How Do I Get Windows 11 to Stop Saving Everything To OneDrive Folder Location?

Anonymous
2022-09-23T07:43:59+00:00

Howdy!

I just recently got a new laptop, OS Windows 11, and I was trying to ensure that despite not having OneDrive installed, that things were not saving to it, but...

As I was accessing some files online, I noticed that the location was C:\Users\ADMINUSERNAMEREDACTED\OneDrive for the Documents, Photos, DESKTOP(??why??) and Downloads files.

This error in file-folder path LITERALLY cost me a job opportunity!! I am absolutely beside myself and genuinely bummed about this.

I DO NOT want ANYTHING AT ALL, literally ever, in a OneDrive path.

I have looked for information regarding this, but it is all out of date.

I would like to keep the fancy icons, instead of just the regular file folder icon, if at all possible.

I appreciate any assistance. I can definitely provide information if need be.

Also, I have no idea what kind of "Product" and "App" this qualifies as, so I hope that what I have selected is okay.

Toodles!

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For home | Windows

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  1. Anonymous
    2023-05-18T05:09:09+00:00

    You are not addressing the OP comments. Not talking about Office 365. Not talking about 365 Family trial. Your last sentence is the only relevant part, and is false, as OneDrive is the default new computer save location for any and all files, which is extremely frustrating.

    Just bought a new Windows 11 laptop, experiencing same issues as OP.

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-05-28T16:26:49+00:00

    The One Drive icon is in the hidden icons section of the taskbar.

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-05-28T16:49:32+00:00

    The only way I have found is to disconnect one drive and even that is not easy.

    I tried to remove /uninstall the update and you can't.

    And by synchronizing everything to cloud, my email suddenly got too full and Microsoft takes away all possible action to fix this because you keep getting YOU ACCOUNT IS 99% full and suddenly you can't send , download or delete and microsoft keep trying to push you to BUY MORE STORAGE as the only option. It is a big scam and very frustrating.

    There are too many files that got uploaded automatically and with the screw up that update caused to explorer and how it looks, the way explorer does not show subfolders or does not allow to expand them anymore, I have no idea if that update kept the files on my computer or sent them all to cloud.

    I really hope microsoft starts offering an easier way to download what was automatically sent to the cloud and lets us free our cloud account in a more efficient way. I cannot do it 1 file at a time and can't see if I have the files on my computer anymore or not (not easily, not in a way I could easily compare the cloud folder with the explorer folder).

    I need to be able to compare and just delete what is in the cloud if I know for sure I have the same file version on my computer.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-05-28T23:56:39+00:00

    Thank you for taking time to reply.

    Uninstalling OneDrive, as I learned myself, does not remove the default function to save there.

    I hope someone at Microsoft will read this is see how we know they are scamming us. The Windows 11 rollout, move to 365, denial of support,, and seemingly unchangeable default saving to OneDrive is unconscionable.

    I promise to share the methodology here when I learn it. In the meantime, let's all keep saving to specific folders in the ://C drive.

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  5. Anonymous
    2023-05-29T00:13:08+00:00

    Many thanks. I removed OneDrive from all of the paths where OneDrive appeared. Really grateful, physixential.

    For everyone struggling here, go to the Registry Editor and do exactly as directed.

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