Windows 11 - documents folder is linked to onedrive instead of the pc storage. can't unlink it.

Anonymous
2022-08-26T22:34:31+00:00

I recently got a new laptop and I'm not sure how windows 11 works. I noticed that my documents folder was just my OneDrive, which i don't want.

When i tried to redirect it to the main storage, i get:

I'm not sure how to get it to work.

I don't want to unlink my onedrive completely because i use it often to transfer files.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage

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Brian Tillman 27,030 Reputation points Independent Advisor
2022-08-26T23:08:01+00:00

Hi. I'm Brian and I will do my best to help you.

Go into the Settings on OneDrive, select the Backup tab and uncheck Documents (and Desktop and Pictures if you wish) and those folders should get moved back to their position under C:\Users<youraccount>, unless you've manually created folders of the same name, which is not the correct approach.

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-05-14T00:44:58+00:00

    I agree. This is really dumb. I have a computer with two personal accounts, a "work" account and a "club" account. In addition to a traditional file structure, I have two One-Drive folders, a Google Drive and Dropbox. This all worked fine in Windows 10...I knew which account I was using, and saved files where I wanted them. Now, with Windows 11 and One Drive I never know exactly where my files are. I've spent hours relocating files to the right directories.

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-01-13T04:32:26+00:00

    Reply to MelvinBraun

    Please watch this video to get a better view of what the process is.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=119bYD_A9mI&t=6s

    This has to be followed in a certain sequence. I've had to help at least a handful of clients get their computer back to "normal" (i.e., before Onedrive hijacked the user\documents, and user\desktop and user\pictures folders and moved everything to

    user\ONEDRIVE\documents, and user\ONEDRIVE\desktop and user\ONEDRIVE\pictures

    Un-synching and unlinking still leaves your files in the ONEDRIVE folder on your computer. You have to move them to the proper (normal) folders. Sometimes, when you un-synch, and unlink, the files "disappear" from the user\onedrive folder on your computer.

    That is why it is important to BACKUP your files to an external drive BEFORE you un-synch and unlink.

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-03-13T08:00:37+00:00

    yes they are unbelievable thieves of my info. I was never given any option. This windows platform must be taken away from these insectoids that steal info with their online storage. And I am not able to stop them from syncing everything into that onedrive folder. If I delete the onedrive folder, it deletes also a documents and pictures folder in the user data that I want to use. Not crazy about the user name either 'heart'. There is nothing I can do about this they just keep changing things to steal data. I don't trust for one second anyone on the internet. There can be no routine of trust in this current world climate, and that is the big ruse they want to pretend there should be trust. THERE CAN BE NO TRUST!!! WHO WOULD WANT TO SAVE THEIR COMPUTER FILES ON THE INTERNET. I have expensive synth presets I make and save to my computer and I KNOW someone rich would steal them and use them on their synth and make music. IT'S JUST THAT EASY TO STEAL FOR THESE EXTREMELY RICH PEOPLE. Also connected music industry people would just make a phone call to the masters at MICROSOFT and badda bing make them songs with MY PRESETS. NO THANKS. I WAS NEVER GIVEN THE OPTION.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-01-29T17:19:58+00:00

    I concur that uninstalling AND editing the registry is the only thing that seemed to work for me. Here's the info on the registry settings for those still in need https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/documents-folder-stuck-in-onedrive-and-duplicate/286f11c1-f74e-4808-b306-fd1f25abbe85 

    Thanks Ren, this worked for me!

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