Remove Shortcut from OneDrive and Stop Syncing Files on Windows

If you're tired of seeing a shortcut in your OneDrive folder on Windows, you're not alone. Many users have reported seeing shortcuts to files and folders they don't need or want.

To remove a shortcut from OneDrive and stop syncing files on Windows, you'll need to access the OneDrive settings. This can be done by right-clicking on the OneDrive icon in your system tray and selecting "Settings".

The OneDrive settings window will open, giving you access to various options for customizing your OneDrive experience.

Removing OneDrive from Windows can be done in a few ways. You can use the Group Policy Editor to remove the OneDrive shortcut from File Explorer.

To use the Group Policy Editor, press the Windows + R Hotkey to open the Run Dialog Box and type gpedit.msc. Click OK or hit Enter, then navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > OneDrive.

By right-clicking on the "Prevent the usage of OneDrive for file storage" option and selecting "Edit", you can easily hide OneDrive from File Explorer using the Local Group Policy Editor. This is a quick and effective way to remove OneDrive.

Alternatively, you can unlink your OneDrive account from your computer. Click the OneDrive icon on the taskbar, select Help & Settings > Settings, and then tap on Unlink this PC. Finally, click Unlink account to remove OneDrive from your computer.

To stop OneDrive sync on your Windows desktop, you can remove the OneDrive shortcut from File Explorer by unlinking your account. This will prevent OneDrive from syncing any files on your desktop.

First, click the OneDrive icon on the taskbar and select Help & Settings > Settings. On the Account tab, tap on Unlink this PC, and then click Unlink account to unlink OneDrive from your computer.

Alternatively, you can move shortcuts to the Public Desktop Folder, which is located at C:\Users\Public\Desktop by default. This folder is not synced with OneDrive, so any shortcuts you move there will be visible on every Windows user's desktop on that machine.

To move shortcuts to the Public Desktop Folder, open a Terminal or Command Prompt window as Administrator. Run the following command to move all shortcut (.lnk) files to the Public desktop folder: "move /y C:\Users\your_username\Desktop\*.lnk C:\Users\Public\Desktop".

Removing OneDrive from File Explorer can be a bit tricky, but don't worry, it's doable.

To access the Group Policy Editor, press the Windows + R hotkey to open the Run dialog box.

Type gpedit.msc in the text box and click OK or hit Enter.

The Group Policy Editor is a powerful tool that lets you configure settings and policies for Windows and applications.

Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > OneDrive to find the settings for OneDrive.

Right-click on "Prevent the usage of OneDrive for file storage" and select the "Edit" option.

This will open the policy settings for OneDrive, allowing you to configure its behavior.

That's it! You've successfully hidden OneDrive from File Explorer using the Local Group Policy Editor.

If you're looking for alternative solutions to remove a shortcut from OneDrive, consider the following options.

You can delete the shortcut from within OneDrive by right-clicking on the shortcut and selecting "Delete."

Alternatively, you can use the OneDrive settings to remove the shortcut. To do this, go to the OneDrive settings and click on the "Recents" tab, then select the shortcut you want to remove and click "Remove."

Another option is to use the Windows File Explorer to delete the shortcut. Simply navigate to the location of the shortcut, right-click on it, and select "Delete."

If the shortcut is stored in a folder, you can also use the "Shift + Delete" keys to permanently delete it without moving it to the Recycle Bin.