Windows 11 or Onedrive has moved all my files into Onedrive. What is going on?

Anonymous

A couple of days back I found that somehow all my files and folders on my Win 11 PC under C:\users.. have suddenly been moved into my Onedrive.
I keep many files under local storage intentionally so that they DON'T get uploaded into Onedrive. Now I see all these files being uploaded into Onedrive, which I DON'T want.
I have been using Onedrive for over 2 years.
How did this happen? How do I reverse it?
Microsoft, you are too much!

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Craig Long 18,550

"So here is my supposition: OneDrive, by default, at some update in the last few months, automatically turned on SYNC, and my Documents folder (and Pictures and Desktop) all got moved to OneDrive folders.

I since then, used the info here to turn off the sync of these folders. But that did not move them back, so they continued to live in OneDrive and continued to sync."

Yes. The OneDrive folder is always there even when you uninstall OneDrive. However, if OneDrive is uninstalled, then it no longer syncs to the online OneDrive.

"PS - I am assuming that if you turn sync on, it moves those folders from the username folder to the OneDrive folder."

Yes, that's right. There is no problem leaving them in the OneDrive folder unless they start syncing again.

"But if you turn sync off, it does nothing, as it does not move the folders back again. And the only thing that will sync in OneDrive, are the actual folders and files in the OneDrive folder structure. Hence why you have to manually move the folders back again."

Yes

To stop the "Sync and Backup" of your folders, go to Manage Backup in the OneDrive Settings. In Windows 11, you will find Manage Backup at OneDrive Settings > Sync and Backup tab > Manage Backup.

"C:>Users>username>ManilaFolders" is a good location on the C drive to hide data from OneDrive**.** An external drive and a separate data partition are great ways to avoid OneDrive.

Create and format a data partition

If sync turns on by itself or OneDrive reinstalls without asking, you may want to avoid the Documents folder and the other standard folders.

A YouTube video explaining more about this is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yXgyrsqraE

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Craig Long 18,550 Reputation points

2024-05-06T23:29:58+00:00

Yeah, that is my problem. I have 100Gb data and only 5Gb Onedrive. Where are all my files, all I have in Documents, Pictures etc are Onedrive shortcuts? I am also getting Onedrive Full notifications. Where is the other 95Gb of docs, pics etc that I copied from my previous machine?

You can get a free trial of Microsoft 365 and then cancel it before you have to pay. Then go to Manage Backup in the OneDrive settings and toggle the sync on all the folders to ON. I believe that will restore your files. I believe your files are stuck in the OneDrive servers.

Free one-month trial: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/try

We can try something else if you don't want to do that. Did you look in the OneDrive folder at C:\Users\YourUsername\OneDrive?

My OneDrive says it's full
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Anonymous

2024-05-06T12:49:31+00:00

Yeah, that is my problem. I have 100Gb data and only 5Gb Onedrive. Where are all my files, all I have in Documents, Pictures etc are Onedrive shortcuts? I am also getting Onedrive Full notifications. Where is the other 95Gb of docs, pics etc that I copied from my previous machine?
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Anonymous

2024-04-12T11:26:53+00:00

Thanks. Unfortunately, I am not very tech savvy; so, Idon'tunderstand what this means or what to do "the OD folders will stll inhabit the structure". Basically, I just have to get used to the new location or uninstall and stop using it. Of I choose this route, I would backup, move or copy/paste all the related files.

They are there, just in a different location.

Thanks again.

C 😀
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Anonymous

2024-04-12T06:01:20+00:00

Just inserting at a random point on thread, as I'm reading through. I too had problems with the program, and am not a fan of it...AT ALL !!!!! But. It can be uninstalled, though the OD folders will still inhabit the structure. It however is still much safer than trying to make sure the program is not moving your Data without consent.
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