Windows 11 is now enabling OneDrive folder backup without asking permission

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Privacy, Consent, and User Agency

  • Strong backlash against enabling OneDrive folder backup without explicit, informed consent.
  • Many see this as violation of user agency: even if backup is useful, it should be opt‑in or at least clearly surfaced with an easy “No.”
  • Users object even if they “don’t care about privacy” per se, because the OS is doing things they didn’t ask for and making them hard to reverse.
  • Concern that sensitive data (legal, medical, client, kids’ photos, regulated info) is silently exfiltrated to Microsoft’s cloud.

Risk–Benefit Views on Cloud Backup

  • Some argue default backups protect typical users more from data loss (drive failure, accidental deletion) than from realistic cloud compromise.
  • Others stress that “backup” here is really ongoing third‑party data transfer and not necessarily versioned or safe from account loss.
  • Multiple comments highlight OneDrive’s poor implementation: high CPU, slow sync, confusing paths, and breaking workflows (e.g., Documents/Desktop moved under OneDrive\).

Microsoft Accounts, Local Accounts, and Dark Patterns

  • Many try to avoid Microsoft accounts and stick to local ones, but say Windows 11 increasingly hides or blocks that path.
  • Workarounds mentioned:
    • Disconnecting from the network and using a special OOBE command.
    • “Domain join instead” option on Pro.
    • Using tools like Rufus to pre‑disable online requirements.
  • Conflicting reports on whether the OOBE bypass still works on latest 24H2 builds; some say yes, others say it now loops or fails.

Reversibility and Control

  • Several report OneDrive silently re‑enabling or hijacking shell folders and being non‑trivial to undo (registry edits, group policy, multiple steps).
  • Claims that uninstalling OneDrive “sticks” for some, while others say it reappears after major updates.

Legal, Compliance, and Regulatory Concerns

  • Questions raised about GDPR, HIPAA, NDAs, trade secrets, and small practices inadvertently uploading protected data.
  • Some believe this could exceed authorized access or constitute “theft,” but others note EULAs and privacy policies may try to cover it.
  • Frustration that regulators (EU, FTC) are not yet aggressively addressing bundling, telemetry, and forced cloud integration.

Broader Sentiment and Alternatives

  • Many see this as another step in Windows “enshittification” and a reason to move to Linux or macOS.
  • Others defend the idea of default backup but condemn Microsoft’s coercive UX and ecosystem lock‑in.