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
    2024-07-27T19:40:30+00:00

    I am absolutely SICK and TIRED of my files automatically going into ONEDRIVE.

    I wish Microsoft fixes this issue with a simple ability to select where my files should be.

    The selection of folders business does NOT work. Perhaps its time to move to Apple.

    I am that SICK of this.

    I have to copy files to external drive, delete everything from onedrive, reset everything

    and then put files back. WHY WHY WHY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-07-27T22:42:29+00:00

    I suspect this is an intentional hijacking of people files to then tell people they are out of storage and need to buy more. Many people that don't understand what is going on may think they just need to keep stuff on the cloud and with the new windows and pay up even though they don't want to. Similar to what dropbox has been doing hijacking peoples data and moving it all to the cloud off their computers to get people to pay up. Microsoft has become incredibly corrupt and I'm switching to mac. I'm fed up with Microsoft's antics.

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-07-28T03:45:38+00:00

    Agree 1000%! It's helpful just to find someone else that's as furious as I am over this MS OneDrive overreach. I'm well over it too! SICK & TIRED. I've bought my desktop & paid subscription to Microsoft for use of their software. Too late I realised I could unlink my desktop from OneDrive but this seems to go back to default on any Windows Update. I've also turned their updates off for 5 weeks at a time to avoid this. Microsoft have NO right to upload, copy or move anything that I expressly saved to My PC as standalone documents that I don't want backed up by OneDrive. OneDrive is a terrible cloud storage option anyway. I'm sure there's something to protect MS for doing so in the spiel I would have agreed to use their software. OneDrive is an abomination with it's tentacles invading every part of my desktop & I'm looking at other MS options e.g. Linux. The fact that I've been using Microsoft for personal & business for decades wont' be enough to override the fear of lack of knowledge & concern for compatibility issues that I have for converting to anything that's NOT MS. To that end I've purchased a new Dell laptop so going to experiment there first. In the meantime I'm going to follow all the instructions given here to move my documents BACK to where I WANT THEM on MY desktop, unlink & uninstall OneDrive in all it's forms & see how I go. Oh, as if OneDrive isn't enough of an issue, now my HP Laserjet no longer works properly since the last MS update.

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  4. Craig Long 18,630 Reputation points
    2024-07-28T04:33:20+00:00

    I am absolutely SICK and TIRED of my files automatically going into ONEDRIVE.

    I wish Microsoft fixes this issue with a simple ability to select where my files should be.

    The selection of folders business does NOT work. Perhaps its time to move to Apple.

    I am that SICK of this.

    I have to copy files to external drive, delete everything from onedrive, reset everything

    and then put files back. WHY WHY WHY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Why put them back if you are having these problems? Create a data-only partition on your hard drive. Or create new manila folders and place them at C:>Users>username. To manage OneDrive more easily, only sync the Desktop folder to OneDrive since that needs the system folder—it cannot be a manila folder.

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