDrive next generation experience in more apps

OneDrive is more than just a file storage and collaboration app – it’s a consistent, familiar file experience across the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Last year we updated OneDrive for web with the next generation experience that makes locating and accessing files quicker than ever. We’ve recently rolled this out to the OneDrive app in Teams and Outlook. And soon, you’ll get this experience in microsoft365.com (formerly office.com). Additionally, we’re also updating the Office file picker that you use to open, share and save files in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other apps. The new file picker will offer a familiar, improved experience.

Colored folders in Windows File Explorer

With OneDrive for web, you can color-code your folders for more visual appeal and better organization. Now, we're bringing this feature to Windows File Explorer. Whether you want to match your folders with your mood, your brand, or your project theme, you can easily customize them with different colors. A splash of color helps you find folders faster and makes your work more, well... more fun.

Export Sync Admin Reports

Want to create your own custom dashboards based on the OneDrive Sync Health Dashboard data? Now you can, thanks to Microsoft Graph Data Connect.2This powerful feature allows administrators to export and join sync health data with other data sets for actionable insights into the overall sync health status of devices in your organization. It will be available in public preview in late June. Don't miss this opportunity to take your sync health analysis to the next level.

What you need to know

• Microsoft just announced that it will stop supporting the option to upload content to OneDrive through a URL.
• The feature, which was only ever in preview, allowed apps to upload content straight to OneDrive from a URL without having to download the item first.
• Microsoft cited low usage of the feature as the reason for cutting off support.
• The option to upload content to OneDrive through a URL will stop working on March 29, 2024.

Microsoft OneDrive had a feature that you likely never knew existed, the ability to upload content directly to the cloud from a URL. The feature has been in preview since September 2021 and was designed for apps, mobile clients, and browser-add-ins, not general use by everyday users. But this week, Microsoft announced that it will end support for the feature on March 29, 2024, ending its support before the feature ever reached public availability.

"Your app can upload an item to OneDrive by providing a URL," explains Microsoft's page dedicated to the feature. "OneDrive will download the file directly from a remote server so your app doesn't have to upload the file's bytes. This is especially useful for mobile clients or browser add-ins, where the file contents aren't available, or are expensive to transfer."

Uploading an item to OneDrive from a URL only ever worked for OneDrive personal. It also was only ever a preview feature, so it's not like everyday OneDrive users have lost something. Even among preview users, the option was used by fewer people than required to justify its expense to Microsoft.

"This feature was introduced as an experimental option for users who wanted to save files from the web directly to their OneDrive without downloading them first and was only ever supported for Consumer OneDrive," said the company this week.

"However, we have found that this feature has low usage and high maintenance costs, and it does not align with our vision for OneDrive as a cloud storage service that syncs your files across devices."

Uploading items to OneDrive from a URL will stop working on March 29, 2024. Anyone who relies on the feature should migrate to other options before the cutoff date.

Microsoft's vision for OneDrive

One interesting point of emphasis by Microsoft is that the ability to upload content to OneDrive from a URL does not align with the company's vision for OneDrive, which is a "cloud storage service that syncs your files across devices." The feature does seem to work along different lines, acting as more of general cloud storage than syncing items between devices. The fact that it was only available to OneDrive personal made it stick out even more from other options.

Microsoft wants OneDrive to serve as a place to back up your files, sync content across devices, and provide access to your files anywhere. The tech giant has emphasized this increasingly over the years as it's rolled out features like integrating OneDrive with the Files app on a Chromebook and managing files on Microsoft Teams.

What you need to know

• Microsoft announced several improvements for the OneDrive app for Teams this week.
• The OneDrive app will replace the Files app in Teams, which unifies the file management experience across Microsoft 365.
• Accessing third-party services that currently integrate with the Files app in Teams will require Microsoft Teams apps.
• The OneDrive app will ship to the new Teams in December 2023 and to classic Teams in early 2024.

Microsoft Teams has a new file management experience on the way. This month, Microsoft will roll out the OneDrive app for Teams, which will replace the Files app in Teams. The OneDrive app will then make its way to the classic version of Teams in early 2024, though the Files name will remain on classic Teams. Mobile users won't be affected by the change.

The new OneDrive app unifies the file management experience across Microsoft 365. The app promises better performance, thanks to the fact that it utilizes recent updates to the OneDrive and SharePoint library experience.

All of your Microsoft 365 content will live within the OneDrive app for Teams. Views and filters will make it easy to find files, according to Microsoft. 

Here are the highlights of what you can do with the new OneDrive app for Teams, as shared by Microsoft:

• OneDrive home: With OneDrive you can find your recent files and other content such as Loop, Lists, Power BI, or Whiteboard – no matter where they are stored in Microsoft 365.
• For you: This section at the top of the OneDrive home page shows you AI-powered file recommendations with thumbnails and file activity updates.
• Shared view: Any file that’s been shared with you, regardless of if it was shared in a chat, channel, meeting or email, will show up in the shared view. It’s your go-to spot to find all the files on which you are collaborating.
• Meetings view: The meetings view shows your upcoming and past Teams meetings, along with meeting recordings and shared files. Whether these files were shared in chat or the meeting invite, you’ll find them all here.
• People view: Sometimes you don’t remember the name of a file or the specific chat where a file was shared, but you do remember the person who shared it. Context is vital when looking for the right file. The people view organizes your files by the people you work with.
• Favorites: Keeping track of important files is now easier with favorites. You can mark any file as favorite, then access it from your favorites list across OneDrive, Teams, File Explorer, Microsoft 365 apps, and more.
• Recycle bin: Without leaving the Teams client now you can easily view and restore previously deleted files.

Microsoft is on a quest to integrate AI with all of its services, and the OneDrive app for Teams is next on the list. The app will recommend files based on what artificial intelligence determines is relevant.

Can you use other cloud services in Microsoft Teams?

The improvements to the OneDrive app for Teams will make things better for those that use Microsoft for cloud storage, but it will also change how to access files from third-party services. Going forward, you'll have to use corresponding Teams apps for other services.

Microsoft promises that it is working with third-party cloud and management providers to get more apps onto Teams. At the moment, there are 160 apps in that category available, including Stack Overflow and Box. Notably, Dropbox does not have a Microsoft Teams app. A Dropbox support document outlines how to integrate Dropbox with the Files tab in Teams, but that won't be an option in the future.

We'll have to wait to see which services have apps added to the Teams library. I suspect that it will ultimately result in a better overall experience, but that users of certain cloud services will run into some issues at first. Hopefully Microsoft works with Dropbox and any other services that lack Teams apps to fill gaps.

What you need to know

• OneDrive on Windows 11 will now show a prompt and make you answer questions when you attempt to close the application.
• The new behavior was spotted recently and only appears on some PCs.
• Microsoft has a long history of placing advertisements, polls, and prompts into its operating systems.

Update 11 November at 7 AM ET: Microsoft has since backtracked on its decision to show a prompt when a person attempts to quit OneDrive. The company shared a statement with The Verge regarding the behavior that was tested:

"Between Nov. 1 and 8, a small subset of consumer OneDrive users were presented with a dialog box when closing the OneDrive sync client, asking for feedback on the reason they chose to close the application. This type of user feedback helps inform our ongoing efforts to enhance the quality of our products."

The original story follows.

Microsoft found a new way to irritate Windows 11 users recently. Now, if you try to quit OneDrive on Windows 11, you'll see a prompt that includes a questionnaire on why you want to quit the app. The option to quit OneDrive remains greyed out until you select a reason.

The prompt only appears for some users at the moment. Taras Buria from Neowin highlighted it, but the same prompt does not appear on my PC. There's a good chance Microsoft is testing the behavior with select groups or as part of a phased rollout.

If you are one of the "lucky" few to see the new prompt from Microsoft, you'll see the following options:

• I do not want OneDrive running all the time
• I do not know what OneDrive is
• I do not use OneDrive
• I am trying to fix a problem with OneDrive
• I am trying to speed up my computer
• I get too many notifications
• Other

Windows 11 has a variety of ads and prompts, ranging from full-blown product placement for third-party applications to invitations to use Microsoft's apps and services. There's some debate regarding if a prompt on a Microsoft OS for a Microsoft product is an ad or a suggestion to get an optimal computing experience, but some are annoyed nonetheless.

