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

Anonymous
2023-10-04T10:54:25+00:00

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!

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For home | Windows

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Craig Long 18,630 Reputation points
2023-10-13T02:51:52+00:00

"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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  1. Anonymous
    2024-05-27T11:55:35+00:00

    I have the same problem and am so frustrated.

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-06-22T17:27:42+00:00

    HOURS of time spent trying to get my files back where they belong. ONEDRIVE recently moved all my photos, desktop, and docs to itself and blew past my storage limit.

    What a mess!

    It seems that we cannot trust ONEDRIVE to behave itself with each new update.

    This is a bug or malware or a virus by definition

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    4 people found this answer helpful.
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  3. Anonymous
    2024-07-01T05:43:12+00:00

    I purposefully delayed Windows Updates & unlinked my desktop from OneDrive because they infiltrate your standalone desktop like an insidious octopus. I also keep files under local storage [My PC] intentionally so they DON'T get uploaded into OneDrive. However, I believe the file path probably includes OneDrive anyway but at least I knew where they were? I've updated Windows over the weekend & now it's moved all folders nested under My PC & scattered them, I think, under One Drive Libraries. This is TOO much & if I was more computer savvy I would remove MS Windows from all my devices & use Linux. Ridiculous that you pay for your desktop, your MS subscription, unlink from OneDrive & they STILL mess with your systems.

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-07-22T04:07:52+00:00

    So I actually have to acknowledge I want to use OneDrive (i don't and have never) in order to tell OneDrive to stop syncing my files, which they should not have been doing in the first place. My wife can have her surface tablet back. I stopped using Microsoft when I left the military 20 years ago, for a reason, and I just remembered why.

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