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. Anonymous
    2023-10-15T02:21:55+00:00

    I want to know why in the world would microsoft do this????

    Why would one buy 2TB of hard drive and microsoft would assume that they would want to sync to onedrive without asking them??

    I did all the steps to stop syncing it to onedrive and the damn thing goes back to it. Microsoft.... a feedback regarding this. If this issue is not fixed soon I will switch to linux distribution. Free, better privacy and no assumptions on their part.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2023-10-31T16:51:33+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.

    "How do I go into settings on OneDrive. Where do I click?"

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2023-11-18T01:55:41+00:00

    FIRST, MAKE SURE YOU LOG INTO ONEDRIVE.COM WITH THE SAME EMAIL YOU'LL USE ON YOUR PC AND SAVE ALL THE FOLDERS TO AN EXTERNAL DRIVE, LIKE A USB, OR A SECONDARY DRIVE IN YOUR COMPUTER SO YOU DON'T LOSE ANY DATA.

    I know, it's like a virus you can't get rid of. I racked my brain for several days, trying to find a solution. After a LONG time I finally came up with this...

    Windows 11

    While trying to uninstall OneDrive I tried about forty links and about as many videos. All to no avail! There was so much junk - from modifying the Registry to running multiple scripts in Powershell - and Command Console - and walking through sometimes twenty steps in various windows functions and apps and on and on. It made me sick.

    I did come up with a solution that INVOLVES RE-INSTALLING WINDOWS and it worked for ME!

    1. I went to the website: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows11  a. I downloaded Windows 11 Installation Assistant and created Windows 11 Installation Media on a USB Drive
    2. I reinstalled Windows 11 using this media a. I clicked the link on one of the dialogs - "Set up as new PC" - watch for it so you don't miss it
    3. After the OS was fully installed I went to OneDrive.com and logged in with the Email that I used to install Windows a. Windows had set everything up and I had a working OneDrive.com instance in the cloud - (If you had installed Windows previously

       with this same Email this OneDrive.com instance would have already been there)

       b. Multiple directories and the Personal Vault folders were visible

    1. I deleted every folder and disabled Personal Vault Folder (it can't be deleted but if you right-click it you can disable it)
    2. I signed out of this instance of OneDrive.com
    3. I went to my installation of Windows 11 and signed in to the OneDrive app using the same Email a. I clicked "Unlink this PC"

       b. I clicked "Choose folders" in the dialog that came up

       c. I was able to UNCHECK EVERY SINGLE FOLDER IN THE DIALOG!!!

    1. I quickly exited from OneDrive and rebooted the computer :)
    2. ALL TRACES OF ONEDRIVE WERE GONE!!! a. When I right-clicked my Documents folder it looked like this: (C:\Users[MyUserName]\Documents)

    b. OneDrive was not in the string

    1. Try it - you'll like it!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2023-12-05T17:14:29+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.

    Brian, This seems like good simple advice.

    "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"

    But, I want two copies, one on Onedrive & one on local storage.

    Your direction makes it sound like my files are already local and the just appear to be onedrive. But, when I look under C:\users\ownername\Documents, there is nothing there.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments