Disable Windows SkyDrive App using Group Policy

Now with Windows Server 2012 R2 Group Policy, you can restrict users access for the windows 8.1 SkyDrive App. I have tested this scenario in my test lab with the below configuration and it worked just fine. 

 

Below is the configuration i tested with.

  • Windows Server 2012 R2 Domain Controller
  • Windows 8.1 Client machine

 

I followed the below step.

 

Login to your Domain Controller.
Open your Group Policy Management tool and edit Default Domain Policy.

Navigate to “Administrative Template à Windows Components à SkyDrive


Edit “Prevent the usage of SkyDrive for file storage” and set the state to “Enabled” “

Ensure, the Group Policy changes are update to all the client machines.

Now when your client starts the SkyDrive App, he / she will get the below information.

 

 

 

 Disclaimer

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The above information is from my test lab, and you can use this information to reproduce and test it in your environment.

Comments

  • Anonymous
    February 20, 2014
    By doing this are you disabling the drive itself or only the Rich Client. Are you able to access the skydrive using SharePoint site ?

  • Anonymous
    February 26, 2014
    Sudarsan, we just disable the Rich Client.. you will be able to access SkyDrive from browser.

  • Anonymous
    March 13, 2014
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    June 15, 2014
    Look under the machine settings, its there.

  • Anonymous
    July 03, 2014
    On my Windows 8.1 german it's called OneDrive instead of SkyDrive

  • Anonymous
    August 24, 2014
    In case anyone is going to attempt this or any other GPO manipulation, do not edit the default domain policy. Very few configurations even require this policy to be edited.

  • Anonymous
    October 30, 2014
    My domain comes from a history of upgrades from Win 2003 and so i don't have SkyDrive or OneDrive listed.  How do i get it added.

  • Anonymous
    July 28, 2015
    It's called OneDrive on the Win8.1 pro machine I just installed.  It's also called OneDrive on my 2012 R2 domain controllers.  Thank goodness for comments, because the blog is useless. The words 'Edit the default domain policy' should never appear in MS documentation.  This should be taken down.

  • Anonymous
    September 04, 2015
    Like ndp said - why are you editing the DDP to do this?  This is not recommended by anyone, including Microsoft!