Accessibility is one of several advantages of cloud storage. For example, you can use OneDrive to access your files on any device. It’s a convenient storage option, and you can already feel big players like Microsoft nudging this cloud-first approach.
I’m not saying Microsoft is openly telling you to “forget local files.” However, the design and implementation, from Windows setup to Office save menus, point you in that direction. These updates make you automatically start thinking less of local storage. It’s interesting because this isn’t a technical shift but feels more like a business model that prioritizes subscriptions, services, and data-driven AI.
Microsoft’s shift to the cloud
We went from hard drives and local saves to OneDrive opt-out
When you set up a new Windows computer, the system automatically makes OneDrive your first storage option for the primary user folders (Documents, Desktop, and Pictures). This means that if you want your files to remain on your local machine, instead of actively choosing to use the cloud as your storage defaults, you have to actively opt out of the cloud.
Also, there’s OneDrive’s Files On-Demand feature that’s deeply integrated into the Windows OS. It has a subtle yet powerful way of defining storage. You no longer have the actual files on your computer; instead, Windows displays lightweight placeholders that fetch the content only when you need it.
On the surface, this is great if you have huge libraries, and it saves space on your computer. However, it actually makes you dependent on a live internet connection and Microsoft servers, and it conditions you to view storage not as physical or permanent, but as a flexible service that you have to rent.
Add to that, the major Microsoft services like Office 365 and Teams that actively push “Save to OneDrive or SharePoint” as the primary option. All these nudge the collaborative workflow system as the default, replacing local, private editing, and completing a shift from local to cloud storage.
Local storage is harder
Offline files now feel like second-class citizens
The easiest way to stop people from caring about a process is by making it increasingly difficult to perform, and Microsoft seems to understand this all too well. In the past, I’d hit Ctrl + S, choose a folder, and be done saving on my local drive. This was the default muscle memory. Microsoft has quietly added some friction to that. Your first save screen in Office apps now routes you to OneDrive, and you have to dig through “More Options” to keep the file on your computer. This won’t break your workflow, but it’s enough to make many people surrender to the cloud.
Windows messaging presents local files as an unusual choice. Offline access is framed as the backup mode, and the proper file version is online. The message is clear: local offline storage is the option that’s tolerated when the cloud can’t reach you.
This sidelining is evident in Windows’ own safety nets. The old Windows Control Panel and Settings features like File History or system image backups still exist, but now they’re buried deep down, with OneDrive backup taking center stage during your system setup and updates. This only creates the impression that it’s safer to rely on Microsoft’s servers, even though you’re just surrendering control.
Convenience is the selling point
We still do not have absolute convenience
The promise is “files everywhere, instantly,” and this is seductive, but it highlights a fragility. Your SharePoint or OneDrive docs feel omnipresent, but access to them is reliant on your subscriptions, server availability, and account status. This means that there are several possible factors that can restrict your access. Hence, it’s convenient as long as certain factors align.
With your collaboration tools, your entire workflow is hinged on Microsoft’s infrastructure, and an authentication error or permission glitch can freeze group projects or delay an urgent task. This will instantly impact the entire team, as there are no built-in fallback modes.
Traditionally, with a USB stick or a local hard drive, file manipulation is entirely in your hands. However, this shift from local to cloud storage is more insidious because it now ties convenience to vendor control. The way you interact with your own work can change depending on updates, policy changes, subscription terms, and even AI-powered features. The more convenient it feels, the more you’re trained to accept dependency on Microsoft. This blurs the line between service and ownership.
Keeping local control alive
My pushback against Microsoft’s cloud-only nudges
Microsoft obviously wants you to stop caring about local files, and the first step in fighting back is taking back the defaults. There’s a level of certainty that comes with local storage. I can still open a text document on a local hard drive from the 1990s. This kind of file permanence is undermined by cloud storage — you’re simply unsure of what will happen in the next five years.
I accept the hassle of changing the default save locations for my files and folders to my local drives. I also disable OneDrive auto-backups that send all my new files straight to the cloud. It takes a moment to set up, but it’s better to change these defaults once than go through the multiple steps that may be required to save locally every single time.
There are many benefits to cloud storage, but if I’m going to use the cloud, I prefer it to be under my control. I replaced Google Drive with a self-hosted cloud, and applied the same steps to replace my Microsoft cloud storage.
Not everyone has to care
The nudge to use Microsoft’s cloud as the default will only get stronger. But the reality is that not everyone cares, and not everyone has to care. There are definitely several advantages to this storage model. However, if you care, then you should be prepared to invest the extra effort to ensure you don’t get locked into Microsoft’s cloud.
I believe this will become increasingly difficult if you use a Windows computer, but the inconvenience you face is the price of data ownership, and it may just be worth it.
