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 18,550 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
    2025-01-27T18:49:12+00:00

    Some months back, I initiated a question about Microsoft just "Stealing my files" without consent. In watching a YouTube computer guy, I learned that Microsoft makes it nearly impossible to say "No" to this (Windows 10 and 11, I believe). But in short, they took advantage of most of us who are not very scholarly with computers and about bullied each of us into consenting, and made it an incredible arduous task for me/us (heaven forbid, no help or concern from them) to put everything back the way it was.

    While I don't think it's the common experience, in their process to take my files, they also deleted those same files for Desktop, Documents, Pictures, etc., from my machine. So, I can't just turn off their backup and One-by-one take and place my files back. I imagine just creating new files, etc., is easy for an more talented computer user, but like many, I am a "user," not an expert. Fortunately I acquired a separate drive and just place all of my big files there, minimizing the size of those being taken by Microsoft. This keeps my storage size smaller, and I still fall beneath their free storage limit. This all being said, Microsoft failed by not bothering to provide an educated choice at the beginning, and their latest software is simply programmed to create a new revenue stream for them. Why have I not seen any litigation regarding this?

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  2. Craig Long 18,550 Reputation points
    2025-01-27T20:07:46+00:00

    I have a case id Case #: 7065232298 yet opened to be completed.How to contact someone to wrap it up.Thanks

    Reply to the email that they contacted you with. I don't have access to the cases.

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  3. Anonymous
    2025-01-27T22:27:31+00:00

    Contacted ME with? Not...

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  4. Craig Long 18,550 Reputation points
    2025-01-27T22:50:32+00:00

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