Forum Discussion
vmars316
Apr 08, 2024Copper Contributor
How to show C:\Desktop as the only Desktop , NO OneDrive ?
Greetings :
How to show C:\Desktop as the only Desktop , NO OneDrive ?
OneDrive is very confusing to me ,
It's Desktop shows gazillions of Folder ShortCuts .
I have UnLinked OneDrive , but nothing has changed .
Thanks for your Help...
- NikolinoDEGold Contributor
To ensure that you're viewing the contents of the local Desktop folder (C:\Desktop) instead of the OneDrive Desktop folder, you can adjust the folder settings in Windows 11. Here's how you can do it:
- Open File Explorer: You can do this by pressing the Windows key + E on your keyboard or by clicking on the File Explorer icon in the taskbar.
- Navigate to the Desktop folder: On the left-hand side of File Explorer, you should see a list of folders. Click on "This PC" to expand it, then click on "Desktop" to view its contents.
- Check the path: Once you're in the Desktop folder, you can confirm that you're viewing the local Desktop folder by checking the path displayed in the address bar at the top of File Explorer. It should show something like This PC > Desktop.
- Disable OneDrive sync: If you've unlinked OneDrive but are still seeing its contents mixed with the local Desktop, you may need to ensure that OneDrive sync is completely disabled. You can do this by right-clicking on the OneDrive icon in the system tray (bottom right corner of your screen) and selecting "Settings." In the settings window, go to the "Account" tab and click on "Unlink this PC." Follow the prompts to unlink your PC from OneDrive.
- Remove OneDrive shortcuts: Even after unlinking OneDrive, you may still see shortcuts to files and folders from your OneDrive in the Desktop folder. You can remove these shortcuts manually by deleting them from the Desktop folder.
- Restart File Explorer: Sometimes, changes to folder settings may not take effect immediately. You can try restarting File Explorer to see if that resolves the issue. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, locate "Windows Explorer" in the list of processes, right-click it, and select "Restart."
By following these steps, you should be able to ensure that you're viewing only the contents of the local Desktop folder (C:\Desktop) in Windows 11, without any interference from OneDrive. The text and steps were edited with the help of AI.
My answers are voluntary and without guarantee!
Hope this will help you.
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- vmars316Copper Contributor
Hi NikolinoDE :
< You can do this by right-clicking on the OneDrive icon in the system tray>
I have Uninstalled Onedrive and deleted all of its content
and I have no icon in task tray anymore .
so what I have left is 3 Blank virtual Desktops .
How can I Create a VirtualDesktop for what's in C:\Desktop ?
Maybe I can always run from there .
BTW I still havent been able to UNLINK OneDrive .
Thanks for your Help... - Jeffrey_HassenCopper ContributorI do not have Desktop listed under my C drive. Now what?
- TedEJrCopper ContributorI know what you are referring to. The problem is that Microsoft MOVED IT to the OneDrive. What you need to do is to find it on OneDrive, then MOVE it to your machine. The destination path will look something like this
C:\Users\specific profile name
Restart your machine, and then everything should look like what you are accustomed to. I wish that I could give you more specific steps. But I did it about two weeks ago, got it right the first time, did not write down each step, and have since forgotten the specifics.
The following video will give good instructions on how to permanently disable OneDrive. Good luck.
https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=registry+hack+disable+one+drive+windows+11&&view=riverview&mmscn=mtsc&mid=3D6CA2E1120CEE501CE03D6CA2E1120CEE501CE0&&aps=0&FORM=VMSOVR
- vmars316Copper Contributor
Hmm...
I see 3 Desktops:
Can I just Delete the OneDrive Folder ?:
C:\Users\vmars\OneDrive
Thanks
- Jeffrey_HassenCopper ContributorI don't have Desktop listed under my C drive