Change Location Of Desktop Icons

[PinguJohn]

I have noticed that some of my desktop icons are located in C:\Users\%user%\OneDrive\Desktop while others are located in either C:\Users\%user%\Desktop or C:\Users\%user%\Public\Desktop

How can I change the ones located in C:\Users\%user%\OneDrive\Desktop to one of the other two.

Also, if I create a new desktop icon it goes into C:\Users\%user%\OneDrive\Desktop by default. How can I change this?

Any help would be appreciated.

[jdc2000]

Are you using OneDrive to store any of your files? Microsoft would like you to give them all of your files by default. Check to see if they are doing this for your Documents, Pictures, etc. also. The problem of course is if you lose your Internet connection, then you also lose access to those files.

If you do not use OneDrive, you can disable it. Make sure that you have copies of ALL files from OneDrive saved to a folder that OneDrive is NOT syncing first, to prevent data loss.

https://www.makeuseof.com/windows-pr...save-onedrive/

[PinguJohn]

As I did not want to use OneDrive, I uninstalled It but it did not make any difference.

Maybe I should not have uninstalled it. If so any idea what I should do now.

[Steve R Jones]

Copy and paste and move things where ever you want.

[jdc2000]

Are you still seeing green check marks on some of your Desktop icons? If yes, then OneDrive may still be installed.

Make sure that you copy your files to the locations you want them, and that you have ALL of them where they should be (and backups on a drive that is safe from OneDrive), and first turn off OneDrive file syncing, then disable OneDrive, then uninstall OneDrive. Microsoft can be very persistent with OneDrive, as they really want your files.

[PinguJohn]

Yes there are green check marks on all of my Desktop icons but OneDrive is definitely uninstalled and does not appear in list of apps.

Should I reinstall OneDrive? If so how do I do that?

[jdc2000]

It is possible to remove OneDrive from the Start menu and the list of apps while still having it installed.

https://www.makeuseof.com/windows-11...file-explorer/

Can you still access your OneDrive files?

You may have to reinstall OneDrive, if it really is uninstalled. Then, do the following:

Stop OneDrive Sync.
Disable OneDrive.
Uninstall OneDrive.

https://www.auslogics.com/en/article...%20the%20cloud.

As mentioned, make sure that you have local copies of any files that are showing as stored on OneDrive!

[Alinah]

Sometimes, red and blue check marks show on desktop icons, does anybody have faced that?

[jdc2000]

Even if you have OneDrive disabled, you may sometimes get colored check marks next to the Desktop icons. Microsoft really, really wants you to give them access to your personal files.