OneDrive has taken over my computer

Question

OneDrive has taken over my computer

Todd Gile 0

How do I get in contact with OneDrive Support team.

Todd Gile 0 Reputation points

2026-01-31T04:19:45.7633333+00:00

Ok I did that and it wiped everything clean almost like a new laptop

No files folders apps etc.

2 answers

Your answer

Todd Gile 0 Reputation points

2026-01-31T04:19:45.7633333+00:00

Ok I did that and it wiped everything clean almost like a new laptop

No files folders apps etc.

Answer 1

EmilyS726 202.5K Independent Advisor

What do you mean by taking over? Do you mean your documents, desktop folders, etc have turned into OneDrive folders?

If so, you can use this instruction to get them back to local.

To do so, go to your Start menu and see if you already have the OneDrive app installed. If so, go ahead and run it, sign in. If you don't have it installed, you will need to download it, install it back and then set it up. You can download it from here: https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/onedrive/download

Once you have the OneDrive app up and running again, please follow these steps closely:

Right click on the OneDrive cloud icon on the lower right on your taskbar to go to Settings.
On the "Sync and Backup" tab, click on "Advanced Settings" to expand that section. Then under File On-Demand, click on "Download all files".
Give it plenty of time to allow the files to be downloaded from the online cloud. On your computer's file explorer, you can observe the OneDrive folder and its folders/files inside. You want all of the green checkmark icon to turn solid green with a white checkmark. Depends on how many files you have, this process can take a while, so please be patient.
Once all of the folders and files turn into the solid green icon with white checkmark, you can go back to OneDrive Settings. Very important - click on "Manage Backup" button, then turn off all folders listed there.
After you turn off the folders sync in Step 4, now go to Account tab, click on "Unlink this PC"
Go to your Windows Settings > Apps, find OneDrive and uninstall it.

Todd Gile 0 Reputation points

2026-01-31T03:18:18.6633333+00:00

Thanks Emily...I have a laptop that I use for travel with limited files. My main home desktop has everything and synchs with One Drive. For some reason my laptop decided to connect to One Drive and started to download and synch to One Drive. I stopped the synch but it had already downloaded a bunch of stuff onto my laptop. I then unlinked my laptop with One Drive. My biggest issue is that now my Outlook .pst files have changed locations and will not connect. URGH!!! I just want to restore my laptop the way it was before One Drive took it over....like it never happened.
Todd Gile 0 Reputation points

2026-01-31T03:27:09.59+00:00

Same thing happened to me two years ago on a different computer and a Microsoft 365 OneDrive Support Ambassador walked me through getting everything back to normal. I just do not recall how I got in contact with him.
EmilyS726 202.5K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-01-31T03:43:28.1433333+00:00

Ok, if you don't need the desktop files all become local files on the laptop, and since you already unlinked your OneDrive, disregard my instruction above.

Please type regedit in the search on the taskbar to launch registry editor, and go to this path, then take a screenshot and share in your reply. I will walk you through how to fix this.

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
Todd Gile 0 Reputation points

2026-01-31T03:52:12.78+00:00
EmilyS726 202.5K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-01-31T04:08:38.1866667+00:00

Thanks.

Right click on the ones I highlighted, one at a time, and use modify and change the value data accordingly.

For Desktop, change it to: %USERPROFILE%\Desktop

For My Pictures, change it to: %USERPROFILE%\Pictures

For Personal, change it to: %USERPROFILE%\Documents

Restart the computer after that.
Todd Gile 0 Reputation points

2026-01-31T04:20:25.7566667+00:00

Ok I did that and it wiped everything clean almost like a new laptop

No files folders apps etc.
Todd Gile 0 Reputation points

2026-01-31T04:26:24.2133333+00:00

Wait had to fix typo
Todd Gile 0 Reputation points

2026-01-31T04:33:40.45+00:00

Emily,

I have completed all your guidance. Now all of the folders and files that were stored locally on the laptop desktop have disappeared as well as a majority of the documents in the documents folder. The Apps are there however Outlook still has errors connecting to proper pst file
Todd Gile 0 Reputation points

2026-01-31T04:48:08.86+00:00

I went back into regedit and reverted back the naming convention prior to your changes and now I am back to where we were before, I have my desktop but my Outlook is not working.
EmilyS726 202.5K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-01-31T05:46:26.45+00:00

Sorry. I should have included the second part of that. You do want to put the registries as I suggested. Then restart

Then you have to go into the OneDrive folder. Look into the desktop, documents and picture folders that live in OneDrive folder. Move the files to your now local desktop, documents and pictures folders that live directly under your username folder.

Answer 2

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OneDrive has taken over my computer

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