OneDrive

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OneDrive

Basic Information
Release Year
Product Type	Cloud storage
In Production	Yes
Official Website

OneDrive is a cloud storage service created by Microsoft in 2007 as SkyDrive and rebranded in 2014.

Consumer impact summary

Overview of concerns that arise from the conduct towards users of the product (if applicable):

• User Freedom
• User Privacy
• Business Model
• Market Control

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Incidents

This is a list of all consumer protection incidents related to this product. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the OneDrive category.

Aggressive push for backups (Aug. 2025)

Microsoft OneDrive attempted to "back up" all the user's computer files. When it had moved 5 gigs of files to OneDrive, it requested that the user "Upgrade" or "Free Up Space". When the user tried to disable OneDrive, it removed all user files from their desktop & they had to copy all the files from OneDrive to get them back onto their PC. The user had to back up all files FROM One Drive TO their external SSD so they don't get deleted when they removed OneDrive from their computer. User files are getting corrupted in the process (user was not aware that OneDrive would do this; user did not opt-in to OneDrive using their data). User claims they are staggering the implementation of this new "feature" (backing up all computer files without user knowledge, notification, or consent), allegedly to stop backlash from consumers. The file for the Desktop One Drive Shortcut was created today:

Staggering of "feature" implementation (automatic backup): Includes the time & date the shortcut was created, which is when the user opened their computer. See references for evidence that this has been happening to users at different rates over the last year.

OneDrive advised that the do not have the proper permissions to upload files that they never requested to back up:

File corruption as a result of OneDrive's forced backup: Interrupted action notification from Windows, stating that "file ... has properties that can't be copied to the new location". This file is a recording of a song the user wrote & thought was safe on their computer.

"Ensure that you have the right permissions to allow the item to sync." User did not request that this or any item be sync'd to OneDrive.

Notification from OneDrive to "Upgrade" or "Free up space" after moving all files it had space for to OneDrive & off of the user's computer.

"File in use [by OneDrive]" notification from Windows when attempting manual backup, not allowing the user to copy their file that OneDrive had moved off of their device.

See also

• iCloud

References

https://www.reddit.com/r/onedrive/comments/1e5riab/onedrives_forcable_takeover_of_folders_is/

https://www.reddit.com/r/onedrive/comments/zx79j6/onedrive_syncs_files_without_permission_and_cant/

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/3887116/onedrive-syncd-everything-without-permission

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5213385/onedrive-is-horrible-invasive-and-impossible

https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/f7795u/onedrive_attempted_to_sync_my_entire_pc_without/

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/4043083/rant-onedrive-enabled-without-consent

https://ctemplar.com/microsoft-edge-and-onedrive-syncing-without-warning-or-consent/