How can I keep One Drive from sharing my files in slideshow; how do I delete?

Question

OK I'm going to ask this one last time. I don't like One Drive turning my pictures into slide shows and putting stuff in my online account. I have no idea how to put my photos in a private folder because some of the Windows 11 features don't seem to work. Can I close my online One Drive account without closing Microsoft altogether? How can I keep my art photos private? This is the One drive online This is what I get when I hit File Explorer. Please help. I'm sorry that this is the third time, but I'm no good at editing questions.

Answer 1

If you are not having success keeping the Pictures folder backup off in Manage Backup, I suggest keeping your photos in a folder that OneDrive cannot access.

Here's how you can do that: Why I Avoid Windows Standard Folders

No, you cannot close your online OneDrive account without closing Microsoft altogether.

Answer 2

OneDrive cannot be deleted from the Microsoft account without deleting the account itself, but it is possible to stop it from syncing or showing photos online and keep art files private.

To stop OneDrive from syncing files from the PC:

1. Select the OneDrive cloud icon in the notification area on the taskbar.
2. Select the Help & Settings (gear) icon, then select Settings.
3. Go to the Account tab.
4. Select Unlink this PC, then Unlink account.
   • This stops the computer from uploading new files to OneDrive. Existing files remain in OneDrive but are no longer synced.

To hide or remove OneDrive from Windows 11 so it does not appear in File Explorer:

1. After unlinking, open File Explorer.
2. Right‑click OneDrive in the left pane and select Properties.
3. On the General tab, under Attributes, check Hidden. This hides OneDrive from File Explorer.
4. Again select the OneDrive cloud icon in the notification area, choose Help & Settings, then Quit OneDrive to remove the icon from the notification area.

If complete removal of the OneDrive app from the PC is preferred:

1. Open Settings in Windows.
2. Go to the list of installed apps.
3. Scroll to Microsoft OneDrive, select it, and choose Uninstall.
   • Files already stored in OneDrive are not deleted; they remain accessible only by signing in to OneDrive.com. Nothing new will sync from the PC.

To keep art photos private and out of online slideshows:

1. Move or copy art photos out of any OneDrive folders on the PC into a local folder that is not under OneDrive (for example, a folder directly under This PC or another drive).
2. Optionally, delete the copies that remain in OneDrive:
   • Sign in to OneDrive on the web.
   • Select the photos or folders and delete them. They move to the OneDrive recycle bin.
   • If permanent deletion is desired, open Recycle bin in OneDrive, select the items, and choose Delete.

OneDrive storage itself cannot be deleted while keeping the Microsoft account, but unlinking the PC, hiding or uninstalling the app, and moving photos to non‑OneDrive folders keeps art files private and stops OneDrive from using them in online galleries or slideshows.

---

References:

• Turn off, disable, or uninstall OneDrive
• How to cancel or stop sync in OneDrive
• Delete files or folders in OneDrive
• How can I delete my OneDrive storage (built into Windows) from the internet without deleting my Microsoft account? - Microsoft Q&A