Why is One Drive deleting files on my local computer and how can they be recovered?

Question

Why is One Drive deleting files on my local computer and how can they be recovered?

Patrick O'Harris 15

I recently replaced my hard drive and was trying to use One Drive as a back up ONLY, but I have noticed numerous files being deleted by ONE DRIVE and I can't find or access them - what gives???

Patrick O'Harris 15 Reputation points

2024-01-27T16:03:55.93+00:00

The files are NOT in the recycle bin or in ONE DRIVE either. Many of these files are Music and many of my local files are now showing they are in process of backup, but it is taking FOREVER
Alisher Alikulov 20 Reputation points

2024-03-31T19:45:47.3833333+00:00

And MS OneDrive deletes all synchronized FILES!!!!!! That is ugly! If i chose to deselect any folder from OneDrive (MS you are ugliest ever!!!) then this piece of an icecream app deletes all the files from my PC!!!!!!!! And there is no!!! MFB!!!!! options to undo or configure somehow that kind of piece of shi!!!!!!
cecilia gonzales 15 Reputation points

2024-05-12T19:21:09.64+00:00

Totally Igree with you. I got bought an expensive computer with a lot of space on my SD disk, I thought I was saving on it but NO, it was saving on ONE DRIVE.... I erased it because I Didn't need it as you, but it erased all my documents, I didn´t know my documents were not on my disk...... SO AWFUL Microsofts... You should ask people if they want or not to sync documents with one drive an explain what does that... Doing it by default, is like not gentle with people that is used to traditional microsoft...
I bet a milenial was behind this BIG idea... Not thinking at all in people that doesnt want complicated stuff.
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This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.
A. User 5 Reputation points

2024-06-19T13:14:47.01+00:00

After doing a Windows Update or something I 'noticed' all my files had been deleted from my computer and replaced with file folder links to OneDr ive (that took me a while to figure out after the playing dumb 'Advocate' said OneDrive didn't delete files. Of course there are hundreds and hundreds of comments and questions by people in the Microsoft 'Community' (ripped off and bamboozled customers) Board going into detail how this is exactly what happened to their files. In my case I am finding dozens of files with a red x beside them, one of which is my fathers obitiuary which when I click on says no file there. Sure 'Advocate' I deleted that one. I didn't delete a damn thing you b.stards it was all your Malware/Ransomeware OneDrive. What use is the 'free' 5Gb when my hardrive is 265 Gb in size. Do I have to go through 20,000 files from the last 25 years to see what you deleted? And dont make up another lie about 3rd party software or policy? What policy what are you saying,?
A. User 5 Reputation points

2024-06-19T22:50:59.18+00:00

What about Microsofts code of conduct, OneDrive does delete files from peoples computers when they had plenty of space still on their hard drive and replaces them with a screwy link to their files on OneDrive. Stop LYING about doing this.
A. User 5 Reputation points

2024-06-19T22:55:02.01+00:00

Its all about money and trying to get people to subscribe to an unnecessary service with your free 5 gb when they have a 250 hard drive on their pc. This is malware and ransomware. Who gave you permission to remove my files from my pc. Also who gave you permission to record my credit card info and name I have never purchased anything online with Microsoft. Your entire product is obviously spyware, malware and ransomware admit it. New World Order Globalist Spooks.
A. User 5 Reputation points

2024-06-19T23:17:31.79+00:00

Actuallly it shouldnt say their files on OneDrive but their stolen files on OneDrive. FACT.
Chester Ayala 0 Reputation points

2024-07-25T16:42:01.1233333+00:00

It's funny they call it a backup, then OneDrive would suddenly delete all files in your local storage and turn them into shortcuts. lmao They have not considered that not all devices have 24/7 internet access. This is a major flaw of OneDrive. Not even your source code files are safe from it, and some of your programs won't work properly because the files they need are now shortcuts or in the cloud. It's the stupidest feature of OneDrive.
Elise 0 Reputation points

2024-12-02T22:29:36.9166667+00:00

Omg I thought it was just me!!!! I don't want to pay for back up when I already back up all my stuff anyways to a separate SSD, otherwise what is the point of me paying for a physical SSD in the first place if Microsoft just wants me to pay a subscription to them. Did you ever figure out a solution so you can just save your files locally to your PC and not have a Microsoft subscription?
Jacqueline Salluom 0 Reputation points

2025-01-15T23:59:07.1+00:00

I found the "Always keep on this device" option, but exactly where "on this device" do i find my files?
Tony Z 0 Reputation points

2025-01-31T17:28:54.7+00:00

For me, they still show in the OneDrive folder, but they have green checkmarks next to them, indicating they are saved on "this device".
Geoff Thompson 0 Reputation points

2025-02-28T21:44:41.18+00:00

And this is why OneDrive has such a bad name, and I actively tell people not to use it. It feels like entrapment, and Microsoft is doing themselves no favors by trying to trick people into paying for their cloud services.

