Change Your Windows Folder Locations Back to Their Defaults from Microsoft OneDrive - **Updated**

If you are using the Microsoft OneDrive desktop client app to synchronize your files and folders between OneDrive and your computer, you might have noticed that it replaces the default locations for your Documents, Desktop and Photos etc. with C:\Users\username\OneDrive\Documents for example.
If you want to restore your Windows default folder locations back to their original folder path and have your files back where they used to be stored, you can do so by changing the OneDrive backup options because if you do it without changing these options, you will get a message that says Can't move the folder because there is a folder in the same location that can't be redirected. Access is denied. You can also unlink your account from the OneDrive client if you do not want to use OneDrive on your computer at all. If you need to access your OneDrive files, you can still do so using the OneDrive website.
Here is a link to the original video.
• Change Your Windows Fo...
Here is a writeup of the process on our website.
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#onedrive

[@minialphareaper3602]

Thanks so much, Onedrive has been more harm than help. What kind of scummy company stops all save files and documents if it doesnt go directly to them? Well... Microsoft does.

[@JanetDax]

Onedrive has been the bane of online gaming, stealing system resources my games need and making files inaccessible.

[@lynn8313]

Thank you so much, you're a literal life saver! This is the most clearly explained video I've seen on this and I've been battling with one drive for ages!

[@terryzak1742]

Agree that this is a good way to move files back to their original locations. However, Microsoft has screwed all its users by only allowing the "AutoSave" function to save to OneDrive.

[@monotypical_]

Thank you so much for this. Microsoft is genuinely one of the worst companies ever and im thinking of switching to Mac. If you try to use your computer without internet access, you can’t access your files. If you don’t have the money to upgrade your one drive memory, they say you have to pay. It’s the shittiest business practices I’ve ever seen in my life. Pay more to access my files? Nah

[@TaraLynJoseph]

You are my hero! This was making me insane and preventing the files I wanted to back up to a different cloud service to be uploaded there. Thank you!

[@carstenesbensen450]

Finally. It worked. Thank you for this video. :-) Been trying to figure this out since last week.

[@regiegija]

Great video. Thank you for putting the time and effort in to it.

[@LyndaCoulson64]

I tried following this but it wouldn't work for me and I regret ever allowing OneDrive to take control over my pc when it first came out because now it's trying to force me to buy more storage space. I just wish I could stop the back up and sync feature and move all my important stuff to where I choose and NOT stupid OneDrive!!

[@mahdiouladafou9469]

maybe try to contact OneDrive support

[@alihsas]

Thank you from KSA.

[@Digmen1]

This is what I want to do. But I get confused when you mention the word back up I want nothing to do with Onedrive at all. I have unlinked it and uninstalled it. But when I create a new document in say Word or Excel it still offers to save it in my one drive Will your video help me stop this from happening?

[@OnlineComputerTips]

You will still have the OneDrive option in Office but here is how you can remove it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gIuoqXqLg7aYgZY

[@erichardzz]

I'm having similar issues, except I deleted the OneDrive App already from my computer. I get the same error message that shows up in your video. I tried redownloading OneDrive and now it won't sign me in. As in its just spinning its wheels.

[@ehsaskadyan1904]

Hi! I am at the same place! Did you figure somwthing out? How to do it?

[@erichardzz]

@@ehsaskadyan1904 Hi there, I had to give up I think because I wasn't able to get it to work.

[@MauroAlexandreSumbana10]

Fighting the same battle

[@Shadowiff]

Thank you sir. I was finished after step 4 because I didn't get the error

[@larrynelson7839]

There is an easier way to change the default folder, IF you want to keep OneDrive, but you do not want everything going to OneDrive. In OneDrive, go to the gear icon, click on the link where you can select which folders to sync with OneDrive, then unclick the "Documents" folder. A week ago, I upgraded from Win10 to Win11. After I did this, I noticed that after the upgrade, it started wanting to put files in the OneDrive Documents folder. I had certain folders that I wanted to have on OneDrive, but with the Win11 upgrade, it added "Documents" to this list.

[@hul8376]

Thank you, awesome!

[@AgoraphobicNews]

It wont work for me: Do I need to install onedrive and then uncheck backup options? It worked for desktop folder, but it won't change the location of documents and pictures folder. And I am not really sure should I just make documents folder manually and cut the content from documents folder in onedrive....

[@OnlineComputerTips]

Its hard to say without seeing it but you might need to reinstall OneDrive and follow the steps in order again.

[@kakawateaz]

thanks king

[@KierstonKxsh]

I still need help because when I tried to move them initially just on my pc it said the files were there already and I couldn’t. So I tried using onedrive live and after a long loading screen it extracted every individual file from its home location folder by bulk into my documents folder. I can no longer see what folder they originally came from now either as they all say onedrive documents.

[@EremitaUrbano]

Even after everything right I keep getting the "The folder can't be moved" error :/

[@louiewgroenewald]

I want to use onenote to sync from onenote app on phone to onenote app on PC, therefore I probably need onedrive. But I do not want all the documents in the onedrive documents folder to sync to onedrive as I use the free version and files in documents onedrive is to big. It is programs I use data that added it there when installed. . If I move or delete this the programs won't work properly anymore. Onenote has its data in the documents folder. So I somehow still need this documents folder for syncing between mobile and PC, but again I do not want the other files to be synced. How would I do this?

[@saythename7519]

Thank you so much, you save my life omgg!

[@trollingisasport]

I just settled things by create my own OneDrive folder and using to archive things. I do music production and having onedrive constantly synced sucks

[@jakhan3067]

Nicely done. Do you know how to cancel OneDrive the monetary contribution? Thank You.

