We [force] put in OneDrive Pictures in your PC; Microsoft successfully instructed Home windows Newest in a press release after I requested why the app instantly confirmed up on PCs. The corporate additionally provided a little bit of rationalization about what precisely is occurring.
“OneDrive Pictures is a part of the OneDrive app, so it arrived with a OneDrive replace relatively than as a separate obtain,” the corporate defined. “It brings the OneDrive photograph expertise from the online and cell apps to the Home windows desktop.”
Over the previous few weeks, I’ve been tracking the mysterious OneDrive Photos app, which confirmed up on manufacturing Home windows 11 PCs even for those who don’t use a private Microsoft account. That instantly precipitated outrage, and till now, Microsoft had refused to elucidate the rollout, sustaining full radio silence. I’ve lastly heard again from the corporate.
There are two vital issues to know right here. Microsoft admitted that it force-installed the OneDrive Pictures app on Home windows 11 PCs, however it could not acknowledge that the app was additionally being pushed to enterprise PCs managed via Intune.
Since OneDrive Pictures works solely with a private Microsoft account, it by no means made sense for the app to seem on enterprise PCs. But it did, leaving IT admins confused about take away it as a result of it’s tied to the OneDrive sync shopper. You both need to take away OneDrive fully or maintain each.
This app is put in at C:Program FilesMicrosoft OneDriveOneDrive.App.exe, whereas the first OneDrive is current at C:Program FilesMicrosoft OneDriveOneDrive.exe:
Sadly, Microsoft instructed me it had nothing extra to share about enterprise PCs, even after I repeatedly pressed the corporate for a proof.
Nevertheless, Home windows Newest understands that the rollout to enterprise PCs was not intentional.
Microsoft apparently meant to force-install OneDrive Pictures solely on shopper PCs, however it additionally ended up pushing the app to enterprise units. I’m nonetheless hoping the corporate will acknowledge the error and talk it to its enterprise prospects.
How does the OneDrive Pictures app truly work, and when will it auto-install on Home windows 11?
Microsoft instructed me that OneDrive Pictures is routinely added to all Home windows 11 PCs the place the OneDrive sync shopper is current. OneDrive is already pre-installed on all PCs, and whether or not you select to sync or not, it’s nonetheless current until you manually delete OneDrive fully, however many people truly don’t discover.
OneDrive can also be already built-in into File Explorer, and but Microsoft is including the OneDrive Pictures app to all PCs.
The corporate argues that OneDrive Pictures brings all pictures saved in your PC, and it’s true, because the app already had entry to all pictures on my PC, together with screenshots after I first opened it.
It additionally comes with the same old OneDrive options, akin to Moments, the place Microsoft surfaces random collections out of your historical past.
We’re not coaching AI in your faces, belief us, says Microsoft
OneDrive has all the time been a part of Home windows. It’s built-in into File Explorer, obtainable via the OneDrive sync shopper, and accessible on the net. However not like the present OneDrive integration, the brand new OneDrive Pictures app goes a step additional with an AI-powered “Individuals” function.
Microsoft instructed Home windows Newest that OneDrive’s new Individuals function on Home windows 11 is turned off by default and that it doesn’t practice AI in your pictures.
The Individuals function raised eyebrows as a result of the brand new OneDrive Pictures app already had entry to photographs saved regionally on the PC. Some customers feared that OneDrive may use AI to group faces within the background, doubtlessly practice its fashions, and show the grouped pictures when the function is enabled.
Nevertheless, Microsoft denied this.
“Face grouping runs within the cloud and solely on the pictures in your OneDrive,” Microsoft instructed me. “Pictures which might be solely in your PC aren’t processed.”
The corporate additionally mentioned that any information collected for OneDrive face grouping is completely eliminated inside 30 days after you flip off the function.
Microsoft says it makes use of AI responsibly and isn’t coaching its fashions in your face.
In the event you don’t have the brand new OneDrive Pictures app but, you’ll get it within the coming days, and also you at present received’t be capable to take away it individually.
Microsoft instructed me that it’s not doable to take away OneDrive Pictures with out deleting OneDrive fully, together with the sync shopper. The corporate says it’ll roll out an replace that means that you can take away solely the OneDrive Pictures app.
Nevertheless, I don’t perceive why Microsoft force-installed the app on everybody earlier than offering a solution to take away it individually.
