Severely compromised OneDrive recovery, folder mapping and syncing

Question

I have a problem that is at least the same as this https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/4324980/pictures-folder-redirects-to-documents-folder, plus additional problems. Please excuse the longish post, but I figure the more complete the explanation the better the advice I can receive.

I have just mostly (I hope) recovered from a near catastrophic situation regarding OneDrive. I have multiple computers and 4 iDevices that I share data across. So I started using OneDrive as an adjunct to DropBox. Some years ago some small errors seemed to be appearing, like mysteriously I now had a Pictures1 folder in addition to the original Pictures folder, but only on one computer. Then at some point, on one of the computers all the photo folders that were originally under the Pictures folder disappeared from there and reappeared under the Documents folder. etc etc

Fast forward to about one month ago, and I had purchased a new mini-computer that came with Windows11. When I first powered up and "unpacked" the new computer, OneDrive came along for the ride and installed itself. I have no recollection of actively encouraging or requesting this behaviour. Because this is to be a kind of specialty use computer, I don't actually want OneDrive on it, or certainly 99% of the files that are in my OneDrive. I do not even want the "placeholder" to be visible on this computer, just one folder that would be used to sync a few common files and applications that I want on all my computers. So I quickly tried to stop the downloading and syncing and all that that goes on at the beginning. Not sure I was successful, but this is where it gets very sad.

About this time I moved the new mini to its new home, and reconnected my new "main" computer to the monitor. Had to step away for a couple days to attend to a minor crisis and when I returned I apparently had a senior moment and forgot I was not on the new computer, and happily set forth to continue deleting all the files and folders that I did not want on the new machine. (NOTE: I am aware that at several points in this dissertation I am using incorrect terminology or and/or it will be apparent I was not doing something correctly. Mea culpa, just trying to explain as completely as possible what actually transpired). After a tranche or two a message window popped up and said Do You Really Want to Delete All These Files. That sparked the realization of what was actually happening and I replied NO. This occurred more than once. NOTE: Possibly a good time to add that such was the character of said senior moment that it also imbued confidence in my, and combined with some very large file sizes I used Shift-Del to bypass the Recycle Bin. Let it not be said that I cannot take a bad situation and with a few keystrokes (one in this case) make it exponentially worse.

Panic ensues. Some searching and reading I am lead to believe that I can recover them from the OneDrive Recycle Bin up to 30 days later. Complicating factor, there are many many thousands of files and many many of them are utterly useless and I would be happy to leave them deleted, but the way that Recycle Bin is set up I would be obliged to go through them all to selectively restore. I then discover the function of Restore OneDrive to a certain date. I'll move more quickly through this part because the Restore does not work, several times tried and leads to an even more f'd up situation. Around this time I realize that for some odd reason I have thousands of these files in the Recycle Bin on my local computer. No idea why they should be there, but don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

I now bite the bullet, go through the OneDrive Recycle Bin in the Cloud and examine every file in the bin and restore all the missing ones I could find. I think I got most, but not certain. I then went through the Recycle Bin on my computer and did the same. As a tribute or result of at least, the multiple failed Restores, I have multiple versions of every file in the Bin. Three or four of virtually every one. So there's a day or two. Egad. But I think mostly successful and pulled back from the brink of disaster. So now here we are.

Prior to my rescue attempt I turned off OneDrive Sync on my computer and flicked the bit to stop it from starting with Windows start-up. And here's where some of the previous wraps around and collides with the present.

For (again) reasons unknown to me, all the gigabytes of precious photos from the last twenty years that had "disappeared" from Pictures, were in fact still on my computer but in a/the folder called Documents. Rights? All the individual folders of photos, in the Cloud under the Pictures folder are on my computer in the Documents folder. A double POX on MicroSoft and all others (Apple? Adobe? are you listening because you're all guilty) that do stuff for you for your convenience (NOT hardly ever) and without telling you or asking you or cloaking it in such mystery and confusion. Short message to y'all - quit fixing stuff that isn't broken, and quit doing stuff that I DID NOT EXPLICITLY ASK FOR! >insert extended rant of frustration here<

Now to the questions, if you're still here:

1. How exactly do I move/change/rename things on my computer(s) to correctly match the Cloud's vision of what my OneDrive should look like. I've read a few articles like this https://www.winhelponline.com/blog/shell-folders-merged-music-videos-same-folder/#google_vignette that seem helpful but not quite comprehensive enough to inspire total confidence that if I do that I won't get bit when I restart OneDrive and its syncing. Here's an image of my registry entry. It looks like something unwanted by me is in fact going on there, but more that what the article above discusses and makes be nervous to make changes without some specific approval from the brain trust here.
   
