How do I quit 'One Drive' without loosing the files on my harddrive?

Download every OneDrive file to the PC, copy and verify those files outside the OneDrive folder and on the USB drive, then unlink the PC before deleting anything online.

1. Download all files to the hard drive

1. Select the OneDrive cloud icon in the taskbar notification area.
2. Select Help & Settings (gear) → Settings.
3. Open Sync and backup → Advanced settings.
4. Under Files On-Demand, select Download all files.
5. Allow OneDrive to finish completely.

In File Explorer, files with a blue cloud are online-only and are not safely stored on the hard drive. A solid green circle with a white check mark means the file is stored locally and available offline. “Download all files” applies that local setting to the entire OneDrive folder.^1^

2. Make independent copies

Before disconnecting OneDrive:

1. Create a folder outside the OneDrive folder, such as C:\Local Files.
2. Copy, rather than move, the files from the OneDrive folder into it.
3. Copy that independent folder to the USB drive.
4. Disconnect the computer from the internet temporarily and open several documents and photos from:
   • C:\Local Files
   • The USB drive
5. Confirm that the expected folder and file counts are present.

Do not use Free up space: that makes files online-only and removes their contents from the hard drive.

3. Unlink OneDrive before deleting cloud files

After confirming both copies:

1. Select the OneDrive cloud icon.
2. Select Help & Settings → Settings.
3. Open the Account tab.
4. Select Unlink this PC → Unlink account.

Unlinking stops synchronization. Files marked Available on this device remain in the computer’s OneDrive folder; online-only files remain accessible only on the web.^2^

You can then optionally remove the application through Windows Settings → Apps → Installed apps → Microsoft OneDrive → Uninstall.^3^

4. Delete the cloud copies only after unlinking

After unlinking, sign in to OneDrive on the web and delete the unwanted cloud files. If deleting the entire OneDrive:

1. Open My Files.
2. Select the files and folders.
3. Leave any content you still need unselected.
4. Select Delete.
5. Wait before emptying the OneDrive recycle bin, and recheck the PC and USB copies first.

Emptying the OneDrive recycle bin makes the deletion permanent and unrecoverable. Shared files will also become unavailable to people with whom they were shared.^4^

Important: Do not delete files from the OneDrive folder in File Explorer while synchronization is active. Deleting a synchronized file can delete it from OneDrive and other synchronized devices as well.^1^

References

1. Save disk space with OneDrive Files On-Demand for Windows | Microsoft Support
2. How to remove an account in OneDrive | Microsoft Support
3. How to cancel or stop sync in OneDrive | Microsoft Support
4. Permanently delete your entire OneDrive | Microsoft Support