How to turn off OneDrive folder backup in Windows 11

Windows 11 comes with an annoying feature that automatically backs up and syncs certain folders with OneDrive. Here’s how to turn it off.

In recent months, Microsoft has made a change to the OneDrive client in Windows 11 so that it now automatically backs up your Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders to the cloud. This feature, known as folder backup, isn’t new, but it used to be prompted during the initial setup, so you had the option to turn it off. Now, it’s just enabled by default.

Of course, backing up your important files doesn’t sound like a bad thing, but the way it works is that files are not only backed up from your computer, but they also sync down from the cloud so that you have quick access to them. And those files being backed up include icons on the desktop, which means that when you buy a new laptop and sign into your account, the desktop may look something like this:

Yes, that’s a bunch of links that aren’t leading to anything, because while the icons were backed up, the apps they were linking to aren’t. Plus, if you have multiple computers or you reset your computer, these backed-up files stack up, with each one adding -Copy at the end of the file name. It’s a mess.

Thankfully, while Microsoft doesn’t make it obvious, you can turn off OneDrive folder backup. Here’s how:

1. Click the OneDrive icon on the taskbar

   

   You may need to click the arrow to open the overflow menu first.

2. Click the cog wheel icon at the top of the OneDrive panel and then choose Settings.

   

3. Switch to the Backup tab at the top and then click Manage backup.

   

   In more recent versions of the OneDrive app, the Sync and backup page opens by default, containing the Manage backup button.

4. Under each of the folders (Desktop, Pictures, and Documents), click Stop backup.

   

5. You may need to click Stop backup again to confirm your choice.
   • Newer versions of the app have a redesigned settings page for known folder backup. You’ll want to make sure all three toggles are turned off, as seen below:

     

6. Close the window.

When you stop backing up your folders, any backed up files in them will disappear from the respective local folder. Instead, you can find them in the Desktop, Pictures, and Documents folders in your OneDrive storage. You can copy or move them back to the local folders if you need them.

To avoid having to copy or move files around, I generally disable this feature as soon as I turn on my PC for the first time, so all the duplicate desktop icons are gone right away. If you’ve been using your computer for a while and are only disabling the feature now, you’ll have to fetch some of your files back from the respective OneDrive folder.

If you’d like to learn more about how to make Windows 11 work better for you, take a look at our comprehensive guide on how to customize Windows 11. You may also want to check out how to use Start menu folders in Windows 11 version 22H2.