Forum Discussion
How to stop MS Word from saving doc and pdf files to the cloud
I'm on Windows 10 and Office 365. When I hit F12 on an MS Word file and save it as a .docx file or a .pdf file in a OneDrive folder:
(1) the file does not immediately appear in the folder.
(2) when it does appear, after more than 5 minutes later, it's on the cloud and it has be downloaded.
(3) saving has become a lot slower.
I'm not sure when I first noticed this but it has been a while.
I've gone to File > Options > Save > Unchecked "Show additional places for saving, even if sign-in may be required".
How do I prevent that? It slows everything down.
2 Replies
dapinheiroMicrosoft
Hello Kwbcoffice,
I hope you are doing well. Let me try to help you here:
You're using Windows 10 and Office 365, and you've noticed that saving files with F12 results in delays and cloud-only access. Here's how to fix that:
1. Change Default Save Location in WordOpen Word.
Go to File > Options > Save.
Check “Save to Computer by default”.
Under Default local file location, choose a folder on your PC (e.g., C:\Documents).
If available, uncheck “AutoSave OneDrive and SharePoint Online files by default”.2. Disable OneDrive Folder Backup
Click the OneDrive cloud icon in the system tray (bottom right corner).
Click the gear icon > Settings.
Go to the Backup tab.
Click Manage backup.
Click Stop backup for folders like Desktop, Documents, and Pictures if you don’t want them synced to OneDrive.If you prefer not to use OneDrive at all:
Go to OneDrive Settings > Account.
Click Unlink this PC.2.1. Turn Off AutoSave
In Word, go to File > Options > Save.
Uncheck “AutoSave OneDrive and SharePoint Online files by default”.I notice one important information in your statement.
⚠️Windows 10 Is Out of Support 😅
Microsoft officially ended support for Windows 10 in October 2025. This means no more security updates or bug fixes, which can leave your system vulnerable. I recommend upgrading to Windows 11 for better performance, security, and compatibility with Office 365.🚨 Always keep your Office, Windows, and drivers up to date. This ensures greater compatibility with MS products.
I hope I was able to help. 🤩I just realized a problem.
If I save in the OneDrive folder - everything is slower.
If I save in the Desktop - everything is faster.
I need to use OneDrive for backup. It's kinda stupid that saving in OneDrive is more of a hassle. Is there no fix to this other than just saving locally and then copy-pasting into OneDrive?