• Is Microsoft putting ads in the Windows 11 Start menu?
• How to disable annoying ads on Windows 11

The new OneDrive prompt is particularly aggressive because it requires you to answer the question to quit OneDrive. A similar survey asking why you'd want Chrome rather than Edge can be closed or ignored.

How to close OneDrive on Windows 11

The option to quit OneDrive is either hidden or in a confusing place, depending on your perspective. To quit the app, you need to select the "Pause syncing" option. Then, you'll have the choice to quit the app entirely.

If you'd like to keep OneDrive open but pause it due to limited internet connectivity or to free up system resources, you can just elect to pause syncing. 

Among all the best laptops out there today, if you're heavily entrenched in the Microsoft ecosystem you probably aren't looking at a Chromebook as your first choice. And that's fair. But they're also popular in education, and growing in popularity in enterprise, so maybe you just got given a Chromebook and you have to use it. 

Google's Office suite just isn't as good as Microsoft's, and it doesn't have nearly the market share. Many personal users, as well as education and enterprise still rely on Microsoft Office, or Microsoft 365. 

Microsoft 365 has web apps for all its key products, but in the case of OneDrive, you can go one better and integrate it natively into the Chrome OS Files app. It's not yet a public, stable feature, but anyone can try it out on the more recent versions of Chrome OS. Here's what you need to do. 

How to enable OneDrive in the Chrome OS Files app 

There are a couple of ways to achieve the end goal here, both are fairly easy, but one is certainly a little quicker. This first method involves the Explore app on your Chromebook. If you open it up, you should see in the Apps & Games section there's a tile that says "Microsoft 365 comes to Chromebooks." 

Click on this, and you'll get some blurb, but also a magic Set up button. Click on this, and you'll be taken through the process, which essentially involves logging in to your Microsoft Account and letting your Chromebook do the rest. OneDrive will be added to the Files app and the Microsoft 365 web app will be installed for you. This is certainly the easiest of the two methods. 

The alternative method involves enabling a flag in Chrome OS to turn on the magic. It's not immediately obvious what it does, but once enabled, you'll be able to link up your Microsoft Account and access OneDrive right there in the Files app. 

Follow these steps to enable the right flag: 

1. In Chrome, type chrome://flag into the address bar. If you're using the Lacros browser, that is, Chrome detached from Chrome OS, you'll need to type os://flags instead.
2. In the search box type #upload-office-to-cloud to locate the flag.
3. Select Enabled from the dropdown box.
4. Restart your Chromebook to apply. 

That's just the first part, there's a little more you need to do right now to trigger the OneDrive integration. If you open Files then you'll see nothing has changed. What you need for the next part is a Microsoft Office document, be that Word or Excel, just something you would open in Microsoft Office. 

With this file on your Chromebook, you're going to right-click and now you will see a new option under Open with for Microsoft 365. Select this and the process of installing and linking up your Microsoft Account will begin, as well as OneDrive in the Files app. 

The process is really straightforward and just involves following the on-screen prompts. Each step is shown in the gallery below. 

It does seem a little janky to set up right now, as it took me two attempts for it to link up my Microsoft Account. Once it's complete you'll be asked if you want to move your Office files into OneDrive. Microsoft 365 on Chrome OS will use OneDrive to handle files, which is understandable. For the sake of this guide, you probably have no issues with this since you'll already be a OneDrive user. 

What you'll now have on your Chromebook is the Microsoft 365 web app installed and ready to use, as well as access to all your OneDrive files from within the Chrome OS Files app. If at any time you wish to remove your OneDrive account, you can do so by opening the Chromebook's Settings app, selecting the Files option in the left-hand column, and then clicking on your OneDrive account. Hit the remove button to make it go away. 

It's nice to see Microsoft and Google working together on little things like this that ultimately make the end-user experience better for everyone. Eventually, it'll be easier to set up than this, but for now, this is what we have to work with. 

What you need to know

• Microsoft announced a major change that would affect OneDrive's storage quota policy.
• The update would count images that appear within a gallery and albums counted separately against the user's storage quota, ultimately taking up at least twice the space.
• Users received the announced change with a lot of resentment, despite Microsoft's one-time storage bonus to mitigate the disruptions which would expire within a year.
• Microsoft has backtracked the change due to feedback received from users.
• The update won't roll out to users on October 16, 2023, and users will continue to enjoy their current photo album experience.

Last month, Microsoft announced a major change coming to OneDrive that would effectively lower the user's storage limit. It would see images featured in the gallery and album as separate entities against Microsoft's total storage quota, ultimately taking up at least twice the space.

The change was received with a lot of resentment from users, despite Microsoft's free one-time storage bonus which would expire after a year. This is mainly because the update would negatively impact the user's storage. The company further highlighted that the user would be unable to save new files to OneDrive, sync files to OneDrive, or send or receive emails through Outlook after exceeding their storage limit.

Microsoft was set to roll out this change to users on October, 16, 2023, but this is no longer the case according to a spot by Neowin. The company quietly issued a statement backtracking the change. It further highlighted that its decision was based on the feedback received from concerned users.

More changes are on the way

Beside backtracking this change, Microsoft recently announced the biggest update to OneDrive in years. In the next couple of months, a Fluent redesign, an AI Copilot system, offline mode, and more are expected to ship to OneDrive.

What you need to know

• Microsoft recently announced many new features shipping to OneDrive, including an AI Copilot system, offline mode, and more.
• The company unveiled Copilot in OneDrive, designed to serve as a "daily digest," showcasing newly shared files, changes made on the files, documents relevant to upcoming meetings, and suggestions for follow-up actions.
• Copilot in OneDrive is expected to be available to customers by December, though users will need a Microsoft 365 Copilot license to access it.
• Microsoft 365 Chat is also making its way to OneDrive and will help users instantly gather information across their Microsoft 365 data. 

Microsoft just held its much anticipated online event dubbed Microsoft OneDrive: The Future of File Management is Here, showcasing the next generation of file management across Microsoft 365. As expected, a huge part of the announcement was majorly inclined toward improved and enhanced file management capabilities as well as AI integration into the platform.

To make this possible, Microsoft has redesigned the home experience in OneDrive for Web to ensure that users are able to access their documents instantly, which is complemented by the AI-powered file recommendations from the For you section, ultimately allowing users to work effectively inefficiently since they'll now be able to access files with ease. 

Notably, Microsoft is also making it easier for users to keep track of upcoming and past meetings, as the Meeting view feature on the platform will display this information at a glance alongside recordings and files shared during the meetings.

Users will also be able to find files shared with them easily. Any shared file will be conveniently located in the Shared view, regardless of how it was shared or who shared it. This will make it easier for users to keep track of ongoing projects.

Taking it a step further, Microsoft is making it easier for users to keep track of important files with the Favorites feature. All you need to do is to mark any file you'd like as a favorite, and it will be automatically included in your Favorites list across OneDrive, Teams, File Explorer, Microsoft 365 apps, and more. 

Shipping to OneDrive soon

Besides these neat additions, Microsoft also announced a plethora of new features set to make their way to OneDrive in the future, designed to make "file organization, access, and creation" easier.

First up is the Open in App feature, which will provide users with a seamless experience, allowing users to make changes directly from OneDrive. According to Microsoft, "In the same way that you can open a Word, PowerPoint or Excel file in their respective desktop apps, soon you’ll be able to open any file in its desktop app, edit it, and changes will sync to OneDrive." The company added that the feature is expected to ship to broad availability in December 2023. 

Microsoft also plans to update the Files app in Teams with the new OneDrive Teams app. This change aims to provide users with "clean access" to their files across SharePoint and OneDrive from Teams. The company added that this change will be available for users in December, indicating that it will sport "all the recent updates made to OneDrive and SharePoint library experiences."

It's also worth noting that OneDrive is set to get an offline mode in early 2024. As reported earlier, the feature essentially lets users access and work on files even if they are unable to establish a stable internet connection, then syncs the changes once the user is back online.

Like most Microsoft products and services, OneDrive is also getting a Copilot, designed to "transform how you access, leverage and extract value from your files in Microsoft 365." With the new AI advances on the platform, users will be able to make queries regarding files or even get AI-generated summaries regarding the content contained in the files. It will be possible to achieve this and more without having to open the file. Microsoft indicated that Copilot in OneDrive is expected to ship to general availability by December, though you'll need a Microsoft 365 Copilot license to access the feature.

