OneDrive for Desktop gets Pause feature

Microsoft released an update for its OneDrive for Windows desktop client yesterday that introduces a new pause feature for home and business versions of OneDrive.
The OneDrive desktop client offered no options to pause the syncing of files up until now. This meant that you had to terminate the whole program to stop if from syncing data between the local machine and the cloud.
Reasons for wanting to stop the syncing included being connected to a network with a monthly upload or download quota, needing the bandwidth for other activities, or pausing the sync process to block folders from being synced.
While terminating OneDrive worked, it sometimes meant that you forgot to enable syncing again during the session. This could then lead to files not being synced to the cloud.
The upgrade to OneDrive 17.3.6517.0809 changes that. The pause sync feature seems to be rolled out independently of the update, as it is not available for all users yet after the upgrade.
If you have it, you see it when you right-click on the OneDrive desktop client icon in the system tray area.
There you get the option to "pause syncing", and set the pause to 2, 8 or 24 hours. There is no option to pause it indefinitely or set a custom pause period.
The feature seems to be rolled out gradually to all users of the service. I have not seen it yet on several desktop clients that I upgraded OneDrive on, while others report that they may use the feature already.
It is puzzling that OneDrive does not offer a stop button of sorts to block the synchronization completely.
If you look at other sync clients, Google Drive or Dropbox for instance, you will notice that they ship with a pause option that blocks any syncing from taking place while enabled.
The latest version of OneDrive for Business introduces another new feature. It enables you to sync Office documents automatically to OneDrive for collaboration. There is also a new option to define conflict handling for Office documents.
You may select to "choose to merge changes or keep both copies", or "always keep both copies" in the OneDrive option. (via MSPowerUser)
Closing Words
A Pause feature is a much needed addition for the OneDrive desktop client as it was a feature that the client sorely lacked up until now.
Now You: Do you use a sync client? Which and why?


Martin, I would appreciate that you do not censor this post, as it’s informative writing.
Onur, there is a misleading statement “[…] GIFs are animated images …”. No, obviously you don’t seem to have take much notice of what you were told back in March regarding; Graphics Interchange Format (GIF).
For example, https://www.ghacks.net/2023/03/31/whats-gif-explanation-and-how-to-use-it/#comment-4562919 (if you had read my replies within that thread, you might have learnt something useful). I even mentioned, “GIF intrinsically supports animated images (GIF89a)”.
You linked to said article, [Related: …] within this article, but have somehow failed to take onboard what support you were given by several more knowledgeable people.
If you used AI to help write this article, it has failed miserably.
AI is stupid, and it will not get any better if we really know how this all works. Prove me wrong.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IYl1sTIOHI
Martin, [#comment-4569908] is only meant to be in: [https://www.ghacks.net/2023/07/09/how-to-send-gifs-on-iphone-two-different-ways/]. Whereas it appears duplicated in several recent random low-quality non relevant articles.
Obviously it [#comment-4569908] was posted: 9 July 2023. Long before this thread even existed… your database is falling over. Those comments are supposed to have unique ID values. It shouldn’t be possible to duplicate the post ID, if the database had referential integrity.
Don’t tell me!
Ghacks wants the state to step in for STATE-MANDATED associations to save jobs!!!
Bring in the dictatorship!!!
And screw Rreedom of Association – too radical for Ghacks maybe
GateKeeper ?
That’s called “appointing” businesses to do the state’s dirty work!!!!!
But the article says itself that those appointed were not happy – implying they had not choice!!!!!!
@The Dark Lady,
@KeZa,
@Database failure,
@Howard Pearce,
@Howard Allan Pearce,
Note: I replaced the quoted URI scheme: https:// with “>>” and posted.
The current ghacks.net is owned by “Softonic International S.A.” (sold by Martin in October 2019), and due to the fate of M&A, ghacks.net has changed in quality.
>> ghacks.net/2023/09/02/microsoft-is-removing-wordpad-from-windows/#comment-4573130
Many Authors of bloggers and advertisers certified by Softonic have joined the site, and the site is full of articles aimed at advertising and clickbait.
>> ghacks.net/2023/08/31/in-windows-11-the-line-between-legitimate-and-adware-becomes-increasingly-blurred/#comment-4573117
As it stands, except for articles by Martin Brinkmann, Mike Turcotte, and Ashwin, they are low quality, unhelpful, and even vicious. It is better not to read those articles.
How to display only articles by a specific author:
Added line to My filters in uBlock Origin: ghacks.net##.hentry,.home-posts,.home-category-post:not(:has-text(/Martin Brinkmann|Mike Turcotte|Ashwin/))
>> ghacks.net/2023/09/01/windows-11-development-overview-of-the-august-2023-changes/#comment-4573033
By the way, if you use an RSS reader, you can track exactly where your comments are (I’m an iPad user, so I use “Feedly Classic”, but for Windows I prefer the desktop app “RSS Guard”).
RSS Guard: Feed reader which supports RSS/ATOM/JSON and many web-based feed services.
>> github.com/martinrotter/rssguard#readme
We all live in digital surveillance glass houses under scrutiny of evil people because of people like Musk. It’s only fair that he takes his turn.
“Operating systems will be required to let the user choose the browser, virtual assistant and search engine of their choice. Microsoft cannot force users to use Bing or Edge. Apple will have to open up its iOS operating system to allow third-party app stores, aka allow sideloading of apps. Google, on the other hand, will need to provide users with the ability to uninstall preloaded apps (bloatware) from Android devices. Online services will need to allow users to unsubscribe from their platform easily. Gatekeepers need to provide interoperability with third-parties that offer similar services.”
Wonderful ! Let’s hope they’ll comply with that law more than they are doing with the GDPR.