2. At some point here I'm guessing I should Unlink and Relink - how and when, in some detail if possible please? I am very nervous of regressing alll the "fixing" I think I've done over the past two weeks of this fiasco.
3. At this point neither the Cloud nor my computer is a complete and accurate "master copy" of what my OneDrive should be. eg all the photos folders that are incorrectly showing as being in a Documents Folder on my computer, are correctly in a Pictures folder in the cloud (in fact there is NO Documents folder in the cloud). Is there some specific order which I should be making changes and if so what.

Thanks for hanging in, and I really appreciate any help getting out of this. I feel especially frustrated because contrary to how this might read, I am not a dummy, nor inexperienced. My background is tech (mostly software, some hardware, some telecom) but this has really got me in knots.

Answer 1

Hello RandyS-9118,

Thank you for explaining everything so clearly — this actually helps a lot.

It seems like an issue with folder redirection (Known Folder Move) in OneDrive + Windows. The main problem is:

Windows “thinks” Pictures and Documents are the same folder (because of registry conflicts), so everything gets merged or misplaced.

I suggest you try this:

1. Stop OneDrive from interfering (VERY IMPORTANT)

Before changing anything:

Click OneDrive icon (system tray) 

Go to Settings > Sync and backup > Manage backup

Turn OFF: 

Desktop

Documents

Pictures 

Confirm Stop backup

This prevents OneDrive from undoing your fixes.

2. (Optional but recommended) Unlink this PC

If you want to be extra safe while fixing:

OneDrive Settings > Account

Click Unlink this PC 

Official guide: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/unlink-and-re-link-onedrive-3c4680bf-cc36-4204-9ca5-e7b24cdd23ea

3. Fix the broken folder mapping (registry)

This is the root fix. Backup first:

• Press Win + R → type regedit
• Go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
• Click File > Export (save backup)

Clean incorrect entries:

In that folder, look for GUID entries like: 

• {0DDD015D-B06C-45D5-8C4C-F59713854639} (Pictures override)
• {24D89E24-2F19-4534-9DDE-6A6671FBB8FE} (OneDrive Documents)

{F42EE2D3-909F-4907-8871-4C22FC0BF756} (Documents override)

Delete any entries that:

• point to the wrong location 
• or cause Pictures/Documents to overlap

Make sure default paths are correct:

Check these values:

Personal > %USERPROFILE%\Documents

My Pictures > %USERPROFILE%\Pictures

Desktop > %USERPROFILE%\Desktop

Apply changes:

Sign out and sign back in (or restart PC)

4. Fix your actual folders (after registry is clean) 

Now Windows should treat folders correctly.

Move your photo folders from Documents > Pictures

Clean duplicates if needed

Do this only AFTER step 3, not before.

5. Reconnect OneDrive (only when everything looks correct)

When ready:

Open OneDrive > sign in again

Keep Folder backup OFF (unless you really want it)

Optional (choose what to sync): https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/choose-which-onedrive-folders-you-want-to-sync-on-windows-or-macos-98b8b011-8b94-419b-aa95-a14ff2415e85

Important tips:

• Don’t move files while OneDrive backup is ON > it will break again 
• Fix folder structure first, then sync 
• Use only ONE PC as your “main” setup during repair

 I hope this will help with your situation. Please feel free to reach back if you have further update or more questions.

Best Regards,

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Answer 2

The context only covers what OneDrive can and cannot sync, how to choose folders to sync, how to redirect Windows folders into OneDrive, and how to reset/unlink/relink OneDrive. It does not contain registry-level repair steps or a supported procedure for reconciling a partially restored, partially mis-mapped profile like the one described, so only high‑level, supported actions can be outlined.