Microsoft further disclosed its future plans for Copilot for OneDrive as highlighted below:

We’re working on new Copilot skills that will help you find what you need and stay organized. Imagine you’ve just started working on a new project called Munson, and you need to quickly get up to speed. You ask Copilot, “Show all the files shared with me on Project Munson in the last week.” Once Copilot has helped you find the relevant files, it understands that you might benefit from adding them to a new folder. Copilot then adds these files to the new folder, and recommends other files related to Project Munson that were not part of your original search, so that you can add them to your newly created folder. What started as a simple natural language search has now resulted in your personal knowledge library on Project Munson.

Essentially, the feature will help users stay organized at work while simultaneously enhancing productivity by getting rid of mundane tasks that take up a lot of time. Microsoft also highlighted that Copilot in OneDrive will be able to generate summaries allowing users to easily share the progress of ongoing projects. The company refers to the  experience as "daily digest in OneDrive," which "shows new files shared with you, changes to files you've shared, new comments, documents relevant to upcoming meetings, and suggestions for follow-up actions."

Microsoft also unveiled Microsoft 365 Chat, a nifty feature that will allow users to skim through their "entire universe of Microsoft 365 data," including files stored in OneDrive and SharePoint. Users can also use the tool to get important details regarding any information they might require within their files. It will essentially use the context of the question to put all this information together. 

While we only hit the highlights of the announcement, you can check out Microsoft's blog post to learn more about what's coming to the new and improved OneDrive.

I like the new OneDrive

As highlighted above, plenty of changes are coming to OneDrive that will redefine how users interact with files on the platform. Copilot in OneDrive is perhaps the most noteworthy feature coming to the platform and is expected to ship toward the end of the year but to limited users due to the Microsoft 365 Copilot license requirement.

It will be interesting to see how these features impact the user's productivity regarding file management. Offline mode is my favorite addition to OneDrive, as it will allow users to work continuously even if there are network disruptions causing poor internet connection. 

Which feature are you excited to see make its way to OneDrive? Be sure to share your thoughts with us in the comments. 

What you need to know

• Microsoft OneDrive will soon ship with an Offline mode.
• The feature lets users access the platform even without an internet connection.
• While on Offline mode, you can "view, sort, rename, move, copy, and delete files."
• The feature is expected to be available in preview by November 2023, shortly after Microsoft's exclusive event focusing on the future of OneDrive.

We're a few weeks shy of Microsoft's exclusive event focusing on the future of OneDrive. And while there's little information to go about regarding what will be discussed on the October 3, 2023, event besides "benefits of faster file access, better organization, simpler collaboration, and improved file security across Microsoft 365," there's a likelihood that the company will also touch on generative AI and its advancements in OneDrive.

While we wait for Microsoft to provide a detailed account of the platform's future, there's a pretty neat feature on its way to OneDrive, as spotted by Neowin.

According to Microsoft's 365 Roadmap, a new feature dubbed Offline mode is in the works. The feature tagged 168618, as the name suggests, users will essentially be able to access their files and photos regardless of whether they have an internet connection or not. And as the feature's description highlights:

Perhaps this could be one of the many features the company intends to introduce during its Microsoft OneDrive: The Future of File Management is Here event. Per the Microsoft 365 Roadmap, the preview version is expected to roll out to users in November 2023 and will ship to broad availability later in December 2023.

And as is often the case, Microsoft ships features in waves. As such, it isn't farfetched that the company might announce the feature during the event as the release schedule lines up perfectly. 

Analysis: The fix

For the longest time, the internet has been a crucial component of OneDrive's accessibility, which has proven to be a major setback and deterrent to productivity, especially when facing intermittent internet connectivity. 

But as it now seems, Microsoft has picked up on this issue and is working toward incorporating Offline mode into OneDrive. This will help users establish continuity while using the platform, and what's more, the changes made while offline will sync automatically once the user established a stable internet connection.

In related news, Microsoft recently announced amendments limiting how many photos users can store on the cloud. As of October 16, photos featured in galleries and albums will be counted separately against the user's OneDrive storage quota. This means that a single image will technically take up almost twice the space. 

What you need to know

• Microsoft is set to hold an exclusive OneDrive event on October 3, 2023.
• The online event will provide attendees with a first-hand look at the future of OneDrive.
• Microsoft also intends to showcase the benefits of faster file access, organization, simpler collaboration, and more across Microsoft 365.
• There'll also be a dedicated segment in the event focusing on AI advancements as far as OneDrive is concerned.

Microsoft is gearing up for an upcoming OneDrive event scheduled for October 3, 2023, at 10 AM PT. The announcement doesn't delve much into what the online event is about other than indicating that attendees will "get a first-hand look at the future of OneDrive."

The event, dubbed Microsoft OneDrive: The Future of File Management is Here, will showcase the next generation of file management across Microsoft 365. Jeff Teper, Microsoft President, Collaboration Apps & Platform, among other OneDrive product team members, will spearhead the event highlighting new enhancements and features shipping to OneDrive as well as "benefits of faster file access, better organization, simpler collaboration, and improved file security across Microsoft 365."

Attendees should also expect a dedicated segment of the event focusing on Microsoft's AI advancements and plans for the future regarding OneDrive, including new search and sharing capabilities across files in OneDrive. 

Microsoft has already shared the event's information, including the Teams link and the Calendar invite. 

As we wait for the exclusive event showcasing OneDrive's future, Microsoft is on the verge of implementing new changes that will limit how many photos users can store on the cloud. From October 16, 2023, photos featured in galleries and albums will be counted separately against the user's OneDrive storage quota. In essence, this means that a single photograph could essentially take up almost twice the space.

What you need to know

• Microsoft announced a major change to how OneDrive will store images.
• Starting on October 16, 2023, photos that appear in your gallery and albums will be counted separately against your storage limit.
• As a result, an image within a gallery and several albums could count against your storage multiple times.

A major change to OneDrive is on the way, and it will effectively lower your storage limit if you use a certain feature. Starting on October 16, 2023, images that appear within a gallery and albums will be counted separately against your storage quota. That means the same image could take up at least twice the space.

The OneDrive gallery contains all images saved to the cloud, so it's not possible to delete a photo from the gallery while keeping it in an album.

The announcement was sent out by email to some users and reported on by DrWindows. The introduction to the email reads:

"Microsoft is committed to improving your Microsoft 365 experience, and we want to let you know about an upcoming change to the OneDrive photos storage infrastructure. Soon, data from photos saved in your Gallery and in your albums will each count separately against your total Microsoft Storage quota. This change will gradually roll out across accounts starting on October 16, 2023."

That language suggests that not only would an image count against your storage twice if it's in your gallery and an album, the photo could count several times if it's in multiple albums.

Microsoft's email goes on to explain that the "change may affect how much storage you have available." Users pushed over their storage limit by the change will not be able to save new files to OneDrive, sync files to OneDrive, or send or receive emails through Outlook.

A one-time storage bonus will be given to people to ease the transition, though Microsoft did not specify how much extra storage would be given. That bonus will expire after one year.

Analysis: Microsoft is making a mistake

I use OneDrive every single day. In addition to storing all of my personal files on Microsoft's cloud, I use OneDrive to store all of the images and videos of my American football team. Just this year, I have thousands of photos of my team, and they're organized into a variety of folders and albums. Microsoft's change will make all of my images that are in an album take up at least twice as much space.

In practice, some of my photos may now count against my storage limit three, four, or even five times. Let's think about one image, a player scoring in a game. I'll store that photo in the folder for that game and it will appear in my OneDrive gallery. Then, I may add the same picture to an album for the best images of that game, another album for scoring highlights from the year, and a third album for best photos of the year. I don't want four copies of the image; it just naturally fits into a few different albums.

As of October 16 of this year, I'll have to come up with a new way to organize my photos.

We asked, and finally, Microsoft delivered. 

This past week, Microsoft revealed that finally, it will allow you to automatically integrate and upload Xbox gameplay clips directly to your OneDrive storage. I feel like we've been asking Microsoft to do this for almost a decade, back in the Xbox One generation, and back when OneDrive was even called SkyDrive. Better late than never, eh?! 

Anyway, I decided to fight through COVID-19 and take a pause from recovering from my massive Starfield review to give you a quick look at how OneDrive integration works on Xbox, and what you can get out of it. 

