Photos app only allows One Drive as export destination?

Chris Mcclain 20 Reputation points
2026-01-25T23:48:09.97+00:00

How can I have a folder on my hard drive as an export destination in MS photo? I have no use for one drive but can't figure out how to avoid this product. I uninstalled one drive from my PC, turned off sync, deleted all data I had in it and logged out from everywhere. Still when I go to export photos from iPhone in MS photos, the only destinations are within one drive. I went and deleted the one drive folder manually, hoping I could then just export to a local folder, but no such luck. Microsoft is doing everything it can to keep me engaged with this product that I do not need or want. Elderly people will fall for this and end up subscribing monthly to additional storage they do not need.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage
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Answer accepted by question author
Emma1-N 13,320 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2026-01-27T03:35:10.9333333+00:00

Welcome Chris Mcclain,

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A forum. I am sorry to hear about your experiencing with the Microsoft Photos app on Windows often defaults to OneDrive for imports and exports, especially after connecting an iPhone.  

Complementing the earlier ideas, you could also look into the following options: 

Option 1: Add your local folder to Photos “Folders” 

  • Open Microsoft Photos 
  • In the left sidebar, find Folders 
  • Right‑click “Folders” > choose Add folder 
  • Select a folder on your hard drive, e.g.D:\iPhone Imports (create it first if you want) 
  • Now try Import again — that folder should appear as a destination 

Option 2: Reduce/disable OneDrive showing inside Photos (optional) 

  • Photos > Settings (gear icon) 
  • Find OneDrive Accounts 
  • Use Remove for OneDrive albums/memories 

Note: it may be impossible to remove every OneDrive shortcut completely in newer builds, but you can reduce it 

I really hope that the information I gave above was helpful to you. Please feel free to reply below and let me know if you have further concern on this matter.    

P.S: If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".     

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  1. Chris Mcclain 20 Reputation points
    2026-01-28T16:05:00.66+00:00

    Yes that worked, thank you

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  2. AI answer

    2026-01-25T23:48:48.14+00:00

    The Microsoft Photos app primarily integrates with OneDrive for cloud storage and syncing. If OneDrive is uninstalled, the app may still default to using OneDrive as the export destination for photos. Unfortunately, the Photos app does not provide a straightforward option to change the export destination to a local folder on your hard drive if OneDrive is not available.

    To export photos directly to a local folder, you might consider using alternative methods, such as:

    1. Using File Explorer: Connect your iPhone to your PC and use File Explorer to access the device. From there, you can manually copy photos to any folder on your hard drive.
    2. Using other photo management software: There are various third-party applications that allow you to import photos from your iPhone directly to your PC without relying on OneDrive.

    If you continue to experience issues with the Photos app, you may want to provide feedback to Microsoft regarding your experience, as user feedback can influence future updates and features.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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