I've just fallen into the same trap while trying to setup a new machine, and copying files over on to it. I thought I had unlinked the PC, started cleaning up onedrive files via the app, and have now just found my "Documents" folder is empty!

Not cool Micrsoft. Really not cool.

Update: There was a "shortcut to onedrive" link in my "Documents" folder, that opened another "virtual folder" that had all my documents in there. I moved them back to where they should be, but was not expecting it to work after having had uninstalled OneDrive. I haven't yet rebooted...
Geoff Thompson 0 Reputation points

2025-02-28T22:10:15.07+00:00

I have a "shortcut to OneDrive" link under my "Documents" folder. I didn't expect that to work, since I've rage-uninstalled OneDrive. However, it manages to open:

C:\Users\<username>\OneDrive\Documents which had all my original files in it.

It appears to be a real folder, and not some confusing virtualisation / redirection. I hope that path works for you.

3 answers

Your answer

Patrick O'Harris 15 Reputation points

2024-01-27T16:03:55.93+00:00

The files are NOT in the recycle bin or in ONE DRIVE either. Many of these files are Music and many of my local files are now showing they are in process of backup, but it is taking FOREVER
Alisher Alikulov 20 Reputation points

2024-03-31T19:45:47.3833333+00:00

And MS OneDrive deletes all synchronized FILES!!!!!! That is ugly! If i chose to deselect any folder from OneDrive (MS you are ugliest ever!!!) then this piece of an icecream app deletes all the files from my PC!!!!!!!! And there is no!!! MFB!!!!! options to undo or configure somehow that kind of piece of shi!!!!!!
cecilia gonzales 15 Reputation points

2024-05-12T19:21:09.64+00:00

Totally Igree with you. I got bought an expensive computer with a lot of space on my SD disk, I thought I was saving on it but NO, it was saving on ONE DRIVE.... I erased it because I Didn't need it as you, but it erased all my documents, I didn´t know my documents were not on my disk...... SO AWFUL Microsofts... You should ask people if they want or not to sync documents with one drive an explain what does that... Doing it by default, is like not gentle with people that is used to traditional microsoft...
I bet a milenial was behind this BIG idea... Not thinking at all in people that doesnt want complicated stuff.
Deleted

This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.
A. User 5 Reputation points

2024-06-19T13:14:47.01+00:00

After doing a Windows Update or something I 'noticed' all my files had been deleted from my computer and replaced with file folder links to OneDr ive (that took me a while to figure out after the playing dumb 'Advocate' said OneDrive didn't delete files. Of course there are hundreds and hundreds of comments and questions by people in the Microsoft 'Community' (ripped off and bamboozled customers) Board going into detail how this is exactly what happened to their files. In my case I am finding dozens of files with a red x beside them, one of which is my fathers obitiuary which when I click on says no file there. Sure 'Advocate' I deleted that one. I didn't delete a damn thing you b.stards it was all your Malware/Ransomeware OneDrive. What use is the 'free' 5Gb when my hardrive is 265 Gb in size. Do I have to go through 20,000 files from the last 25 years to see what you deleted? And dont make up another lie about 3rd party software or policy? What policy what are you saying,?
A. User 5 Reputation points

2024-06-19T22:50:59.18+00:00

What about Microsofts code of conduct, OneDrive does delete files from peoples computers when they had plenty of space still on their hard drive and replaces them with a screwy link to their files on OneDrive. Stop LYING about doing this.
A. User 5 Reputation points