Xbox has technically had OneDrive integration since the early days of the Xbox One, but it wasn't automatic. Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S consoles have game DVR recording functions, complete with a small pool of cloud storage for uploading and transferring clips to other devices or platforms, such as Twitter. Much like Starfield's inventory space, this cloud storage facility gets filled up quite quickly, leaving you to laboriously manage dozens of clips while figuring out which epic 360 no-scopes are worth keeping. With this update, you can finally set the Xbox DVR to automatically select OneDrive as a storage and upload location, much like the Camera Roll on any phone you have OneDrive installed on. 

You can compare OneDrive plans here. OneDrive comes with 5GB of storage for free, and if you have an Xbox you technically already have it. All Microsoft accounts come with OneDrive attached as standard. However, if you subscribe, you can get boatloads more. You can pay $20 per year for 100GB of storage (which also removes ads from Outlook.com), or you can pay $70 per year and get full Microsoft Office tools, and 1TB of storage. There's also a family plan for $100 per year for up to 6 people. 

It would be cool if the OneDrive implementation allowed you to manage Xbox DVR clips you had already uploaded to the Xbox DVR folders, while also viewing how much storage you have left. It's early days yet, though. I suspect Microsoft will add more features to this integration over time. 

Automatic OneDrive uploads are available now in the Xbox Insider Program as part of the Alpha Ring, and will roll out to more users in the coming weeks and months ahead. 

What you need to know

• New subscribers will not be able to obtain a OneDrive for Business (Plan 2) subscription with unlimited storage going forward.
• Organizations that already have that type of subscription will be able to renew it and add seats.
• Available OneDrive for Business subscriptions default to 1TB per user but admins can increase that to 5TB per user in some cases.

As file sizes get larger and more work moves to the cloud, the need for online storage continues to grow. The size of storage subscriptions, however, just significantly shrank, at least for OneDrive users. Microsoft no longer options unlimited cloud storage as part of OneDrive for Business plans. Instead, the default limit is 1TB per user.

There are some options for up to 5TB of storage per user, but those are limited to certain customers. In order to qualify, an organization needs to have five or more users with a OneDrive for Business subscription, specifically plan 2. Even then, there is an initial limit of 1TB per user, but admins can increase that to 5TB per user.

"In response to customer demand, Microsoft has streamlined the purchasing process for customers who use OneDrive for Business standalone plans,” said Microsoft to TechRadar. “Customers currently on these plans will still be able to add seats and renew their license.”

Microsoft's statement explains that organizations with a current OneDrive for Business (Plan 2) subscription can continue to keep that option. Those organizations will even be able to add seats and renew their license. The change appears to only affect new subscribers, who will no longer be able to sign up for a plan with unlimited cloud storage.

TechRadar spotted that the change occurred at some point between July 14 and July 28 this year. Microsoft's website for OneDrive for Business subscriptions now only lists OneDrive for Business (Plan 1). There are also Microsoft 365 subscriptions that include cloud storage, but those are also limited to 1TB per user.

What you need to know

• My Photo Stream is a feature that allows you to sync 30 days' worth of photos across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
• Apple will end support for My Photo Stream on July 26, 2023.
• You can replicate similar functionality by backing up your photos through OneDrive, which is available on several platforms.

Apple will end support for My Photo Stream on June 26, 2023. My Photo Stream is a free service that syncs photos and videos across your devices running iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. Up to 1,000 images from the past 30 days currently sync through My Photo Stream, but that functionality is going away in a few weeks.

Our colleagues at iMore covered the cutoff and iCloud Photos, the Apple-based alternative many users will switch to. While iCloud Photos may be the most seamless way to sync photos and videos across your Apple hardware, it's not the only option. If you already have a Microsoft 365 account, you may prefer to back up your media through OneDrive.

Using OneDrive won't replicate the functionality of My Photo Stream exactly. One of the main benefits of My Photo Stream was that it was free. While you can get 5GB of OneDrive storage for free, you may have to pay for a subscription.

As companies shift toward subscription-based models for storage and services, you'll likely have to end up paying to store your files in the cloud one way or another. If Microsoft OneDrive is your cloud storage provider of choice, you're in luck.

OneDrive is available for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. The version of OneDrive for iPhones and iPads has a built-in feature for backing up all of your photos. It's also possible to back up images through macOS, though the method is a bit different.

Back up iPhone photos to OneDrive

Backing up photos and videos from your iPhone or iPad to OneDrive is straightforward. Microsoft has a support document if you have more questions. Here's how to set it up.

Note that the following steps should work on an iPhone or iPad:

1. Install the OneDrive app for iOS.
2. Open OneDrive.
3. Tap the Settings icon.
4. Select Camera Upload.
5. Enable Camera Upload to upload photos automatically.
6. Select Include Videos if you'd also like your videos to be backed up.

The OneDrive app has handy settings for backing up content, such as Bedtime Backup. That feature uploads files faster but requires your device to be plugged in and connected to Wi-Fi.

If you have an iPhone and/or iPad and a Windows PC, you're good to go and can stop here. But if you want to make sure all of the photos you have on your Mac make their way to OneDrive, follow the steps below.

Back up macOS photos to OneDrive

If you want to back up your macOS photos and videos to OneDrive, the easiest thing to do is back up your computer's folder that contains those files. As new images and videos are added to that folder, OneDrive will automatically sync them to the cloud. This is a different process than backing up photos through the OneDrive mobile app, but the result is the same.

A Microsoft support document breaks down the steps:

1. Download and install OneDrive for macOS.
2. Click the OneDrive icon to open the app's menu.
3. Select the ellipses "..." to see more options.
4. Select Preferences.
5. Navigate to the Backup tab.
6. Select Manage Back up.
7. Select any folder you wish to back up.

While it's a shame that My Photo Stream is going away, both Apple and Microsoft have great options for backing up and saving photos across devices. If you already have a Microsoft 365 Personal account you have 1TB of OneDrive storage available, and backing up your photos is a great use of the cloud tech.

Microsoft doesn't think I'm using OneDrive correctly, and it's getting annoying. 

I'm not sure if anyone at Microsoft actually uses Windows 11, but the efforts to degrade the user experience with "ads" in the shell are increasingly annoying. Microsoft has faced backlash for putting "recommendations" everywhere in Windows 11, decreasing a sense of ownership over the Surface Pro, laptop or desktop you may have spent a ton of cash to buy. Whether it's the lockscreen, search bar, or File Explorer itself, Microsoft seems hellbent on annoying users off its platform for some reason, and it's tiring.

I usually ignore this kind of stuff, I mean, after all, you can turn most of the ads in Windows 11 off. However, one of the most recent "additions" is not only annoying, it's also stupid — and it won't let you hide it until you opt-in, then opt-out again. 

Microsoft, stop asking me to sync my Desktop, and my local Pictures and Documents folders to OneDrive. It's dumb af. 

Sorry, Microsoft, the local Documents folder isn't for storage

I don't know who needs to hear this, but your local documents folder is not for storing files. At some point in history, Microsoft seemed to be aware of this, which is why OneDrive (formerly SkyDrive) originally came with its own Documents folder, one that I personally use to this day. 

It's then all the more maddening that Microsoft increasingly begs me to sync my Documents and my local Pictures folders, despite the fact I already have cloud versions of these folders, and despite the fact I am a paying subscriber. It would at least make some vague modicum of sense if I wasn't a subscriber, but asking me to change my habits so you can get a deeper look into the inner workings of my PC is insulting. 

Listen, my Documents folder, like most people, is full of garbage. Do you know why it's full of garbage? It's because at some point, Microsoft, you asked app developers to start storing temporary files in the local "Documents" folder. My Documents folder is thus full of random Steam game save files, huge, storage-gobbling temporary data from Adobe Premier, and a random "Backup" folder from your own PowerToys which serves literally no purpose, amongst other random bullshit. It's disorganized as hell. It's 1.5 GB of ugly. And it spits in the face of the pristinely organized Documents folder I have been maintaining in OneDrive for years upon years. I do not want to sync your stupid local Documents folder, and I am tired of being asked to do so. The minute I start syncing it, random folders and files are going to pop up in my OneDrive, sync at random since the usage of the local Documents folder is the Windows app equivalent of the Wild West. 

To a lesser extent, this applies to the Desktop as well. I know some people maintain an absurd and cluttered desktop full of random folders, shortcuts from apps that haven't been used in years, and cat pictures. But I do not. My desktop is clean. It is empty. The desktop is purely for nice photographs and temporary moving of files as they travel to greener, more organized pastures. I do not want to sync the Desktop "folder," since it is not for storage. I will absolutely die on this hill. 