From the available information, the supported path is:

1. Make sure all important data is backed up outside OneDrive
   • Copy the current contents of the local OneDrive folder (including the photo folders now under Documents) to a separate, non‑synced location (for example, another disk or a temporary folder that is not under the OneDrive path). This avoids further loss when changing sync settings.
2. Ensure the correct folders are selected for sync
   • Open OneDrive Settings (right‑click the OneDrive cloud icon in the notification area → Settings).
   • Use Choose folders to control which cloud folders sync locally. Only select the folders that should be present on this computer. If a folder is not selected, it will not sync to the PC and will not be available for local redirection or backup.
   • If a protected folder (Desktop, Documents, Pictures) shows an error that it “isn’t selected for syncing,” enable it in Choose folders so that OneDrive can protect it correctly. This is required for the PC folder backup feature to work as expected.
3. Use supported folder redirection instead of manual registry edits
   • OneDrive does not support syncing arbitrary local paths directly; only the OneDrive folder is synced. Other folders (such as Desktop, Documents, Pictures) can be redirected into the OneDrive folder instead of editing the registry manually.
   • To redirect a folder into OneDrive on Windows 7/earlier, the documented process is:
     1. Exit OneDrive.
     2. Create a subfolder in the OneDrive folder (for example, Pictures).
     3. Right‑click the local folder to redirect (for example, My Pictures) → Properties → Location tab → Move.
     4. Choose the new location under the OneDrive path (for example, %userprofile%\OneDrive\Pictures).
     5. Approve moving existing files.
     6. Restart OneDrive so it syncs the new location.
   • The same concept applies on newer Windows versions: use the folder’s Location tab or the OneDrive “PC folder backup” feature rather than editing User Shell Folders directly. This keeps OneDrive and Windows in agreement about where Documents and Pictures live.
4. Unlink and re‑link OneDrive when the sync state is confused
   • If OneDrive is stuck in “Processing changes” or the mapping between cloud and local folders is inconsistent, the supported reset is to unlink and re‑link the account:
     • Use the OneDrive menu to Unlink this PC.
     • Optionally clear cached credentials (on Mac this is done via Keychain; on Windows the equivalent would be Credential Manager, but the context only documents the Mac path).
     • Start OneDrive again and sign in.
     • When prompted that a OneDrive folder already exists, choose to use that folder or choose a new folder, depending on where the backed‑up data is.
     • After re‑linking, use Choose folders to limit what syncs to each device.
5. Handle “Processing changes” or stuck sync after cleanup
   • If, after re‑linking, OneDrive shows “Processing changes” for a long time, the documented remedies are:
     • Confirm the account is signed in.
     • Allow time for a full re‑sync, especially after many changes.
     • Check for unknown/hidden files blocking sync via the OneDrive status list.
     • If the state does not clear, follow the documented “Unlink and re‑link OneDrive” procedure again to reset the sync relationship.
6. Understand current limitations
   • OneDrive cannot selectively sync arbitrary subfolders from local special folders (like only some subfolders of Documents) to the cloud; it syncs what is under the OneDrive folder and, optionally, the entire Desktop/Documents/Pictures via PC folder backup. Selecting individual cloud folders to sync down to a PC is supported, but choosing which local folders automatically sync up is not.
   • Using symlinks or manual registry edits to force other local folders into OneDrive is not covered by the provided documentation and is outside supported guidance.

Given the complexity of the described registry state and the partial manual recovery already performed, the safest supported approach from the context is:

• Back up all remaining data outside OneDrive.
• Use OneDrive’s own Choose folders and folder redirection/PC folder backup features to re‑establish where Documents and Pictures should live.
• Unlink and re‑link OneDrive to reset the sync relationship once the folder layout is corrected using supported tools.

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References:

• OneDrive desktop app for earlier versions of Windows
• Back up your folders with OneDrive
• OneDrive stuck on Processing changes
• Fix OneDrive sync problems on Mac
• Can't synchronize OneDrive files and folders from a local file location other than the default OneDrive path