Microsoft confirms OneDrive Photos app was rolled out to millions of Windows 11 PCs by mistake, fix incoming

Microsoft has admitted that its OneDrive Photos app was mistakenly installed on a large number of Windows 11 computers before it was ready for release. Users who do not utilize OneDrive for photo storage expressed dissatisfaction with the automatic installation. Jeff Teper, Microsoft's EVP of Apps and Agents, revealed on X that OneDrive Photos was intended for select user testing but was rolled out to more devices inadvertently.

He assured that the problem would be fixed in an upcoming update, stating that the app would be removed from unintended devices. Microsoft will continue to provide users with the option to store photos and videos locally. However, some users found the app difficult to uninstall as it cannot be uninstalled without removing the main OneDrive application.

Concerns were also raised regarding the app's resource-intensive nature and responsiveness, particularly for non-OneDrive users. OneDrive Photos is designed for consumer PCs and is typically installed via the background sync client without user input, but it was also deployed to enterprise devices, causing inconvenience for IT administrators.

The app has full system access to media files, even when users are not logged into a Microsoft account, and asks for permission to scan photos for faces. Microsoft stated that the face recognition data would not be shared with third parties. Users can customize the app's settings to exclude specific files and folders from scanning.

Despite the backlash, Microsoft is focused on the upcoming Windows 11 26H2 update, set to launch in October. The update, part of the Germanium platform also used for 24H2 and 25H2 releases, primarily targets power users and IT professionals with new features, rather than general consumers.