Everyone hates OneDrive, Microsofts cloud app that steals and deletes files

Article / Site Experience

• Several readers note BoingBoing’s page itself is nearly unusable on mobile due to overlapping ads and an embedded TikTok, reinforcing distrust of the whole topic.

Data Loss, “Backup” Semantics, and Dark Patterns

• Multiple anecdotes of serious or total data loss: files reverting to old versions, documents seemingly vanishing from the Desktop, or OneDrive “cleanup” removing local copies.
• A key complaint: the “backup” feature is actually a folder redirection/sync model, not a second copy. Disabling “backup” or deleting cloud data can result in local files being removed or remapped in ways users don’t expect.
• Users describe having to dig through confusing dialogs (e.g., repeatedly de-selecting “backup” and choosing “keep local copy”) to recover files, which feels like intentional dark pattern design.
• Critics say OneDrive blurs local vs cloud storage, ships enabled or aggressively pushed, and defaults Office save locations into the cloud, making purely local use hard.

Dangerous Tool or User Error?

• One side argues the TikTok case and many failures are “user error” and note OneDrive has file history and recycle bins.
• Others counter that:
  • The behavior violates decades of normal file‑system expectations.
  • Tools become truly dangerous when they act against reasonable user expectations via misleading UX, not merely because they can delete data.
  • Preconfiguration, forced onboarding, and vague prompts make genuine informed consent impossible.

Comparisons to Other Cloud Services

• Google Photos is cited as similarly confusing: deleting on the web also deleting on device, constant nagging to enable backup, tight coupling to account quotas, and quasi‑“hostage” behavior around storage limits.
• Some prefer Dropbox or iCloud’s more explicit folder-based model; others use Linux tools or offline backups instead.

Impact on Non‑Experts and Education

• Teachers and helpers report non‑technical users (family, students) get silently pulled into OneDrive, hit quotas, or break Git repos by storing them in synced folders, then struggle to understand what happened.
• This is framed as part of a broader trend: operating systems and cloud services “enshittifying” UX and eroding users’ sense of file ownership and local storage.

Positive Experiences and Use Cases

• Several commenters report years of trouble‑free OneDrive use, especially when:
  • They explicitly choose what to sync.
  • They understand Files‑On‑Demand and backup vs storage semantics.
  • They use it as a Dropbox‑style shared folder and keep separate local/offline backups.
• Even some satisfied users concede that the onboarding, defaults, and Office integration are confusing or coercive, and that Microsoft should clarify behavior and respect opt‑outs.