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Gain a little more Windows 10 consistency with new OneDrive pop-up menu

Mark Coppock
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An individual using a laptop that shows the logo for Microsoft OneDrive.
Pablo Calvog/Shutterstock
On Monday, Windows 10 is a real mix of old Windows 7- and new Windows 10-style elements that can create a somewhat disjointed experience. For example, there is the mix of Windows 10 setup and Windows 7 control panel for configuring a Windows PC.

Another very small but still notable example is the pop-up menu (or flyout) that appears when you click on the icon for certain apps in Windows 10. Microsoft’s cloud storage service OneDrive is an example, with a pop-up menu that is limited in functionality and doesn’t strictly adhere to the Windows 10 user interface conventions. That has been changed in the latest Windows 10 Insider build and the steps to get a new, more usable flyout for OneDrive are easy enough to implement, OnMSFT reports.

Old style OneNote flyout.
Old style OneDrive flyout. Image used with permission by copyright holder

To begin win, this only applies to PCs running Windows 10 Insider build 14986. If you’re not a member of the Insider program with a PC that is on the Fast Ring, then you won’t yet have this option. If you are running a PC with build 14986 installed, then you can follow these options to enable the new flyout but with one huge caveat — the steps involve changing the Windows 10 registry, which is always risky and the flyout may not be enabled by default because it causes issues that Microsoft is already aware of.

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That said, it is easy enough to turn on the new pop-up menu:

  1. Upgrade to OneDrive version 17.3.6720.1207 or newer if you’re running an earlier version. Here’s the download link.
  2. Hit Windows + R to open the Run window, type “regedit” and hit the enter key. Or, just type “regedit” in the Cortana search box and click on the resulting command.
  3. In the Registry Editor, go to Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\OneDrive.
  4. Right-click on any empty portion of the right-hand window and select New > DWORD (32-Bit Value. Give it the name “TeamSiteSyncPreview.”
  5. Double-click to open the new DWORD item and change its value to “1”.
  6. Close the Registry Editor.

You can also download this file, TeamSyncSitePreview.reg from Microsoft. Save it as a .reg file and then open its location in Windows Explorer. Double-click on the file to run it, accepting any security warning by clicking “Run” and “Yes” as appropriate.

OneNote new style flyout.
OneDrive new style flyout. Image used with permission by copyright holder

Either way, once you’ve implemented the fix, you should see the new flyout, which will provide you with your sync status along with nifty buttons for going straight to your OneDrive folder and opening OneDrive settings. If you’re brave enough and a Windows Insider on the Fast Ring, you can gain early access to a tiny little bit of a more consistent Windows 10 experience.

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Mark Coppock
Mark Coppock
Computing Writer
Mark has been a geek since MS-DOS gave way to Windows and the PalmPilot was a thing. He’s translated his love for…
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