Stop it

This really touches upon a wider problem of Microsoft urging users to spend money on its platform. I already subscribe to Microsoft 365, and I have done so for years, which is why it's all the more annoying that these "ads" are impacting me. You got me already, Microsoft, why are you still trying to bait me with these weird, desperate messages?

This extends to the begging tone of messages you get if you dare try to move your default browser from Microsoft Edge to something else, or if you change your default search engine. There's a hilarious box that pops up if you search "Google" in Bing too, which just adds a second search bar to remind users of the search bar that is literally 50 pixels above it. What?

Listen, why don't you try and improve OneDrive with cool new features and grow Microsoft 365 via its merits rather than these hard-coded, manipulative ads that you are increasingly reluctant to let us hide? Why don't you fix the fact OneDrive for Android keeps uploading screenshots despite the fact I keep telling it not to? Why don't you invest in some normal, traditional marketing like every other company on Earth? 

Look, it's been a long week. 

What you need to know

• Microsoft just rolled out its Patch Tuesday update for Windows 11.
• The update brings systems to build 22621.1555 and will ship to systems automatically.
• Several security improvements are part of the update, as well as a short list of changes.
• The latest version of Windows 11 will show a notification within the Start menu to back up files through OneDrive for some users.

With the second Tuesday of the month in the rearview mirror, Microsoft has shipped its April Patch Tuesday update for Windows 11. The update includes several security improvements. It also has some minor changes, such as the search box in the Taskbar being light when Windows is set to a custom color mode.

The update is available through Windows Update, Microsoft Update, and Windows Update for Business. Users can also get it through the Microsoft Update Catalog. Windows Server Update Services will automatically sync with the update depending on your configuration.

Microsoft highlighted the following improvements in a support document:

• New! This update implements the new Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) as a Windows inbox feature. For more information, see By popular demand: Windows LAPS available now!
• This update addresses a compatibility issue. The issue occurs because of unsupported use of the registry.

The update also includes all of the improvements that shipped with the Windows 11 optional update that shipped at the end of March (KB5023778). Among those changes is the addition of a prompt that suggests people back up their files through OneDrive.

That notification caused debate when it was first announced as an addition to Windows. People disagree on the nature of those types of prompts, with some calling them ads and others viewing them more favorably. In our poll about the topic, over 52% of participants said that they view the notification to back up files to OneDrive as an ad, but over 47% said they did not view it as an ad.

Here is what shipped with the optional update in March that's rolling out to PCs now in the latest Patch Tuesday update:

Build 22621.1555: Highlights

• New! This update introduces notifications for Microsoft accounts in the Start menu. This is only available to a small audience right now. It will deploy more broadly in the coming months. Some devices might notice different visual treatments as we gather feedback. See the example below.
• New! The search box on the taskbar will be lighter when you set Windows to a custom color mode. This will occur when you set the Windows mode to dark and the app mode to light in Settings > Personalization > Colors.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Notepad combo box in Settings. It fails to show all the available options.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Microsoft PowerPoint. It stops responding. This occurs when you use accessibility tools.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Microsoft Narrator. It fails to read items in dropdown lists in Microsoft Excel.
• This update addresses an issue that affects USB printers. The system classifies them as multimedia devices even though they are not.

Build 22621.1555: Improvements

• New! This update adds many new features and improvements to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. For more information, see Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.
• New! Once you have access to the new Bing, the search box on the taskbar might include a button that opens the Bing chat experience in Microsoft Edge. If you don’t have access, the search box on the taskbar will feature a dynamic search highlight button.
• This update addresses an issue that affects complexity policy settings for PINs. They are ignored.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Fast Identity Online 2.0 (FIDO2) PIN credential icon. It does not appear on the credentials screen of an external monitor. This occurs when that monitor is attached to a closed laptop.
• This update addresses an issue that affects a Clustered Shared Volume (CSV). The CSV fails to come online. This occurs if you enable BitLocker and local CSV managed protectors, and the system recently rotated the BitLocker keys.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Active Directory Users & Computers. It stops responding. This occurs when you use TaskPad view to enable or disable many objects at the same time.
• The update addresses an issue that affects the Remote Procedure Call Service (rpcss.exe). The issue might cause a race condition between the Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) and the Microsoft Remote Procedure Call (RPC) endpoint mapper.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Microsoft PowerPoint. It stops responding on the Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD). This occurs when you use Visual Basic for Applications (VBA).
• This update addresses an issue that affects Windows Search. Windows Search fails inside of Windows container images.
• This update affects the Group Policy Editor. It adds Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.3 to the list of protocols that you can set.
• This update affects the Arab Republic of Egypt. The update supports the government’s daylight saving time change order for 2023.
• This update affects jscript9Legacy.dll. It adds ITracker and ITrackingService to stop MHTML from not responding.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Microsoft HTML Application Host (HTA). This issue blocks code execution that uses Microsoft HTA. This occurs when you turn on Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) User Mode Code Integrity (UMCI) enforced mode.
• This update affects the Group Policy Management Console. It addresses a scripting error in the Group Policy Preferences window.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Windows Remote Management (WinRM) client. The client returns an HTTP server error status (500). This error occurs when it runs a transfer job in the Storage Migration Service.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Desired State Configuration. It loses its previously configured options. This occurs if metaconfig.mof is missing.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) option 119 - Domain Search Option. The issue stops you from using a connection-specific DNS Suffix Search List.
• This update addresses a rare issue that might cause an input destination to be null. This issue might occur when you attempt to convert a physical point to a logical point during hit testing. Because of this, the computer raises a stop error.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol (SCEP) certificate. The system reports some SCEP certificate installations as failed. Instead, the system should report them as pending.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the new Windows Runtime (WinRT) API. This issue stops an application from querying for location information using MBIM2.0+.
• This update addresses a known issue that affects kiosk device profiles. If you have enabled automatic logon, it might not work. After Autopilot completes provisioning, these devices stay on the credential screen. This issue occurs after you install updates dated January 10, 2023, and later.
• This update affects Xbox Elite users who have the Xbox Adaptive Controller. This update applies your controller remapping preferences on the desktop.
• This update addresses an issue that might affect your audio. It might cause glitching or screeching. This occurs when the system is under a heavy load or wakes from sleep.
• This update addresses an issue that stops WDAC from parsing fields from binaries.
• This update addresses an issue that might affect Win32 and Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps. They might close when devices enter Modern Standby. Modern Standby is an expansion of the Connected Standby power model. This issue occurs if certain Bluetooth PhoneLink features are turned on.

Microsoft Edge has a lot of features baked in, but I don't blame anyone for missing them. Some are tucked away or off by default. Others are shipped without much fanfare. And some, such as Drop, live within the Sidebar, a part of Edge that I bet a lot of people have never used.

The Sidebar is a toolbar that's roughly the shape and size of a smartphone. You can pin websites to it or use a handful of built-in tools, like a calculator or search. You used to be able to open the Sidebar with a keyboard shortcut, but that seems to have gone away with the introduction of the Bing icon in Edge. You can set the Sidebar to always be shown, however.

I use the Sidebar every day, but it's a relatively recent addition to Edge that few have heard about. Additionally, it can only be brought up by clicking the Bing icon if you don't have it set to always show, and I suspect some may never open it. Here's why you should.

Recently, Edge gained a feature called Drop that allows you to message yourself and save files, photos, and messages in a convenient thread. That content is backed up on OneDrive and is accessible from Edge on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.

Drop works similarly to messaging yourself on Telegram or other services. But you get the added benefit of it living right within your browser and having the files backed up on OneDrive. If you're in the Microsoft ecosystem, those are pretty handy bonuses.

You can even drag and drop photos and content from Edge to Drop when browsing on a desktop. Both text and photos are supported.

I use it to send photos and files to myself. Drop is available on Edge on all platforms, so I can snag a photo from my phone and get it to my PC or vice versa. It works quickly as well.

How to use Microsoft Edge Drop

Drop initially shipped with version 110 of Edge, but it was off by default with that update. Edge 111 was the first to have Drop enabled by default, at least as far as I can tell. If you're on the latest version of Edge, Drop should appear within the Sidebar.

