How Do I Get Windows 11 to Stop Saving Everything To OneDrive Folder Location?

Hi,

Thank you for your question and reaching out. My name is Louie and I’d be more than happy to help you with your query.

I understand that you're having issues with the save location for your files in Windows 11 since they are being saved in OneDrive automatically. We can easily resolve the concern by simply disabling/unlinking OneDrive from the computer. You won't lose files or data by unlinking OneDrive from your computer. You can always access your files by signing in to OneDrive.com.

To unlink OneDrive from your PC, follow the steps below:

1. Select the white or blue OneDrive cloud icon in the taskbar or menu bar.
2. Select OneDrive Help and Settings icon > Settings.
3. On the Account tab, click Unlink this PC and then Unlink account.

After doing so, this should no longer save your files into the OneDrive. Your files should be saved locally to the PC. If you wish to remove OneDrive app from the PC at all, you may do so after unlinking the account. You may go to Settings > Apps > Apps and features > search for OneDrive then select Uninstall.

For more information, you may visit this link https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/turn-off-disable-or-uninstall-onedrive-f32a17ce-3336-40fe-9c38-6efb09f944b0#:~:text=Go%20to%20PC%20Settings%2C%20using,documents%20to%20OneDrive%20by%20default.

If the reply was helpful, please don’t forget to Upvote or Accept as answer. Let us know if you had issues with the steps or if you need further assistance just in case the issue persists. Don't forget to mention the results after the steps given above. Thank you!

Best regards, Louie

I completely second this complaint. MS making this default is a complete breach of privacy and trust. FFS, it's one thing to track behaviours with cookies, but to put all of my personal data and IP into the cloud is absolutely authoritarian.

I don't give a flying rats tail for any assurances by MS that my data is safe in their cloud. Everyone is hackable, and the most important prevention method is to NOT PUT EVERYTHING IN THE CLOUD!!..

Not too mention, I am not going to trust a private corporate, driven by profit motive, and beyond the scope of government regulation, to unilaterally decide on my behalf that I should trust MS!..

This is a very clear violation of privacy.

Hello Louie,

I appreciate your response.

So, the very, absolute first thing I did with this computer was uninstall bloat and uninstall and unlink OneDrive, as I 10000% hate OneDrive (just my preference).

However, the file path is still in existence, and it houses my Desktop, Documents, and Pictures with the Windows 11 Icons.

I have tried moving the Desktop, Documents, and Pictures, and that just made a regular File Folder Icon location.

I deleted the OneDrive folder, which... deleted access to my desktop through the file explorer, so I had to go to my desktop actual and go into the recycle bin to restore the OneDrive folder to restore access to my desktop folder.

I then renamed the OneDrive folder to the very mature name of "Poop", hoping that would do something and allow me to move the Desktop/Documents/Pictures folder, and now it's path is named forever Poop, as I tried re-renaming it back to OneDrive through the through a right-click "Rename As", and tried re-renaming it in the Properties tab, and also via the Command Prompt. Nothing is working.

My desktop literally lives in the OneDrive (now Poop) folder, for some reason, and I do not know why it does, and I do not know why I cannot move my desktop to just my Users\ADMINNAMEREDACTED file path.

It's driving me absolutely bonkers!

If you need anymore information, just let me know.

Thank you very much, again, for your help.

Thank you Louie TG.

I have been setting up a new Windows 11 laptop and had just purchased Microsoft 365. Part way through the setup, I noticed the OneDrive icon in the taskbar and the unwanted uploading of many GB of my hard drive files to the cloud.

I am in a remote northern location and have a limited data plan. I normally use OneDrive for sharing larger files, not as backup or as a primary location for my data.

Thankfully I was able to follow your instructions to unlink from OneDrive just before my ISP cut off my service at my data limit. I now will have to wait nearly a month before using any significant amount of data - not good.

MS should at the very least set the default to requiring signing into OneDrive before uploading or downloading.

Not everyone has the luxury of fibre and unlimited data plans!

Hello Idris!

I appreciate your reply! So, after reading a lot of other threads, watching about four youtube videos, and trying a bunch of things out (even going into the registry via regedit), here is how I solved the issue.

I initially unlinked and uninstalled OneDrive right out the box (literally). I kept trying to change the location of the Desktop/Documents/Pictures folders by right-clicking on the folder, going to Location, and changing it there (even hitting "restore default"), and that kept giving me an error.

So, I restarted my computer, and lo-and-behold, OneDrive populated itself again!! I then re-logged into my account, tried unsyning my folders, but it wouldn't do so, so at this point, I (again) unlinked and uninstalled OneDrive.

Then I proceeded to go back to the Documents/Desktop/Pictures folder inside the OneDrive folder, and at this point, I right-clicked on each one, went to "Location", and hit "restore default", and hit "Yes" on all the dialogue boxes that popped up, and viola!

Such a simple solution! I just wanted to thank you for assisting, and to post this on the forum where other people might see this solution in hopes it helps them.

Peace!