2024-06-19T22:55:02.01+00:00

Its all about money and trying to get people to subscribe to an unnecessary service with your free 5 gb when they have a 250 hard drive on their pc. This is malware and ransomware. Who gave you permission to remove my files from my pc. Also who gave you permission to record my credit card info and name I have never purchased anything online with Microsoft. Your entire product is obviously spyware, malware and ransomware admit it. New World Order Globalist Spooks.
A. User 5 Reputation points

2024-06-19T23:17:31.79+00:00

Actuallly it shouldnt say their files on OneDrive but their stolen files on OneDrive. FACT.
Chester Ayala 0 Reputation points

2024-07-25T16:42:01.1233333+00:00

It's funny they call it a backup, then OneDrive would suddenly delete all files in your local storage and turn them into shortcuts. lmao They have not considered that not all devices have 24/7 internet access. This is a major flaw of OneDrive. Not even your source code files are safe from it, and some of your programs won't work properly because the files they need are now shortcuts or in the cloud. It's the stupidest feature of OneDrive.
Elise 0 Reputation points

2024-12-02T22:29:36.9166667+00:00

Omg I thought it was just me!!!! I don't want to pay for back up when I already back up all my stuff anyways to a separate SSD, otherwise what is the point of me paying for a physical SSD in the first place if Microsoft just wants me to pay a subscription to them. Did you ever figure out a solution so you can just save your files locally to your PC and not have a Microsoft subscription?
Jacqueline Salluom 0 Reputation points

2025-01-15T23:59:07.1+00:00

I found the "Always keep on this device" option, but exactly where "on this device" do i find my files?
Tony Z 0 Reputation points

2025-01-31T17:28:54.7+00:00

For me, they still show in the OneDrive folder, but they have green checkmarks next to them, indicating they are saved on "this device".
Geoff Thompson 0 Reputation points

2025-02-28T21:44:41.18+00:00

And this is why OneDrive has such a bad name, and I actively tell people not to use it. It feels like entrapment, and Microsoft is doing themselves no favors by trying to trick people into paying for their cloud services.

I've just fallen into the same trap while trying to setup a new machine, and copying files over on to it. I thought I had unlinked the PC, started cleaning up onedrive files via the app, and have now just found my "Documents" folder is empty!

Not cool Micrsoft. Really not cool.

Update: There was a "shortcut to onedrive" link in my "Documents" folder, that opened another "virtual folder" that had all my documents in there. I moved them back to where they should be, but was not expecting it to work after having had uninstalled OneDrive. I haven't yet rebooted...
Geoff Thompson 0 Reputation points

2025-02-28T22:10:15.07+00:00

I have a "shortcut to OneDrive" link under my "Documents" folder. I didn't expect that to work, since I've rage-uninstalled OneDrive. However, it manages to open:

C:\Users\<username>\OneDrive\Documents which had all my original files in it.

It appears to be a real folder, and not some confusing virtualisation / redirection. I hope that path works for you.

Answer 1

I could rant about the annoying nature of this problem happening in the first place but that's been done enough. After lots of scrolling through the internet for answers I stumbled across a solution to my similar problem.

I too was very annoyed to discover when i wasn't able to connect to the internet that I was unable to access most of my files. Ridiculous that this could happent without a VERY clear warning .... but back to the solution.

This might not work for other people but when I was back online I was just looking at the One Drive folders... Pictures, Work etc and when i right clicked on a folder it had the option of "Always keep on this device" There was a transfer moment that didn't take too long, suggesting the files were always somewhere on my computer to begin with, and now there is a copy back on my hard drive.

Hope this fixes the problem for at least some people. If not, can't help you any more, just blind luck I found this out at all.

Tony Z 0 Reputation points

2025-01-31T17:24:22.1733333+00:00

Thank you. This is so simple, but impossible information to find. I don't know why, on all the threads complaining about this, that none of the special MS gurus seem to have this answer.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

The AI generated response is not true. I never synced up my Onedrive, I never configured settings for Onedrive other than to uninstall it from my device. Upon uninstalling the Onedrive folder remains. It is also the default directory for saving any file (again didnt configure that). When I delete the folder, all of the local files that I manually save on my local computer are no longer in their correct directories. I am unable to locate them at all, but as soon as I restore the Onedrive folder all of my files get restored too. Looking at my disk space nothing seems to change. I am about to switch to a Linux OS, Microsoft is just one headache after another with the products they force down our throats!

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Why is One Drive deleting files on my local computer and how can they be recovered?

3 answers

Your answer