If you don't see Drop in the Sidebar, follow these steps:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Click the ellipsis icon ("...") in the upper right corner.
3. Select Settings.
4. Select Sidebar.
5. Bring up the Sidebar by clicking the Bing icon or selecting Always show sidebar.
6. Select Customize sidebar.
7. Within the Sidebar, toggle Drop on using the pill-shaped switch.

While you could just use Drop to share files between different instances of Edge on desktop, it's more useful if you have Edge on your mobile device. Edge is available on Android and iOS and Drop is supported on both platforms. 

Here's how to open Drop on a mobile device:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Select the ellipsis icon ("...") at the bottom of the app.
3. Scroll down and select Drop.

You'll now see any content you've shared from other devices. You can also share files, photos, and text from your phone using a similar interface to most messaging apps.

You can access any content files or photos shared through the Drop feature in OneDrive as well. The folder is titled "Microsoft Edge Drop Files" and is created for you when you first use Drop.

As far as I can tell, text messages are not accessible through the OneDrive folder. I tested it with photos, PDFs, and audio recordings, all of which showed up in the folder almost instantly.

Microsoft rolled out an optional update for Windows 11 this week. The company releases updates like this at the end of each month and then ships them to everyone running the OS on the following Patch Tuesday. This month's optional update included a feature that has caused some debate among PC users.

Windows 11 Build 22621.1485 will show a notification within the Start menu that suggests people back up their files through OneDrive. Microsoft refers to the capability as "notifications for Microsoft accounts in the Start menu" but some have used another name; an advertisement.

Microsoft often suggests features to people through Windows 11, such as prompting people to use Microsoft Edge. The nature of these prompts is up for debate. Some view them as intrusive ads while others think they're helpful and let people know about features.

In this week's poll, we'd like to know what you think of the ad.

Windows Central take

I fall in the middle on this topic. I do view the Start menu notification to use OneDrive  as an advertisement, but I don't think it's horrible for Microsoft to show it. Obviously, Microsoft makes money off people paying to use OneDrive, but I think backing up files to the cloud is good practice, so it's reasonable for the tech giant to suggest its own service.

Even if I don't like the ads, Microsoft certainly has the right to promote its services within Windows as long as people can use other software. Dropbox, Google Drive, and iCloud all work on Windows, making OneDrive just one of many options.

I don't like that the only options shown in Microsoft's image are "Start backup" and "Remind me later." Surely there should be a third option that hides the notification permanently?

If Microsoft is going to suggest features, people need the ability to say no and then not be asked again.

What you need to know

• Microsoft released an optional update for Windows 11 this week.
• The update includes a feature which shows a notification to back up files to OneDrive.
• There is debate regarding if this type of notification is an ad or not.

Microsoft has started to roll out an optional update for Windows 11 that includes a feature that may prove to be controversial. The update brings the operating system to 22621.1485 and adds a prompt to use OneDrive to back up a PC's files.

The highlights from the support document refer to the feature as "notifications for Microsoft accounts in the Start menu." Microsoft noted that the prompts will only appear for a small audience at the moment but will roll out more broadly in the "coming months."

Microsoft does not refer to these types as notifications as ads, which is a fact that may cause debate. Some view the notifications as useful prompts for features that integrate with Windows 11 while others view them as intrusive advertisements.

The optional update that includes the new feature is available to those that search for it through the Windows 11 Settings app. It can also be obtained through the Microsoft Update Catalog.

Assuming all goes well with the preview build, the update will ship next month as part of Microsoft's Patch Tuesday updates.

Here are Microsoft's highlights of what's new in the update:

Build 22621.1485: Highlights

• New! This update introduces notifications for Microsoft accounts in the Start menu. This is only available to a small audience right now. It will deploy more broadly in the coming months. Some devices might notice different visual treatments as we gather feedback. See the example below.
• New! The search box on the taskbar will be lighter when you set Windows to a custom color mode. This will occur when you set the Windows mode to dark and the app mode to light in Settings > Personalization > Colors.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Notepad combo box in Settings. It fails to show all the available options.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Microsoft PowerPoint. It stops responding. This occurs when you use accessibility tools.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Microsoft Narrator. It fails to read items in dropdown lists in Microsoft Excel.
• This update addresses an issue that affects USB printers. The system classifies them as multimedia devices even though they are not.

Windows Central take

Whether prompts to use OneDrive within the Start menu are good or bad depends on who you ask. Some claim that Microsoft is too pushy when it prompts people to use OneDrive through File Explorer or the Start menu. Others feel since Microsoft makes and maintains Windows 11, that it has the right to promote services that it feels benefit users.

Even the definition of an ad varies from person to person. Is it an ad to tell a OneDrive user that they can save Word documents online? I think most would claim that's a reasonable prompt from a cloud storage provider. Does that same logic extend to Microsoft suggesting people back files from their respective computers onto OneDrive?

Some will refer to prompts by Microsoft as ads. Others will not. Regardless of which side you fall on, these types of notifications have proven controversial in the past.

When Microsoft added a Bing icon to its Edge browser, just over half of our polled readers said they felt the move was too pushy. Of course, that also means that almost half felt it was a good thing (34.65% of polled participants) or didn't care (13.99% of polled participants).

We'll have to wait to see the response to Windows 11's new notification.

What you need to know

• Microsoft just announced Microsoft 365 Basic, a new tier of the company's productivity suite.
• Microsoft 365 Basic costs $1.99 per month and comes with 100 GB of OneDrive storage, access to the web-based Office apps, Outlook, and access to customer support.
• The free version of Microsoft 365 as well as Microsoft 365 Personal and Microsoft 365 Family remain unchanged.

A new tier of Microsoft 365 was just announced. Microsoft 365 Basic grants subscribers access to 100 GB of OneDrive storage, the web-based Office apps, Outlook email, and access to customer support for Microsoft 365 and Windows 11. The plan costs $1.99 per month and effectively replaces the current 100 GB OneDrive plan.

The technical support provided to Microsoft 365 Basic subscribers includes phone or online chat help for Microsoft 365 and Windows 11.

Microsoft 365 Basic will be available on January 30, 2023. Throughout the year, more features will make their way to the plan.

"Later this year, we’ll have a bunch of stuff with OneDrive advanced security that will be available as well, that includes Personal Vault, password-protected and expiring links, ransomware detection and recovery, and bulk file restore," said Director of Product Marketing for Microsoft 365 Gareth Oystryk to The Verge.

The Microsoft 365 Basic plan does not replace the free version of Microsoft 365. Those that don't want to spend any money on Microsoft 365 can still get access to the web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, OneDrive, and Clipchamp without a paid subscription. The free Microsoft 365 plan only comes with 5 GB, however, which can be limiting.

Microsoft 365 Personal, which costs $6.99 per month, also remains unchanged by the rollout of Microsoft 365 Basic. Similarly, Microsoft 365 Family will remain as it has been. In fact, Microsoft highlighted the fact that Microsoft 365 Personal and Microsoft 365 Family have not gone up in price since they launched 10 years ago.

Alongside the unveiling of Microsoft 365 Basic, Microsoft announced that the Office app on mobile platforms and Windows will be renamed to Microsoft 365 later this month. Microsoft has shifted toward Microsoft 365 branding over the last few years, though the Office name is still part of the company's plans.

"We’ve really invested a lot in Microsoft 365 and it’s really become our flagship productivity suite, so Office plays less of a role given that’s where our focus is. You’ll still see Office show up in certain contexts," said Oystryk to The Verge.

"It’s more of a shift in focus where we’re doubling down on Microsoft 365 as our productivity suite, and we want people, when they think of productivity, to think about Microsoft 365 and not Office."

Across the lands of Microsoft and Windows, dozens of news stories go across our desk each week. We cover games, gadgets, software, and more, but it's easy for people to miss out on a few stories. That's why every week we round up the biggest pieces of news from the industry into one bite-size piece.

Windows 11 bug affecting PC gaming

Microsoft confirmed that a GPU bug in Windows 11 version 22H2 is lowering gaming performance on some systems. As a result, the company placed a compatibility hold on affected devices, preventing them from receiving or installing the update.

"Some games and apps might experience lower than expected performance or stuttering on Windows 11, version 22H2. Affected games and apps are inadvertently enabling GPU performance debugging features not meant to be used by consumers," said Microsoft.

While the tech giant looks for a permanent fix, there is a workaround for the issue:

"If you are already on Windows 11, version 22H2 and are experiencing this issue, you might be able to resolve it by updating your games and gaming related apps to the latest version available."

