Stop OneDrive from synching my Desktop - change Destop location ?

MartinGM · Oct 14, 2024

OneDrive works prefectly well backing up my documents and pictures - my wife uses the same OneDrive account, so our two laptops have access to the same files.
Unfortunately OneDrive also synchronises the Desktop folder, so the two desktop layouts are also identical and this causes problems for both of us.
I understand that it is not possible to turn off synching of the Desktop folder in OneDrive but wondered if, as a workaround, I can change the location of the Desktop folder to a non-synchronised location ?
Before I try this, and mess up my laptop, I have the following questions:
1. If I right click on C:\Users\<myname>\OneDrive\Desktop I have the option to change the Desktop folder's location:
_ a. If I do this will it screw up my laptop ?
_ b. Presumably I have to copy all the shortcuts etc to the new location - having done that will the desktop work as before ?
2. Will OneDrive still find and synch the Desktop folder even if I relocate it somwhere outside C:\Users\<myname>\OneDrive\ . . . ?
3. Are there any other pitfalls I should be aware of ?
4. Has anyone actually done this ?
Any help gratefully received,
Martin

antspants · Oct 14, 2024

Hi, welcome to the forum

If moving a desktop (user) folder, you have to tell Windows where you’ve moved it to. (Or technically, you haven’t moved it)
Therefore, it’s still a syncable user folder because you’ve informed Windows where it is. (If that makes sense?)

Perhaps this will help you.

Choose which OneDrive Folders to Sync in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to choose which OneDrive folders to sync to your computer for your account in Windows 10 and Windows 11. You can use OneDrive to sync files and folders between your computer and the cloud, so you can get to your files from anywhere - your computer, your mobile...

www.elevenforum.com

MartinGM · Oct 14, 2024

Thanks for that - I suspected that that is the case.
Is there another way I can in effect stop OneDrive from synching the desktop layouts ?
Microsoft's advice was to turn off OneDrive, which was about as unhelpful as it gets !

antspants · Oct 14, 2024

MartinGM said:
Thanks for that - I suspected that that is the case.
Is there another way I can in effect stop OneDrive from synching the desktop layouts ?
Microsoft's advice was to turn off OneDrive, which was about as unhelpful as it gets !

The tutorial above.

What do you mean by a “desktop layout”?
Do you mean hide where you moved it to? Shouldn’t have to with the above tutorial to prevent the Desktop folder from syncing. I doubt it’s possible to hide its location from Windows, it’s an integral user folder

MartinGM · Oct 14, 2024

By desktop layout I mean the desktop shortcuts. Where they are located doesn't seem to synchronise, but the shortcuts themselves do.
These are the issues:
* We have different software apps on our two laptops, so there are redundant shortcuts which create clutter and give an error message when clicked
* She wants to have shortcuts to some of her files, I want shortcuts to some of mine - we don't want all the shortcuts to appear on both laptops
Hope that makes sense ?
I've seen this question asked many times, for the same reasons, but have not found a reply that works

Win7ine · Oct 14, 2024

MartinGM said:
OneDrive works prefectly well backing up my documents and pictures - my wife uses the same OneDrive account, so our two laptops have access to the same files.
Unfortunately OneDrive also synchronises the Desktop folder, so the two desktop layouts are also identical and this causes problems for both of us.
I understand that it is not possible to turn off synching of the Desktop folder in OneDrive but wondered if, as a workaround, I can change the location of the Desktop folder to a non-synchronised location ?
Before I try this, and mess up my laptop, I have the following questions:
1. If I right click on C:\Users\<myname>\OneDrive\Desktop I have the option to change the Desktop folder's location:
_ a. If I do this will it screw up my laptop ?
_ b. Presumably I have to copy all the shortcuts etc to the new location - having done that will the desktop work as before ?
2. Will OneDrive still find and synch the Desktop folder even if I relocate it somwhere outside C:\Users\<myname>\OneDrive\ . . . ?
3. Are there any other pitfalls I should be aware of ?
4. Has anyone actually done this ?
Any help gratefully received,
Martin

Simply turn off Backup to OneDrive for your Desktop in your OneDrive settings.

antspants · Oct 14, 2024

MartinGM said:
By desktop layout I mean the desktop shortcuts. Where they are located doesn't seem to synchronise, but the shortcuts themselves do.
These are the issues:
* We have different software apps on our two laptops, so there are redundant shortcuts which create clutter and give an error message when clicked
* She wants to have shortcuts to some of her files, I want shortcuts to some of mine - we don't want all the shortcuts to appear on both laptops
Hope that makes sense ?
I've seen this question asked many times, for the same reasons, but have not found a reply that works

I can only assume (I don’t use OneDrive) that if you don’t include the Desktop Folder from OneDrive Syncing, the Desktop Shortcuts shouldn’t sync.

