Install on laptop - how to avoid sync with Windows 10 apps on desktop PC?


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tfwul

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OS
Windows 11 Pro x64
Installed Windows 11 from USB (media creation tool) onto my laptop, formatted C-drive.
All goes well.
However, at the very end it seems Windows 11 tries to sync with the desktop apps: I get a bunch of 'empty white' icons.
Even the existing icon of Microsoft Edge is renamed to 'Microsoft Edge (Copy)'

Obviously I can delete all that, but how to avoid this in the first place?

I only want OneDrive to sync.

Thanks.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Pro x64Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, S185132GB (DDR5-5600)Asus GeForce RTX 5060 Ti, 8GB, Dual OC
OS
Windows 11 Pro x64
Computer type
PC/Desktop
CPU
Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, S1851
Motherboard
Asus ProArt Z890 Creator WiFi
Memory
32GB (DDR5-5600)
Graphics Card(s)
Asus GeForce RTX 5060 Ti, 8GB, Dual OC
Monitor(s) Displays
Asus ProArt OLED PA32UCDM
Screen Resolution
3840 x 2160
Hard Drives
1x Samsung 9100 Pro 1TB, PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2, 2x Samsung 9100 Pro 4TB, PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2
PSU
Corsair RM850e (2025)
Case
Corsair 5000T
Cooling
be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5, 4x Noctua NF-A14x25 G2 LS-PWM (140mm)
Keyboard
Das Keyboard 4 Pro
Mouse
Logitech MX Master 4
Internet Speed
1Gbps
Browser
Microsoft Edge (Default)
Antivirus
Windows Security/Microsoft Defender
tfwul said:
.... it seems Windows 11 tries to sync with the desktop apps: I get a bunch of 'empty white' icons. ... I only want OneDrive to sync.
Click to expand...

Welcome to Eleven Forum.

Open Settings and go to Accounts > Windows Backup. You can choose what to sync there. Mine is greyed out because I'm not using a Microsoft account.

1650798463786.png
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two Other systems

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 HomeAMD Athlon Silver 3050U8GBRadeon Graphics
    OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23-R9VY
    CPU
    AMD Athlon Silver 3050U
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768 native resolution, up to 2560x1440 with Radeon Virtual Super Resolution
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung EVO 870 SSD (from April 2026: 250GB EVO 850)
    Internet Speed
    150 Mbps
    Browser
    Edge, Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October 2021 it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update, 24H2 on 3rd October 2024 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 24H2, and 25H2 on 30th September 2025 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 25H2.

    UPDATE - 11 April 2026: due to mechanical deterioration this PC has been retired from active duty. The OS with all software and files has been migrated to my System Seven in 'Other systems' to carry on as my general purpose 'main machine'.

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 ProIntel® Core™ i5-520M8GB(integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Latitude E4310
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i5-520M
    Motherboard
    0T6M8G
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    (integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500GB Crucial MX500 SSD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround.

    In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround.
    Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package.
    In-place upgrade to 24H2 using hybrid 23H2/24H2 install media.
    Upgraded to 25H2 by Enablement Package.

    Also running Insider Dev, and Canary builds and Windows 10 as native boot .vhdx.
  • My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro.

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 1TB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds (and a few others) as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM SIX is a Dell Latitude 5550, Core Ultra 7 165H, 64GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, supported device, Windows 11 Pro 24H2, Hyper-V host machine. Updated to 25H2 on 30th September 2025.

    My SYSTEM SEVEN is a Lenovo Thinkpad T580, Intel Core i7-8650U, 16GB RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD + 2nd 512GB NVMe SSD, a supported device for Windows 11. This is my current general purpose 'main machine'. The installed Windows 11 Home from my System One has been migrated to this machine.
Thanks. Frankly, I wished I did nót install Windows 11 on my laptop. I believe there has not been a kind of warning that it will affect Windows 10 setup. After booting my Windows 10 desktop PC, 20 (!) of the 42 desktop icons are gone. Will post a separate thread on that.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Pro x64Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, S185132GB (DDR5-5600)Asus GeForce RTX 5060 Ti, 8GB, Dual OC
OS
Windows 11 Pro x64
Computer type
PC/Desktop
CPU
Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, S1851
Motherboard
Asus ProArt Z890 Creator WiFi
Memory
32GB (DDR5-5600)
Graphics Card(s)
Asus GeForce RTX 5060 Ti, 8GB, Dual OC
Monitor(s) Displays
Asus ProArt OLED PA32UCDM
Screen Resolution
3840 x 2160
Hard Drives
1x Samsung 9100 Pro 1TB, PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2, 2x Samsung 9100 Pro 4TB, PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2
PSU
Corsair RM850e (2025)
Case
Corsair 5000T
Cooling
be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5, 4x Noctua NF-A14x25 G2 LS-PWM (140mm)
Keyboard
Das Keyboard 4 Pro
Mouse
Logitech MX Master 4
Internet Speed
1Gbps
Browser
Microsoft Edge (Default)
Antivirus
Windows Security/Microsoft Defender
I think you will find that it's a One drive issue not W11.
One drive will replicate your "desktop" icons and if you delete them from your laptop, it will also delete them from the "desktop" of your PC.
I found that out the Hardway.
If you look at the thread, I have created about removing icons from my laptop you will see potential ways to avoid this problem. I had no orphan or
blank icons,Screenshot 2023-01-22 103523.jpg
but I'm pure W11 Pro.
I'm about to try removing desktop from PC and laptop.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 25H2 OS Build 26200.8117Intel Core Ultra 7-265K32GB Corsair Vengeance DDR5 PC6400Intel ARC B580
    OS
    Windows 11 25H2 OS Build 26200.8117
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Self Build
    CPU
    Intel Core Ultra 7-265K
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte Aorus Elite WiFi7 ICE Z890
    Memory
    32GB Corsair Vengeance DDR5 PC6400
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel ARC B580
    Sound Card
    On board
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG
    Hard Drives
    1+2GB NVME, 2GB SSD x 2
    PSU
    MSI 650W
    Case
    Fractal Design 7 Solid
    Cooling
    Air
    Keyboard
    Logitech MX key S
    Mouse
    Logitech MX keyS
    Internet Speed
    1GB
    Browser
    Edge and Chrome
    Other Info
    Also have two Dell LT's using W11 Pro and 25H2

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 24H2 OS Build 26100.2705AMD Ryzen 5600G32 GB Corsair VengeanceIntegrated
    Operating System
    Windows 11 24H2 OS Build 26100.2705
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    self build
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 5600G
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte Aorus B550
    Memory
    32 GB Corsair Vengeance
    Graphics card(s)
    Integrated
    Sound Card
    onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    TV/ Monitor
    Hard Drives
    Crucial 500GB NVME
    2x 12TB Seagate spinners.
    2 x 8TB WD spinner
    PSU
    650W
    Case
    Micro ATX box
    Cooling
    Air
    Internet Speed
    1GB
    Browser
    Edge and Chrome
    Antivirus
    Malwarebytes
    Other Info
    Its my Server / occasional user.
    The 12TB drives use Stablebit Drivepool :)
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