Can't Revert MS Folder back to its default location

Question

Before I state my issue, below is my Windows information:

Edition: Windows 11 Pro

Version: 25H2

OS Build: 26200.7922

Experience: Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.26100.300.0

• My MS account is set as Administrator.

I did not like using OneDrive, so I uninstalled the program. I then went restore to default location for MS folders Documents, Music, and Pictures I receive an error message using these steps:

Go to the Pictures Properties, select the Location tab

Current folder is C:\Users\xxxx_\OneDrive\Pictures

Select the Restore Default and the folder changes to C:\Users\xxxx_\Pictures

Select Apply then message "The folder "C:\Users\xxxx_\Pictures" does not exist. Would you like to create it? I select "Yes."

Then the message below comes up:

Do you want to move all the files from the old location to the new location?

Old location: C:\User\xxxx_\OneDrive\Pictures

New location: "C:\Users\xxxx_\Pictures"

It doesn't matter if I select "Yes" or "No", I get the following message:

Can't move the folder because there is a folder in the same location that can't be redirected. Access is denied.

Any help would be appreciated.

Answer 1

The error occurs because the personal folders (Documents, Pictures, Music) are still mapped incorrectly in the registry, even though OneDrive was removed. Resetting the shell folder paths in the registry to their default values fixes the problem.

Follow these steps to restore the folders to their default locations:

1. Back up the registry
   • Modifying the registry incorrectly can cause serious problems. Before changing anything, back up the registry for restoration if needed. Instructions are in this article: How to back up and restore the registry in Windows.
2. Open Registry Editor
   1. Right-click the Windows logo (Start) and select Run.
   2. Type regedit.exe and press Enter.
   3. If User Account Control appears, select Yes.
3. Go to the User Shell Folders key
   • In Registry Editor, browse to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
4. Reset the affected folders to their default values
   • In the right pane, locate these entries and set them exactly to the values shown:
   • For Documents:
     • Name: Personal
     • Value: %USERPROFILE%\Documents
   • For Pictures:
     • Name: My Pictures
     • Value: %USERPROFILE%\Pictures
   • For Music:
     • Name: My Music
     • Value: %USERPROFILE%\Music
   • If Downloads, Videos, Desktop, or Favorites are also misdirected to OneDrive, set them as follows:
     • Downloads: {374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B} → %USERPROFILE%\Downloads
     • Desktop: Desktop → %USERPROFILE%\Desktop
     • Favorites: Favorites → %USERPROFILE%\Favorites
     • Videos: My Video → %USERPROFILE%\Videos
   • Make sure the values use %USERPROFILE% and not a hard-coded OneDrive path.
5. Apply the changes
   • Restart the Explorer process or sign out and back in:
     • Option A: Sign out of Windows and sign back in.
     • Option B: Restart the PC.
6. Verify in File Explorer
   • Open File Explorer.
   • Right-click Documents, Pictures, and Music → Properties → Location.
   • Each should now show the default path (for example, C:\Users\yourname\Pictures). If needed, use the Restore Default button again; it should now work without the “Access is denied” error.

This resets the personal folders away from the old OneDrive location and removes the redirection that causes the “Can’t move the folder… Access is denied” message.

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References:

• Operation to change a personal folder location fails in Windows