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

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
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.

Was this answer helpful?

100+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

93 additional answers

Sort by: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Deleted

    This answer has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The answer was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.

    Comments have been turned off. Learn more

  2. Anonymous
    2023-07-12T13:17:03+00:00

    Thanks yes.

    I have managed through advice in the forum to make some registry changes so that my documents and pictures are all go to my personal folders, not to OneDrive.

    I have then got rid of OneDrive by uninstalling this from my system - I have also deleted MS 365/Office and all files associated with this, I will use Libre Office/Gimp etc. going forward.

    I had previously managed to copy most of my documents and pictures to a separate hard drive although some may have been lost because the stupid OneDrive limit was exceeded when Microsoft tampered with the system. I now know how to switch it all back again if a future update tries to revert to the One Drive app.

    I have lost a lot of music patches for hardware guitar processors and DAWs - but this is not a professional loss, I am finding some of these files and reinstating some of these one by one.

    What a pain - why do Microsoft do this? All the goodwill that could be extracted by providing a great update from Win 10 to Win 11 and they blow it completely by forcing something like this on us.

    My system working perfectly now - all photos and documents copied automatically onto my NAS drive now plus a weekly backup.

    Thanks again for your help and that of everyone else who responded.

    Was this answer helpful?

    2 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2023-07-20T16:18:16+00:00

    There is no onedrive app. There are no onedrive settings. But it's still doing this. How do I stop it?

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2023-07-21T03:14:26+00:00

    Tom,

    At some point it was activated. However, there is a sequence that must be followed in order to unlink OneDrive from your computer. Uninstalling the OneDrive App from your computer will definitely make things worse.

    Watch this video to see that sequence. OneDrive resides in the system tray. That is what he was referring to when he said to go inot the settings.

    you may find this YouTube video to be helpful

    Was this answer helpful?

    2 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments