Microsoft is determined to make us use all of its services, and it is very insistent in this regard. The latest update of Windows 11 and Windows 10 have turned “Windows Backup” into a system application. This function, in theory, was something optional or something that we could download without problems, but now Microsoft has become more aggressive in making us use this OneDrive function.
More and more users are unhappy with the level of Microsoft’s interference in their operating system. The company has been working for some time to force users to use the various services it offers, obviously paying for them.
One of the most disliked predefined features by users is OneDrive. The company’s cloud service is integrated by default. Many users choose to create a local account to “turn off” this feature.
Backing up to OneDrive is mandatory
Something we should all do on a regular basis is to back up our most sensitive files. We are talking about photos, videos and any type of file whose loss could be a problem. The ideal is to use an external hard drive or a NAS, since we will always be the owners of the data.
Microsoft wants us to use OneDrive at all costs, which is why they have gone all-in on backup in Windows 11. The feature not only stores personal files, but also configurations, theme settings, and even credentials.
The company’s idea is for this feature to be the ultimate tool for backing up your most important data, but it has a problem.
Windows Backup does not allow offline backups, it MUST have a OneDrive plan. The free version offers only 5 GB of space, which may not be enough for many users. If you need more space, you will have to pay.
A server-side update is the focus of controversy. Microsoft periodically urges users to try out the OneDrive Backup feature.
A notification will periodically appear with the following message: “A full backup of your PC was not performed. Backup is not enabled for credentials and folders. Please back them up now to save them if something happens to your PC.”
The notification displays two buttons. The first tells us to “back up now” and the second tells us to “ignore”. The first option performs a data synchronization with a limit of 5 GB. If, on the other hand, we click “ignore”, the notification will appear again in a few weeks.
Please note that disabling this feature will cause this notification to appear again. If, for example, we prevent it from backing up Wi-Fi passwords, for example, the notification will return.
A company support document states that this feature is “focused on consumer devices.” For work accounts, the notification appears not to appear.
Backup is an interesting feature similar to Google Drive or Apple’s iCloud. But of course, 5 GB is not enough and we end up “losing” control of the data. We always recommend making a local copy and having these options in the cloud as a casual backup.