Win7ine said:
Simply turn off Backup to OneDrive for your Desktop in your OneDrive settings.

Ummm Didn’t we just cover that?

MartinGM · Oct 14, 2024

I will try turning off the Destop synch ! Why didn't I spot that ????
But it has had an unexpected result . . .
When I turned off the Desktop folder synch, most (but not all) of my desktop shortcuts disappeared.
So I turned Desktop synch back on and they re-appeared.
Then I went to the Desktop folder and marked all the shortcuts as "Always keep on this device" but when I turned off the synch they disappeared again.
Its late here in Japan, but tomorrow I will try taking a copy of all the shortcuts, turn off the synch then copy them back to the Desktop folder and see how that goes.
Unless anyone has a better idea ?
Thanks

glasskuter · Oct 14, 2024

If what you want is her to have her desktop and you to have yours Use step 5 in this tutorial on both devices. You should end up with each device having a desktop particular to that individual device and saved on that device system drive instead of Onedrive,. Select 'this computer only'option.

Turn On or Off OneDrive Folder Backup Syncing Across Windows 11 Devices

This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off OneDrive folder backup and sync for your Microsoft account across all your Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices you sign in with the same Microsoft account. You can use OneDrive to sync files and folders between your computer and the cloud, so you...

www.elevenforum.com

Once you get this option turned off in Onedrive, you'll probably have to rearrange the desktop on both systems to get them like you want.
After you perform the step, verify where the desktop is by right clicking on desktop folder>select properties>location tab.
It should end up being C:\users\yourusername\Desktop

MartinGM · Oct 14, 2024

Thanks Glasskuter - tomorrow's project

glasskuter · Oct 14, 2024

I would do this independently of each other, Turn off one device, make change in the other. Make sure everything is kosher and the location of the desktop folder is on that device before powering on the other device, to make the change there. Onedrive can be a tricky deal so I always take every precaution. When working with it works it, it works well and I heave a sigh of relief when it does. When it doesn't work, I have a notebook of selective words I use when dealing with it.
Having a system image is always a good idea.

pparks1 · Oct 14, 2024

I'd say turn off the desktop sync.

Log into the web browser version of onedrive. Find the shortcuts you want back, and copy them to your desktop.

MartinGM · Oct 14, 2024

Thanks everyone. I will be working (carefully, in small documented steps) on this tomorrow and will report back.

Winuser · Oct 14, 2024

MartinGM said:
By desktop layout I mean the desktop shortcuts. Where they are located doesn't seem to synchronise, but the shortcuts themselves do.
These are the issues:
* We have different software apps on our two laptops, so there are redundant shortcuts which create clutter and give an error message when clicked
* She wants to have shortcuts to some of her files, I want shortcuts to some of mine - we don't want all the shortcuts to appear on both laptops
Hope that makes sense ?
I've seen this question asked many times, for the same reasons, but have not found a reply that works

If the desktop folder isn't synced in OneDrive, you and your wife can setup the desktops any way the two of you want.

Winuser · Oct 14, 2024

MartinGM said:
But it has had an unexpected result . . .
When I turned off the Desktop folder synch, most (but not all) of my desktop shortcuts disappeared.

I think that the ones that disappeared are the ones that are saved on OneDrive and not locally. The shortcuts that disappeared, are they the ones that your wife created?

MartinGM · Oct 14, 2024

Thanks again for all the support.
It turned out to be simpler than I thought, and I've learned a lot on the way.
I had to do TWO things to unsynchronise the Desktops:

As advised, I turned off synchronising the desktops on both laptops.
Then, as above, most of the desktop icons disappeared, which wasn't what I expected. I had made a copy so it wasn't a big deal but when I looked in the (now unsynchronised) OneDrive folder named Desktop - all the shortcuts were still there in the folder, just not showing on the desktop itself. I tried dragging one of them to the desktop and now it showed ?!
I cannot see any logic to why about a third of the desktop shortcuts continued to show and the rest didn't.
Even more oddly, I had the same behaviour on my wife's laptop, but different shortcuts disappeared.

So I had been chasing a bit of a phantom - the shortcuts weren't disappearing at all, just failing to show.

Anyway, problems solved - and this is my first post here - great forum

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