[@OnlineComputerTips]

If you mean that you are paying for a OneDrive subscription then it might be tied to your Office account if you have a pay for version of that. I don't think you can cancel just the OneDrive part since it comes with your Office subscription. www.office.com/

[@tribalstyle138]

I am still confused. I want to keep both. One is the Onedrive documents and it does backup and one is the harddrive and it does not. I have this on my laptop but don't remember how I did it.

[@tribalstyle138]

Actually I think I figured it out! Sort of. I was somehow able to add both document folders to libraries. Goodluck everyone!

[@cam_934]

Sorry but you made a mistake when you got to: 4:42 that documents folder that you said "is in the correct space" isn't the correct Windows Library Document folder meaning Windows Library Folders all have a Location Tab, normal folders dont eg: Contacts, Desktop, Downloads, Favorites, Documents, Links, Music, Save Games, Searches, Pictures, Videos all have a location tab. The Windows Library Document folder with that location tab is still inside of Onedrive and you should have just gone to it's location tab and selected "Restore Default" as shown @ 0:56

[@empowermenttimewithsharnik1289]

Thank you, so much!

[@YungzMadeIt]

i have an issue where my laptop is deleting the files by itself. i ran virus scans its safe but why is it doing this? my desktop apps get deleted and so do some recently downloaded files why? please do help me sir🙏

[@KarenDUlrich]

Mine won't let me move them from One Drive. "there is not enough space on documents. You need additional 31.7 GB to copy these files." My computer was set up perfectly. I think CC cleaner screwed things up and brought back One Drive that is now holding my files hostage.

[@OnlineComputerTips]

I'm not sure what step you are on, but it sounds like you are trying to copy the files instead of move them. When you copy the files, you will need twice the space on your drive to do so until you delete the originals after copying them. Moving them doesn't take any extra space on your drive.

[@roughysk9851]

I think you should use ctrl + x instead of ctrl + c :)

[@brettroper1030]

I uninstalled OneDrive and my documents disappeared

[@OnlineComputerTips]

They might have been set to only download to your PC on demand so go to the OneDrive website and they should be there.

[@randyholdampf8320]

Casually ruining my expensive audio recording daw computer literally dedicated for this purpose🎉 thanks microsoft

[@OnlineComputerTips]

Thats why I use Reaper, its cheap!

[@lotsaringwear2937]

my hard drive crashed and died. I installed a new hard drive and all the OneDrive files are gone when I log in. What happened to them. Aren't they automatically uploaded to the cloud?

[@OnlineComputerTips]

When you say new drive do you mean you reinstalled Windows? If so then you can try to enable and sign into the OneDrive client app to have them sync assuming that is what you want to do. Otherwise you can just go to the OneDrive website and see if your files are there.

[@lotsaringwear2937]

@@OnlineComputerTips I checked the website but my files are not there. Download the app and nothing is there either

[@OnlineComputerTips]

They would not get deleted from the OneDrive website if you reinstalled Windows. Are you sure you are logging in with the right account? Check the trash on the OneDrive site as well.

[@PrinceDinoboy]

The absolute nerve of microsoft. OneDrive backup was enabled by default on my computer.

[@OnlineComputerTips]

Thats how they roll!

[@bizbarley74]

I uninstalled OneDrive, first thing I did before anything on all my Windows 11 machines. However, I get the "access denied." My quest to you, and this is coming from my whole office: Can you access OneDrive settings if you do not have OneDrive installed? Because I would like to avoid ever having OneDrive on my machine. Is there a way to get around this or will I have to install OneDrive?

[@OnlineComputerTips]

I think you are going to need to install OneDrive again to go through the process.

[@bizbarley74]

@@OnlineComputerTips Thank you sir, for getting back to me so quickly. I generally work with Linux and I assumed I could rewrite the console commands. But Windows 11 is constantly becoming a more tricky beast.

[@Thepankaz1]

@@OnlineComputerTips I have onedriveinstalled but still get access denied "Cant move the folder because there is a folder in the same location that cant be redirected Access is denied Even when the folder is empty

[@dorianhunt]

Please I need your help back and I am not computer savvy 5days ago one drive backed up with an update I think and all of my beats or missing and my plugins and my pc screen is missing my folders etc can you please help me please

[@OnlineComputerTips]

If you go to the OneDrive website do you see your files? onedrive.live.com/login/

[@dorianhunt]

@@OnlineComputerTips yes

[@OnlineComputerTips]

If you want to sync your OneDrive files to your PC, you can install the OneDrive client again or if you still have it on your computer, simply log in and let it sync.

[@dorianhunt]

@@OnlineComputerTips I am logged in nothing is syncing I just want what’s on one drive to be how it was on my pc 5days ago I need my documents and stuffs path put back to its original folders

[@OnlineComputerTips]

@@dorianhunt Its hard to say what the problem is without seeing it but make sure the OneDrive app is running down in the system tray by the clock. Then open it and check the backup settings.

[@jfs_films]

good heavens thank you, this has been a mess.

[@helloolleh_dis]

Does this work with the Desktop as well?

[@mahdiouladafou9469]

yes, windows is the same on all laptops and Desktop (gaming, professional, studying...)

[@westfield90]

So confusing. I hate Microsoft

[@tomba2]

THANK YOU! MICROSOFT YOU FLOGS. Cheers for keeping your older outdated video around too btw, love wasting my day🤣

[@jayburn100]

What would be the fix if I just deleted the entire onedrive folder from my boot drive and then tried to change the location? I still get the same no access error message. But don’t have the onedrive installed on my computer at all.

[@OnlineComputerTips]

You might want to try reinstalling OneDrive and let it sync your files to the OneDrive folders, then try the steps in the video.