Solved MS Account - Icons problem Desktop PC with large Monitor Vs laptop

I have a couple of PC's and a new laptop. I like the concept of the MS account to keep the desktop PC and Laptops in sync for files etc., BUT ........
I don't need or want every icon on my desktop on my laptop. Even at minimum size, there are simply too many icons vs. space.

If I delete icons on my Laptop, they disappear from my Desktop PC as well, I just want to hide them from my laptop screen.

Surely, I'm not the only one with this need?

My only other solution would be to use another identity - but then I lose the sync feature.

Can anyone help please.

You want it to sync but also don;t want it to sync.
My suggestion is to create desktop folders by subjects and move the icons related to the subject to the folders.
You can reduce the number of icons on the desktop without losing the icons.

britgeezer said:

I have a couple of PC's and a new laptop. I like the concept of the MS account to keep the desktop PC and Laptops in sync for files etc., BUT ........
I don't need or want every icon on my desktop on my laptop. Even at minimum size, there are simply too many icons vs. space.

If I delete icons on my Laptop, they disappear from my Desktop PC as well, I just want to hide them from my laptop screen.

Surely, I'm not the only one with this need?

My only other solution would be to use another identity - but then I lose the sync feature.

Can anyone help please.

Click to expand...

Would using multiple desktops work? See the link below.


Just a suggestion.

britgeezer said:

I have a couple of PC's and a new laptop. I like the concept of the MS account to keep the desktop PC and Laptops in sync for files etc., BUT ........
I don't need or want every icon on my desktop on my laptop. Even at minimum size, there are simply too many icons vs. space.

If I delete icons on my Laptop, they disappear from my Desktop PC as well, I just want to hide them from my laptop screen.

Surely, I'm not the only one with this need?

My only other solution would be to use another identity - but then I lose the sync feature.

Can anyone help please.

Click to expand...

You can't have it both ways - it's either sync or no sync.

If your aim is simply to make files available on all devices, dump the sync, and upload the files to a file sharing option like cloud storage.

You have to scroll down a little. How to Stop OneDrive from Syncing Everything on Desktop (8 Ways)

As pointed out, your issue is entirely caused by your Onedrive settings AND where you have your personal folders stored.

I'm the odd man out (oops I mean gal) here on the forum who goes off on a rant regularly about the pitfalls of Onedrive. IMO Onedrive is a menace in the way it infects every corner of the user experience. And yes, I consider it an infection because many less experienced users do not have any idea all their user folders reside in onedrive rather than on their computer due to one tiny inconspicuous missed checkbox during OOBE. Those that discover it (most never do) have to jump through hoops to get their files back on their hard drive.

(For anyone reading this, you can see where your files are located by right clicking on either your documents, desktop, or pictures folder, select properties, then location tab. If the file path has the word 'onedrive' in it, your files are NOT on your hard drive)

IMO, onedrive is a trap for unsuspecting users whose needs, situations, and choices vary. We don't all have super-speed, unlimited internet access and large amounts of cloud storage. Some have internet service that they can't always depend on being up 100% of the time. What's more, some of us just plain and simple don't want to use it.

The sharing option I use is a usb NAS drive attached to my router usb port.(You can also use an ethernet connected NAS drive for this purpose) This usb drive also acts as my Plex media server. What I like best about it, is all the different devices in the house (Apple, Android, FireTV, and Windows) can easily access this drive. Until I recently got my new router that has a usb port, I used the drive in one computer for all my data and shared the entire drive with all other computers. That worked OK, but it's drawback was the serving PC had to always be on, which was sometimes a pain. If, at any time, I choose to go back to this method, the drive with my data intact can easily be moved.

Having all my data in one place makes data backup a lot simpler as well. I do have to temporarily connect the drive directly to the computer sitting beside the router it to do this , but that's no biggie.

britgeezer said:

I have a couple of PC's and a new laptop. I like the concept of the MS account to keep the desktop PC and Laptops in sync for files etc., BUT ........
I don't need or want every icon on my desktop on my laptop. Even at minimum size, there are simply too many icons vs. space.

If I delete icons on my Laptop, they disappear from my Desktop PC as well, I just want to hide them from my laptop screen.

Surely, I'm not the only one with this need?

My only other solution would be to use another identity - but then I lose the sync feature.

Can anyone help please.

Click to expand...

As someone mentioned... I think your best solution is to limit the amount of icons to whatever is acceptable for the laptop screen. In other words, instead of trying to change OneDrive to suit your icons... change your icons to suit OneDrive.

Maybe... pin more to the Start Menu and Taskbar? Put some in folders, etc.
Another option might be to come up with a substitute for OneDrive... like some kind of networking that allows you to pick which icons to share or not share.

Winuser
Wow, thanks so much.
Before I proceed, do you have any idea which PC I do this to?
I assume it's my desktop, but since all the icons and folders are already replicated on my laptop, I wanted to check.
The last thing I want is to lose the icons from the desktop.

I suppose I have to do the same to the Laptop to stop new icons copying to the desktop?

glasskuter said:

IMO, onedrive is a trap for unsuspecting users whose needs, situations, and choices vary. We don't all have super-speed, unlimited internet access and large amounts of cloud storage. Some have internet service that they can't always depend on being up 100% of the time. What's more, some of us just plain and simple don't want to use it.

Click to expand...

I hear you; I'm not convinced that one drive is a panacea for all things, but it does have some uses.
My desktop is a nice self-build with a large monitor - good for my old eyes. I'm retired but a trustee for an organization and use my laptop for emails from to that organization and files / reports that I work - Office 365.
I got around the one-drive issue by using a different email for an older LT, but now I have a new one and wanted to have any email or file I create available on either device.

If the solution from Winuser works that will be great.

britgeezer said:

If the solution from Winuser works that will be great.

Click to expand...

The relevant part of that article he linked is titled:

Manage OneDrive Backup Folders​

But you can just refer to this:

hdmi said:

The relevant part of that article he linked is titled:

Manage OneDrive Backup Folders​

But you can just refer to this:

Click to expand...

I took a quick look at your link, apologies if I missed the important part.
To clarify, I want to turn off sync of the icons of the "desktop" but want to keep sync of the emails and Office 365 files that I create.
Is that in the links you sent?

britgeezer said:

I took a quick look at your link, apologies if I missed the important part.
To clarify, I want to turn off sync of the icons of the "desktop" but want to keep sync of the emails and Office 365 files that I create.
Is that in the links you sent?

Click to expand...

It's the link from Brink, the guy who is addicted to making the greatest bestest Windows tutorials in the galaxy (and beyond).