Remove "Start back up" option in file explorer

It's on mine and I'm signed out. Onedrive is annoying and pushy. They want you to use up your allotted space so you will buy more.

I couldn't agree more. I use OneDrive, but I do not want this Backup functionality.

Even if I did want it, the last place I would want the "Start backup" button is up there taking up address-bar real-estate. Now my address is impossible to navigate via segmented portions of the address (folder icons), forcing me to edit manually as text (which is so 1990s), or use other more primitive methods (backspace to go back a single folder-level at a time).

When foisting new functionality on users, don't funk up existing functionality.

Chris

Hello,

In the latest release of Windows Insider Home Preview (I have an option everywhere I go in file explorer to "Start Back Up", clicking on it leads me to the onedrive dialogue to back up folders. This is incredibly annoying and I cannot find out how to disable it, even though all my backup features are off.

(Preview build 23481)

I agree about this being annoying. This "Start Backup" button appeared in my Windows Explorer for the first time a couple of weeks ago - Windows 11 Pro 22H2 build 22621.2428.

The button isn't always there; it depends on the folder. For example C:\users<username>\Documents, if I'm in this folder or a subfolder I will see the "Start Backup" button. Same for C:\users<username>\Desktop. I also see the button on my Pictures folder which is on my D: drive, not under C:\users.

I use OneDrive but I keep my OneDrive folder separate from the other folders in my user folder like Desktop, Documents, Downloads, etc. I don't want to back up everything I have saved on my PC, I like to have control over which files are backed up.

I get why MS wants me to back up everything on their cloud - if I use up all of the free OneDrive storage I'll then be forced to buy a subscription for more storage. The "Start Backup" button is meant to facilitate this. In other words, the button is essentially an ad, and like most ads the idea is to generate accidental clicks. Windows 11 becomes more like Freemium software with every update.

I shouldn't have to stop using OneDrive to make this button go away. MS needs to fix this, or at least give us an option to turn it off.

I never see that button to Start Backup on any of my systems.

I just searched for that and found one user comment on reddit:

New Start Backup button on new File Explorer Adress Bar : r/Windows11 (reddit.com)

Btw button disappears if you sign out of Onedrive.