Why Onedrive Folder Keeps Coming Back and How to Stop It

The OneDrive folder keeps coming back, and it's frustrating. It's a common issue, but there are reasons why it happens.

One reason is that the OneDrive folder is set to sync automatically, which can cause it to reappear even after you've deleted it. This is because the folder is still linked to your Microsoft account.

When you delete the OneDrive folder, it doesn't actually remove it from your computer - it just hides it. This means that if you have the OneDrive folder set to sync, it will reappear as soon as you sync your files again.

OneDrive can't stop syncing a folder is a common issue that can be frustrating, especially when you don't want to sync certain folders.

The reason you can't stop syncing folders to OneDrive is likely due to your backup settings in OneDrive or some common OneDrive errors.

To fix the issue, you can try the 5 ways mentioned in the guide to stop OneDrive from syncing folders.

These ways include checking your backup settings, restarting your computer, and using a third-party tool like CBackup to flexibly sync your folder to OneDrive for free.

Here are the 5 ways to fix OneDrive can't stop syncing folder:

If you're still having trouble deleting the OneDrive file, try deleting it from another device. Since all OneDrive files and folders are synced everywhere, you can delete a file from your phone or another laptop.

If that doesn't work, you can try renaming the file or cutting and pasting it outside OneDrive. This might resolve the issue, or you can reset the app or reconfigure its settings.

You can also try unlinking your OneDrive account to stop syncing files and folders. To do this, open the Microsoft OneDrive window, click on Help & Settings, then click Unlink account to confirm the operation.

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If you want to unlink your Documents folder from OneDrive, it's actually quite straightforward. You can configure your account again and point to the folder you want instead.

One way to do this is by following the steps mentioned in Example 3: "How to unlink Documents folder from OneDrive?" Simply configure your account again and when the wizard asks you for the location, point to the folder you want.

This method is a simple and effective way to redirect your Documents folder to a different location. No need for complicated procedures or hacks.

If you're looking to completely remove OneDrive from your PC, you can uninstall the OneDrive app.

To do this, you'll need to go to your Windows 10/11 PC, where the OneDrive app is installed.

The app can be uninstalled by following the usual uninstall process, but it's a bit more involved than usual.

To permanently stop OneDrive sync, you can choose to uninstall the OneDrive app from your Windows 10/11 PC.

This will remove the OneDrive app and all its associated files from your PC.

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You can fix the problem of OneDrive defaulting to a nonexistent folder by doing some light registry editing. Don't worry, it's easy and not scary at all.

To start, you'll need to open the registry editor and navigate to a specific list of default folder locations. Look for entries in the Data column that indicate where Windows is directing new programs to set up shop in your Documents/Photos/etc. folders.

One common culprit is the "OneDrive\" address string, which you can delete by right-clicking on the entry and hitting Modify. This will fix the issue and free you from the OneDrive curse.

Here are the steps to fix the issue:

If you're tired of new programs defaulting to a nonexistent OneDrive folder, you're not alone. This annoying problem can be fixed with some light registry editing.

The fix is simple: you just need to delete "OneDrive\" from the address string in the registry. To do this, open the registry editor and navigate to the list of default folder locations.

Look for the Data column, which indicates where Windows is directing new programs to set up shop. If you find any entries with "OneDrive" in them, right-click and hit Modify.

Delete "OneDrive\" from the address string and hit OK for each entry. This will fix the issue and prevent new programs from defaulting to the nonexistent folder.

Here's a quick rundown of the steps:

By following these simple steps, you'll be freed from the OneDrive curse and able to enjoy your clean, organized files.

Removing a Folder from Windows 11 can be done easily in Windows 11, where the procedure is straightforward.

The Pictures folder, in particular, can be a bit tricky to unlink from OneDrive via settings, but there's an alternative method using the Registry hack.

You can also exclude or remove a folder from OneDrive in Windows 11, and the procedure is as follows:

If you want to redirect the Documents folder to another location, you can configure your account again and point to the desired folder when prompted.

When you enable folder backup in OneDrive, Windows creates new folders in the OneDrive folder in your user profile, including Desktop, Documents, and Pictures.

These new folders are then set as the default locations for your known folders, which means your files are automatically moved to the OneDrive versions of these folders.

For instance, your Documents folder is now located at C:\Users\Your_profile_name\OneDrive\Documents.

To understand why your OneDrive folder keeps coming back, let's take a closer look at the backup process.

Here's a step-by-step breakdown of what happens when you enable folder backup:

1. Windows creates the new OneDrive folders.

2. It resets the location of the known folders to point to the new OneDrive versions.

3. Finally, it syncs the OneDrive folder in your user profile with the OneDrive files in the cloud, using your Microsoft account.

If you're experiencing issues with OneDrive not stopping syncing, it's possible that the backup settings are causing the problem.

To check your backup settings, navigate to the OneDrive settings window and click on the Sync and backup tab. From there, you can access the Back up folders on this PC screen and turn off the switch to stop backup for all files.

If you want to get rid of the OneDrive folder for good, you'll need to turn off folder backup completely. To do this, open File Explorer, right-click the OneDrive icon, and choose OneDrive > Manage OneDrive Backup.

You'll see a list of folders where folder backup is currently turned on, with an On/Off switch next to each one. Slide the switches to the left (Off) position for each folder.

Windows will reset the default location of those known folders to the ones in your local user profile, but your saved files are still in the local OneDrive folders. You'll need to open those folders and copy their contents back to your local drive.

Unfortunately, OneDrive doesn't move your files back to the local folder where you expect them to be. Instead, it adds a shortcut to your local folder, pointing to the synced OneDrive folder containing those files.

To move those files back to the default folder in your user profile, double-click the shortcut to open the OneDrive folder, press Ctrl+A to select every file, then press Ctrl+X to cut those files. Then return to your local folder and press Ctrl+V to paste the files in the correct location.

It's a bit of a hassle, but it's better than keeping those files in two places.

Curious to learn more? Check out: Onedrive Turn off Local Storage