Microsoft cutting OneDrive & Outlook features

Several changes are on the way to OneDrive and Outlook over the next few months. Microsoft explained that Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to create personalized email addresses for their Outlook inbox (such as yourname@example.com). Additionally, the company announced that Outlook attachments will count against OneDrive storage limits. As a result, some people may need to delete emails to make space.

To ease the transition, Microsoft will provide at least an extra 50 GB of cloud storage for one year starting on February 2, 2023. During that time, people may need to delete larger emails or clear out older messages from their inbox.

Surface Pro 9 repairability

Surface devices have a poor reputation when it comes to repairability. Microsoft improved this some with the Surface Pro 8 and other devices from its last generation, but the company took a major leap with the Surface Pro 9. Things are so much better that iFixit called the Surface Pro 9 the "most repairable" Surface Pro it's ever seen.

A few changes helped the Surface Pro 9 earn a 7/10 from iFixit, such as its battery being secured with screws rather than glue. The PC's screen has a bit of flex, making the display easier to remove as well. The Surface Pro 9 also has an SSD that can be swapped out with ease.

iFixit explained that the score of the Surface Pro 9 will likely go up when repair manuals and spare parts are available, both of which Microsoft has promised to deliver.

Microsoft Teams speed improvements

While the actual improvements rolled out before last week, Microsoft highlighted performance improvements for Teams recently. Navigation in several key areas improved, including moving between chats, channels, and threads.

Microsoft has improved the performance of Teams steadily over the years but made a major jump in November 2022. A framework upgrade on the platform was the main force behind the improvement.

"The most common action for a user in Teams is to switch between different chats, channels, and activity feeds," said Microsoft Principal Group Program Manager for Microsoft Teams Jeff Chen. "Over the past two years, switching between chat threads is now 32% faster, switching between channels is 39% faster. This leads to a more fluid experience that will keep you in the flow."

Microsoft Create in testing

Microsoft announced its new Create platform in October. Now, the site is available for testing. Microsoft Create brings together multiple services, including Word, PowerPoint, and Clipchamp. It provides shortcuts to creating content and includes templates for a variety of services.

Review roundup

From gamers on the go to germ-conscious laptop shoppers, our experts looked at a broad range of devices this week.

• ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE review: The best gaming laptop to buy this year
• Lenovo ThinkBook 16p (Gen 3) review: Well-built and powerful, but nothing that sets it apart from other creator laptops
• ASUS TUF Gaming X670E-Plus WiFi review: Solid specs and value for AMD Ryzen 7000
• Corsair Katar Elite wireless mouse review: Comfortable gaming with a compact construction
• Lenovo ThinkBook 13s (Gen 4) review: A competent, compact, and affordable laptop for business
• Asus Vivobook S 14 Flip review: A solid mid-range laptop made for germaphobes
• Cooler Master CK720 mechanical keyboard review: Hot-swappable switches for everyone
• Razer Naga V2 Pro review: The most versatile gaming mouse just got even better

What you need to know

• Microsoft just announced several changes that will remove features or affect the functionality of Outlook and OneDrive.
• Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to have personalized email addresses attached to their Outlook.com inbox.
• Outlook attachments will soon count against your OneDrive storage data limit, which could force people to delete larger emails.
• Microsoft will add at least 50 GB of extra storage to Outlook for one year to help people transition.

Microsoft recently announced significant changes to Outlook and OneDrive that will reduce functionality of both services in certain areas. Starting on November 30, 2023, Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to associate a new personalized email address with an Outlook.com mailbox. On February 2, 2023, Outlook.com attachments will start counting against a person's OneDrive data cap. Microsoft sent out details about the changes this morning.

Personalized email addresses are custom addresses with a format like yourname@example.com. Any emails sent to the personalized email address appear in the same inbox as the normal address associated with the account. The main benefit is that a person can make the suffix of the email address whatever they'd like, such as a community group or another name.

If you already have a personalized email address, it will continue to work after November 30, 2023. The change only affects the ability to associate new personalized email addresses. If, however, you remove an existing personalized email address after the cutoff date, you will not be able to add it back.

The change to cloud storage will likely affect more Microsoft 365 subscribers than the personalized email change. Up to this point, Outlook.com attachments have not counted against OneDrive storage limits. With that changing as of February 2, 2023, some people may have to delete older emails.

If you often send larger files or keep thousands of emails in your inbox, you may have to clear up some space. To help ease the transition, Microsoft will provide at least an extra 50 GB of cloud storage for one year starting on February 2, 2023. That period should give people enough time to organize their files accordingly.

What you need to know

• OneDrive turns 15 years old this month, and Microsoft has a bunch of new features to celebrate the occasion.
• A new OneDrive Home experience will roll out over the coming months that includes a refreshed Recent view, an Activity column, and support for pinning document libraries to the Quick access section.
• Microsoft is also working on an intuitive sharing experience across Office apps, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams.

OneDrive turns 15 years old this month. In its decade and a half of existence, the cloud storage platform has had many names, interfaces, and updates. Now, Microsoft has announced its next wave of plans for OneDrive. The service will gain a new OneDrive Home experience, an updated collaboration experience, and a new way to share content with friends and family over the coming months.

Microsoft redesigned the OneDrive Home experience with resuming work in mind. It features an updated Recent view that supports sorting files by type. For example, you can click on the Word button to locate .docx files or the Excel button to see .xlsx documents.

A new Activity column in OneDrive shows the most recent, unseen edits, and comments for documents. That Activity column also appears in the My files view, which shows @mentions, comments, and assigned tasks from collaborators.

OneDrive also gained support for pinning document libraries to the Quick access section to simplify navigation.

OneDrive Home should roll out in the "coming months," according to Microsoft. The updated landing experience for OneDrive for the web will ship to OneDrive for work and school users.

Microsoft 365 apps that work with OneDrive all now feature a consistent experience for collaboration. Microsoft started this journey back in June 2021. The company has also built a unified file experience that extends across OneDrive, SharePoint, and Microsoft Teams.

Microsoft also shared details about its new OneDrive photo story experience. The company recently started testing the ability to share a private feed that only appears for people that have received an invite — think Instagram Stories but for a specific group of people. It's available now in Australia on OneDrive for Android and iOS as well as within web browsers. It should roll out to the United States and other regions in 2022.

Microsoft rolled out Windows 11 Build 25163 to Insiders in the Dev Channel earlier today. Our senior editor Zac Bowden covered all of the changes in the update, but one new feature caught my eye. In the latest Insider build of Windows 11, you can choose OneDrive as a share target to directly upload files to the cloud. The reason it stuck out to me is that I assumed it was already an option.

I use OneDrive on my Android phone and share content to the cloud service all the time. For example, I'll record a few clips of my American football team and watch them in my phone's gallery. If any stand out as worth saving long-term, I just tap the share icon, pick OneDrive as a target, and select the folder I want the videos in.

While it's possible to upload files directly through the OneDrive app, I prefer to view items within a gallery or file app and then save the ones I need. I assumed this was a natural workflow and double-checked with some of my colleagues. Confirming my sanity, I wasn't the only member of our team to use OneDrive this way. In fact, one of my coworkers uses a similar feature on iOS.

The folks working on Windows 11 and OneDrive must have seen someone do this on their phone and gotten jealous because the functionality is on the way to Windows 11.

"When sharing a local file from the desktop, File Explorer, Photos, Snipping Tool, Xbox, and other apps that use the built-in Windows share window, you can choose OneDrive as a target to directly upload the file to OneDrive and share it further along with access control options," states the changelog for the latest Insider build of Windows 11.

"All this can be done right from sharing local files in File Explorer without any context switches or opening the OneDrive app."

Hopefully, this option makes its way through the Insider rings and rolls out to everyone on Windows 11.

What you need to know

• Leaked images of an updated OneDrive client for Windows 11 show a revamped design for the application.
• The settings section of the OneDrive client now aligns visually with Windows 11, featuring rounded corners, transparency effects, and other UI elements that are seen throughout the operating system.
• It appears to be simply a visual overhaul with no new features.

Microsoft's OneDrive client for Windows isn't the most dated first-party app on the operating system, but it's certainly showing its age. If you check out our OneDrive beginner's guide, you'll see quite a few older UI elements. That could soon change, as a revamped version of the OneDrive client for Windows has leaked online.

