Enabled file sync, now my desktop files are gone!!!

Question

Enabled file sync, now my desktop files are gone!!!

Chris Ramey 0

I finally gave into the pestering of this system and let it backup my files to OneDrive. But now it seems that it deleted my desktop files!!! What the hell, how do I get my stuff back?!

Neil D 33,820 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-08-01T19:13:10.4533333+00:00

Open File Explorer and right click the Desktop folder then select Properties. Select the Location tab, what is shown as the path to the desktop?
Chris Ramey 0 Reputation points

2026-08-01T19:17:53.6266667+00:00

C:\Users\Chris\Desktop
Chris Ramey 0 Reputation points

2026-08-01T19:21:48.9766667+00:00

I should mention that I've been trying to turn off the onedrive sync, but I don't think it's working properly. I just locks up and doesn't respond.
Chris Ramey 0 Reputation points

2026-08-01T19:28:51.93+00:00

No matter how many times I try to disable the sync, it appears to turn itself back on. I've rebooted multiple times, but it just keeps trying to sync now. Why can't I just undo this and get things back they way they were?!?!?
Chris Ramey 0 Reputation points

2026-08-01T19:40:09.2366667+00:00

And now clicking "Manage sync settings" does nothing. What a piece of shit this is.
Neil D 33,820 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-08-02T08:09:07.51+00:00

Looking at the location setting for the Desktop the path is still the C: drive and not OneDrive. Is it the same for other personal folders.

Follow the answer from Craig Long.

1 answer

Your answer

Neil D 33,820 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-08-01T19:13:10.4533333+00:00

Open File Explorer and right click the Desktop folder then select Properties. Select the Location tab, what is shown as the path to the desktop?
Chris Ramey 0 Reputation points

2026-08-01T19:17:53.6266667+00:00

C:\Users\Chris\Desktop
Chris Ramey 0 Reputation points

2026-08-01T19:21:48.9766667+00:00

I should mention that I've been trying to turn off the onedrive sync, but I don't think it's working properly. I just locks up and doesn't respond.
Chris Ramey 0 Reputation points

2026-08-01T19:28:51.93+00:00

No matter how many times I try to disable the sync, it appears to turn itself back on. I've rebooted multiple times, but it just keeps trying to sync now. Why can't I just undo this and get things back they way they were?!?!?
Chris Ramey 0 Reputation points

2026-08-01T19:40:09.2366667+00:00

And now clicking "Manage sync settings" does nothing. What a piece of shit this is.
Neil D 33,820 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-08-02T08:09:07.51+00:00

Looking at the location setting for the Desktop the path is still the C: drive and not OneDrive. Is it the same for other personal folders.

Follow the answer from Craig Long.

Answer 1

Craig Long 18,520

In the OneDrive Settings, go to Manage Backup and turn off the Desktop folder sync. Select Stop backup and choose where to keep files. Select C:\Users\Chris\Desktop.

At Manage Backup, do the same thing for all the other folders.

See the video here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-US/onedrive/back-up-your-folders-with-onedrive

Chris Ramey 0 Reputation points

2026-08-03T19:43:00.39+00:00

My settings don't look like that at all. OneDriveSettings.png
Craig Long 18,520 Reputation points

2026-08-03T21:58:10.8133333+00:00

Try resetting OneDrive. You can also try reinstalling it.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/onedrive/reset-onedrive

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/onedrive/reinstall-onedrive