Question:

How to restore folders after OneDrive sync mishap?

I accidentally enabled OneDrive backup for my Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders on my PC, which resulted in syncing them with the same folders on my Laptop. I did not want this, so I disabled syncing for the Desktop folder on OneDrive settings, but this deleted all of my icons and files on my PC Desktop, except for a few random ones. When I re-enabled syncing, everything came back, but also the unwanted files from my Laptop. How can I undo this and get my original folders back on my PC?

Some additional tips for rephrasing questions are:

– Use a clear and descriptive title that summarizes the main problem or goal

– Avoid apologizing or expressing emotions in the title or the body of the question

– Use proper punctuation, capitalization, and spelling

– Break down the question into paragraphs or bullet points for readability

– Provide relevant details such as the operating system, the version of OneDrive, the steps you took, and the expected and actual outcomes

– Avoid asking for general help or ideas, but instead ask for specific solutions or suggestions

Answer:

OneDrive is a cloud storage service that allows you to back up and sync your files across different devices. However, sometimes OneDrive can cause problems when you enable backup for certain folders, such as Desktop, Documents, and Pictures. This can result in unwanted files being synced from one device to another, or even losing your original files. In this article, we will show you how to undo this and get your original folders back on your PC.

What happened?

The problem occurred when you accidentally enabled OneDrive backup for your Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders on your PC. This means that OneDrive will automatically upload and sync these folders with the same folders on your OneDrive account. If you have another device, such as a Laptop, that is also signed in to the same OneDrive account, it will also sync these folders with your PC. This can cause two issues:

• You may see unwanted files from your Laptop appearing on your PC Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders, and vice versa. This can clutter your folders and make it hard to find your important files.
• You may lose your original files on your PC if you disable syncing for these folders on OneDrive settings. This is because OneDrive will delete the local copies of these files on your PC, and only keep the online copies on your OneDrive account. If you re-enable syncing, you will see the online copies of these files on your PC, but they may not be the same as your original files.

How to fix it?

To fix this problem, you need to do two things:

• Restore your original files on your PC from OneDrive online
• Stop OneDrive from syncing these folders across your devices

Here are the steps to do this:

1. Go to [OneDrive.com](https://onedrive.com/) and sign in with your Microsoft account.

2. Click on the Recycle bin icon on the left sidebar. You will see a list of files and folders that OneDrive has deleted from your PC.

3. Select the files and folders that you want to restore, such as Desktop, Documents, and Pictures. You can use the Search box to find them faster.

4. Click on the Restore button at the top. This will restore these files and folders to your OneDrive account, but not to your PC yet.

5. Go to your PC and open the OneDrive app. You can find it in the Start menu or the System tray.

6. Click on the Settings icon (the gear icon) and then click on the Backup tab.

7. Under Manage backup, click on the Stop backup button for each folder that you want to stop syncing, such as Desktop, Documents, and Pictures. This will stop OneDrive from syncing these folders with your other devices, and also download the restored files and folders from your OneDrive account to your PC.

8. Wait for the download to finish. You should see your original files and folders on your PC, as well as the unwanted files from your Laptop. You can delete the unwanted files from your PC if you don’t need them.

How to prevent it?

To prevent this problem from happening again, you need to be careful when you enable OneDrive backup for your folders. Here are some tips to avoid this:

• Only enable OneDrive backup for folders that you want to sync across your devices, such as your personal files, photos, or music. Do not enable backup for folders that contain system files, settings, or shortcuts, such as Desktop, Documents, or Pictures. These folders may vary depending on your operating system and preferences, so use your best judgment.
• If you want to back up these folders, you can use other methods, such as an external hard drive, a USB flash drive, or another cloud service. This way, you can keep a separate copy of these folders without syncing them with OneDrive.
• If you accidentally enable OneDrive backup for these folders, you can undo it by following the steps above, or by using the Restore your OneDrive feature. This feature allows you to restore your OneDrive account to a previous state, before you made any changes. You can find this feature under Settings > Options > Restore your OneDrive.

We

hope this article helped you solve your OneDrive sync mishap and restore your original folders on your PC. If you have any questions or feedback, please leave a comment below. Thank you for reading! 😊