Twitter user Florian obtained a copy of the updated OneDrive client and shared images of the app's revamped settings section. The app now aligns with Windows 11 visually, featuring rounded corners, transparency effects, fonts, and other elements that fit in with Microsoft's newest operating system.

From what can be seen in the leaks, this is merely a visual overhaul to the OneDrive client on Windows 11. That will likely be fine for most users, as the app works well.

Florian clarified that the version they showed off is a Microsoft internal build of OneDrive. As such, you should download it at your own risk. Additionally, the update is in its early stages, so the final product that ships may be different from what was shown off in the leaks.

If you'd like to try out the app, you can get it through this link, but be aware that it's a direct download link and will automatically download the OneDrive client.

While Insiders won't get the version of the app shown off in these leaked images just yet, you can follow our guide on how to get Insider previews of OneDrive to try out new and experimental features.

What you need to know

• Microsoft is testing out a Story feature for OneDrive.
• OneDrive stories focus on privately sharing content with friends and family rather than posting images publicly.
• The feature is in beta testing for OneDrive users in Australia using iOS, Android, or the web.

Microsoft has a new feature in the works designed for sharing content with friends and family members. OneDrive users in Australia can now beta test a new Story feature for the platform. At the moment, stories are only available for users on Android, iOS, or the web. It should make its way to other regions in the future, according to a Tech Community post from Microsoft.

OneDrive stories differ from similarly named features on Instagram, Facebook, and other social media platforms. Rather than allowing people to share content with a broad public audience, OneDrive stories focus on sharing with friends and family members.

"Photo story brings all your memories into a private, invitation-only feed that you can share with family and friends, and it supports comments, reactions, and notifications to spur authentic interactions through photos that people actually care about," explained Microsoft.

To create a story, tap the Shared tab within the OneDrive Mobile app or website. Microsoft details the steps further in a support document:

1. Select Create post. 
2. Choose the photos and videos you want to share. 
3. Select Continue or Next. 
4. Add a location if you want. 
5. Add a description for your post if you want. 
6. Select Post. 

Story posts only appear for followers. You can set OneDrive to allow anyone with a link to see your story or require approval for someone to follow you. If you share a link and later want to revoke access, you can do so.

While at first glance, adding a Story feature to OneDrive may seem redundant to people who already use Instagram, Facebook, or other social media apps, OneDrive's implementation provides a different way to share content. It lets people privately share photos without having to use a separate social media application.

What you need to know

• Microsoft OneDrive gained several features in the second quarter of 2022, including the ability to delete folders with up to 10,000 items.
• It's now easier to switch between personal and professional versions of OneDrive when using the web as well.
• The Microsoft Teams Files experience is now powered by OneDrive, allowing people to use options that they've grown used to with the cloud storage service.

Microsoft regularly rolls out features for OneDrive. The cloud storage service doesn't get as many new options as other programs, such as Teams, but there are still quite a few new capabilities added each year. At the end of each quarter, Microsoft shares a blog post covering everything that's rolled out to OneDrive during that period. Microsoft's latest post breaks down all of the new features from Q2 2022.

Here's a quick list of everything that's new. We'll then dive deeper into specific features:

• Easily navigate to all your Teams files from OneDrive
• Deleting large folders
• Microsoft Stream: Comment on a video or audio file in SharePoint and OneDrive
• Shift between work and personal files in OneDrive
• Quickly switch between document libraries
• Pin important files to Quick Access
• File browsing in Teams
• Add to OneDrive in Teams

April's additions focused largely on file management. Microsoft added a "Your Teams" section and a "More Places" page to ease navigation. The company also added the option to delete folders with as many as 10,000 items.

In May, Microsoft made it easier to swap between professional and personal OneDrive accounts. Users can now click on their profile icon, see a dropdown menu of other accounts, and select the one they'd like to use, regardless of if they're personal or professional. A new dropdown option was also added to OneDrive and SharePoint to switch between document libraries last month.

This month, Teams gained the ability to add a shortcut to access OneDrive files. Changes to files made within Teams sync across OneDrive as well. Microsoft also added the option to rename shortcuts within OneDrive.

What you need to know

• OneDrive on iOS has a new experience for signing up for a new account within the app.
• Users can now sign up and log in to an account using a passcode that will be sent as a text message rather than having to use a password.
• The new experience is faster and more secure, according to Microsoft.

Microsoft is rolling out a new sign-up experience for OneDrive on iOS. Following an update to version 13.13.2, the app will allow users to sign up for a new account on the OneDrive app using a passcode that will be sent through a text message. This new setup replaces having to use a password and is faster and more secure, according to Microsoft.

Here's the description of the change from the OneDrive for iOS changelog:

If you still need to catch up on the latest features for the cloud storage service, you can check out our roundup of everything new for OneDrive from Q1 2022. Microsoft shipped updates and new features to OneDrive on just about every platform, including macOS, Windows, and the web.

What you need to know

• Microsoft summarizes all of the new features for OneDrive from the first three months of 2022 in a recent Tech Community post.
• A refreshed version of Files on Demand for macOS, a built-in image editor on the web, and a sync client for ARM-based Windows devices are some of the biggest features from the last quarter.
• Microsoft also made it easier to copy and organize copied content in OneDrive earlier this year.

Microsoft frequently rolls out new features and updates to OneDrive. We often cover these as they come out, but it's nice to gather things together for a recap. Since, OneDrive doesn't get as many new features as some other apps from the company, such as Teams, Microsoft has a quarterly roundup rather than a monthly one. Here's everything that's new for OneDrive from the first quarter of 2022.

Back in January, Microsoft released a new Files on Demand experience for macOS. The update brought back an icon from a previous version that made it easier to identify which files were stored locally or just in the cloud. New management options for the macOS version of OneDrive make it easier to select which files are kept on a device.

Microsoft added new options for link settings earlier this year as well. Now, you can choose your preferences before generating a link for sharing. This prevents people from having to copy a link twice. OneDrive and SharePoint also gained new dialogs for moving and copying files.

When looking at photos through OneDrive on the web, you can now use a built-in image editor. The tool supports basic edits, such as cropping, rotation, adding filters, and marking up an image.

ARM-based devices got a big boost when it comes to using OneDrive as well. Microsoft released the OneDrive sync client for Windows on ARM in March. In February, the company also added the ability to natively run OneDrive sync on Apple Silicon. In both cases, people should see improved performance.

Here are some smaller features that shipped to OneDrive in the first few months of 2022:

• Known Folder Move support for macOS
• Library Dropdown
• Sync Activity Center visual update
• Organize your "Add to OneDrive" shortcuts

What you need to know

• Microsoft's OneDrive now runs natively on Apple silicon, which powers newer MacBooks and Apple hardware.
• OneDrive users should see performance improvements after updating to the latest version that's optimized for Apple silicon.
• This feature has been in testing since last year but is now generally available.

OneDrive's sync client can now run natively on Apple silicon. Microsoft just rolled out an update to OneDrive for macOS that brings the app to version 22.022. Following the update, OneDrive will have improved performance and be able to fully utilize Apple's chips, such as those inside newer MacBooks. The latest version of OneDrive will be able to take full advantage of Apple's M1, M1 Pro, and M1 Max processors.

Microsoft outlines the recent change to OneDrive on its website:

Microsoft started testing the functionality back in June 2021. The company originally planned to release Apple silicon support for OneDrive by the end of last year, but it took a bit longer to roll it out.

Folder Backup is also in public preview on macOS starting this week. This feature automatically syncs content from macOS devices through OneDrive, such as items found in the desktop and document folders.

What you need to know

• Microsoft made a change to OneDrive on macOS that makes it easier to know which files are stored locally on a device.
• OneDrive will no longer show a down arrow next to downloaded content, which should reduce the chances of confusion.
• The change rolls out with version 22.033 of OneDrive for macOS.

Microsoft shipped an update to OneDrive for macOS on January 26, 2022 that created some confusion among users. That version of the app shows a down arrow next to files that had been stored locally through the "Always Keep on This Device" feature. That icon sent mixed messages to some regarding which files were stored locally and which files required an internet connection to access. Version 22.033 of OneDrive for macOS eliminates the cloud with a down arrow icon, which should make things clearer.

Microsoft outlines the changes found in OneDrive 22.033 for macOS in a Tech Community post:

This change does not affect files synced through OneDrive to an external drive. That setup has a different experience, which Microsoft breaks down in the same Tech Community post. An improved experience for syncing files through OneDrive to external devices should come in the near future.