Windows 11 quietly backs up your files to OneDrive. Windows 11's default OneDrive backup gives Microsoft access to your files. Windows 11 includes a backup tool which, by default, automatically backs up the user folders'Documents', 'Pictures' and'Desktop' to OneDrive in the cloud. On the one hand, this is good, as the feature protects users from data loss. However, it is not good that this backup runs opaquely in the background and, in the latest versions of Windows, can only be stopped after several prompts and mouse clicks.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. OneDrive Photos snuck onto Windows 11 PCs, and it can't be uninstalled yet Microsoft accidentally rolled out its new OneDrive Photos app on more Windows 11 PCs than intended. Microsoft has inadvertently rolled out the new "OneDrive Photos" app to significantly more Windows 11 users than intended, reports Windows Latest . The app appears to have been installed on computers where the OneDrive client was already installed, around August 1st, 2026. It's also reported to have been installed on company computers, even though it was designed for personal Microsoft accounts.

Today, Microsoft is announcing "Wave 2" of its Microsoft 365 Copilot AI innovation, which is geared towards users who are paying for a Microsoft 365 Copilot Pro subscription. But one feature, known as Pages, may be available to business customers who use Copilot without a subscription. The subtext of Pages -- and the overall theme of the new Copilot wave in general -- is that Copilot's AI contributions matter. Normally, any advice provided by Copilot remains within Copilot and only for a short time. Microsoft characterizes Copilot's output as "ephemeral," signifying something that eventually passes over.

Spring is here and that means weeding, cleaning, packing away winter clothes… and tuning up your PC! Optimizing your PC's performance isn't as complicated as it sounds, however. Just a few tweaks here and there and you'll have your computer running faster than ever. Improving your PC's efficiency can take a little effort, though some processes can be automated. Your PC is like a Roomba in that streamlining your laptop or desktop often happens when you're not looking. Below, we've listed several ways to improve the responsiveness and overall speed of your PC and to preserve its longevity, too.

Microsoft has scheduled a powerful feature to launch within Copilot: Copilot for OneDrive, which will allow you to query and ask about files stored in the Microsoft cloud. It's a powerful tool, if only because it takes a surprising amount of horsepower to reproduce on a local computer. Microsoft has scheduled Copilot for OneDrive to roll out in May 2024, and will require a Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 license -- the 30 per-user per-month business upgrade, only available to enterprises and schools. The announcement, available on Microsoft's Microsoft 365 feature roadmap, doesn't say anything about whether this feature will be available for consumers who subscribe to Copilot Pro, the 20/user/month service. So why is this an important announcement?

When you buy a new computer, you need to transfer important existing files from your old computer to the new device. At this point, you probably Googled something along the lines of, "How do I transfer everything from my old computer to my new computer running Windows 10?" And to answer this question, here are five methods you can use. It's easy to copy your files between old and new computers. Read the following methods and choose the way that suits you best based on your needs and budget.

OneDrive is investing in improved sharing and organizational features for business users, but consumers are being left behind: Microsoft will add media-centric search and AI capabilities, but that won't occur until next year. That will include the ability to search photos through facial recognition, a feature Google debuted about seven years ago. Microsoft executives referred to the updates as "OneDrive 3.0," a salt shaker of granular features being added to Microsoft's cloud storage. For now, the biggest changes are in organization: You'll be able to search for OneDrive files in a people view, as Microsoft has tipped before. OneDrive is also using some of the recent Windows 11 22H2/23H2 updates to File Explorer as a model to place recommended files in a carousel view at the top of the OneDrive page.

Spring is here and that means weeding, cleaning, packing away winter clothes… and tuning up your PC! Optimizing your PC's performance isn't as complicated as it sounds, however. Just a few tweaks here and there and you'll have your PC running faster than ever. Improving your PC's efficiency can take a little effort, though some processes can be automated. Your PC is like a Roomba in that streamlining your laptop or desktop often happens when you're not looking. Below, we've listed several ways to improve the responsiveness and overall speed of your PC and to preserve its longevity, too.

You've probably had that moment where you wanted to track down an important piece of information from a video, but weren't sure when it was said. If so, Microsoft wants to come to your aid -- it's introducing media searching in OneDrive (and SharePoint, for that matter) that uses AI to transcribe audio and video. The feature will show you timestamped quotes alongside the media viewer itself, with a handy search box helping you track down that elusive phrase. The company is also promising a file view for both OneDrive and the Office.com You'll receive intelligent sharing prompts as well.

I recently had a prolonged online chat with a Google expert while we troubleshot and fixed a problem with a Google Home device. I went through the experience with a Pixelbook and the process made it abundantly clear how useful a Chromebook can be. The problem began when I was setting up Continued Conversation and I discovered that the feature recognized our Home minis but not our main Home device. After a few failed attempts to get Continued Conversation working on the Home, I launched the chat through the Chrome browser on the Pixelbook. Troubleshooting the problem involved reactivating Continued Conversation to see if it recognized the Home after various changes were made.