Microsoft has taken a step back from its recent rollout of the OneDrive Photos app, which has now been quietly removed from the Start menu and Windows Search results. This decision comes as the tech giant seeks to refine the user experience and address feedback regarding the app’s intrusive nature. Initially, OneDrive Photos was force-installed on Windows 10 and 11 devices, including enterprise systems where it often failed to launch. In response to the backlash, Microsoft acknowledged the misstep, clarifying that the app’s widespread release was unintended.
Jeff Teper, a Microsoft executive, shared insights on X, stating, “We are incubating a new photos experience in OneDrive that went more broadly than it should have in Windows. We’re fixing that.” He emphasized that while Windows Photos will continue to offer options for managing both local and cloud-stored images, the company is committed to enhancing how OneDrive presents photos across various platforms.
What is this new OneDrive app?
For those unfamiliar with the OneDrive Photos app, it serves as a web-based client that allows users to browse their local and cloud-stored images. Essentially, it integrates OneDrive.com’s Gallery with access to local storage, providing a seamless experience. In testing, OneDrive Photos demonstrated commendable performance, with RAM usage typically remaining below 1GB—an improvement compared to other Microsoft applications.
The app excels as a gallery tool, automatically locating images across a user’s PC folders while allowing for manual adjustments to included or excluded locations. Users can also easily manage files between local storage and the cloud. However, its necessity is questionable, given that OneDrive functionality is already accessible through File Explorer, and the Microsoft Photos app is readily available.
When OneDrive Photos was initially introduced, users found it challenging to uninstall due to its integration with the primary OneDrive sync client, which is pre-installed on Windows devices. Attempting to remove OneDrive Photos often redirected users to the settings for the sync client, complicating the process. Uninstalling the sync client could disrupt OneDrive shortcuts and cloud synchronization, leading to potential access issues for files stored in the cloud.
Microsoft later conceded that it should have provided a straightforward option to remove OneDrive Photos without affecting the sync client. The company plans to implement this feature later this year, but the initial backlash prompted a more immediate solution: hiding the app while it refines user control.
OneDrive Photos is now hidden from Windows Search and Start
Following the latest updates, OneDrive Photos has vanished from the Start menu and no longer appears in Windows Search results. Previously, searching for “OneDrive Photos” would display it alongside the OneDrive sync client. Now, users will only find the sync client, which remains a staple on Windows PCs unless uninstalled.
Despite its absence from the Start menu and search results, the OneDrive Photos app remains installed on users’ PCs. It can still be accessed through alternative methods, such as navigating to the OneDrive installation folder and launching the app directly. This approach allows Microsoft to avoid cluttering the Start menu with yet another photo management tool while maintaining the app’s functionality for those who seek it.
As Microsoft continues to refine the OneDrive Photos experience, it is working towards providing users with the ability to uninstall the app independently from the OneDrive sync client. This change aims to enhance user control over their photo management preferences without disrupting existing OneDrive functionalities. While the future visibility of OneDrive Photos remains uncertain, users can anticipate a more user-friendly experience upon its return.
