Microsoft hid the OneDrive app it accidentally rolled out to everyone, but it's still lurking on your PC

Published Aug 21, 2026, 1:51 AM EDT Simon is a Computer Science BSc graduate who has been writing about technology since 2014, and using Windows machines since 3.1. After working for an indie game studio and acting as the family's go-to technician for all computer issues, he found his passion for writing and decided to use his skill set to write about all things tech. Since beginning his writing career, he has written for many different publications such as WorldStart, Listverse, and MakeTechEasier. However, after finding his home at MakeUseOf in February 2019, he would eventually move on to its sister site, XDA, to bring the latest and greatest in Windows, Linux, and DIY electronics. Sign in to your XDA account Summary OneDrive Photos got accidentally pushed early; enterprise PCs couldn’t use it. Microsoft hid the app from search, but its files remain; it’s dormant until rollout. It blends cloud and local photo libraries, but it's not ready for a full release yet. A little while ago, Microsoft confirmed that it had accidentally rolled out a new OneDrive Photos app to everyone's PCs a little earlier than expected. The bad news was that enterprise PCs weren't able to actually use the app because they didn't have the proper permissions to use it. The really bad news is that uninstalling OneDrive Photos involved gutting the whole OneDrive app from your PC, which wasn't ideal. Now, we're hearing reports that the OneDrive Photos app has vanished from Windows search. However, it doesn't seem like the app itself is gone; it's just lying dormant. Presumably waiting for the actual rollout date Credit: In a report from Windows Latest, the publication noted that OneDrive Photos no longer appears when you search for it. However, the program's files are still present on the device itself; in fact, Windows Latest could boot up OneDrive Photos again by running its executable again. There's a good chance that Microsoft opted not to roll back the install, as it's likely going to reveal OneDrive Photos in the near future. Instead, it hid the app from user view while the company worked on all the issues people had with the app. At the very least, the app shouldn't boot up without manual intervention, so it shouldn't be sapping your PC's performance in secret. From the sounds of it, OneDrive Photos seems like a genuinely handy app. It combines both your cloud and your local storage so you have access to all your images regardless of where they're saved. It's just that Microsoft accidentally jumped the gun and published something further than it should have gone.