Solved No Pictures folder in Users - but OneDrive, despite uninstalled

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How to Properly Remove OneDrive from Windows 11

When you sign in with a Microsoft account, Windows automatically sets Documents, Desktop, Pictures, and Videos folders to use OneDrive as their default storage location. If you don’t want to use OneDrive, you’ll need to carefully follow the steps below. Skipping or rearranging them can cause issues with your files and folders.

Important:
These instructions assume that OneDrive is still installed on your PC.
If you’ve already uninstalled it, for this procedure to work, you will need to first reinstall OneDrive by downloading it from Microsoft’s official site.

• Restart your PC, sign in to OneDrive, and then continue with the tutorial.

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Step 1: Turn Off OneDrive Folder Backup Syncing
First, you need to stop OneDrive from automatically syncing your Desktop, Documents, Pictures, and Videos folders. This guide will also help you get your files back on to your local drive.
Turn On or Off OneDrive Folder Backup Syncing in Windows 11

Only If the folders don’t automatically return to their default local location under C:\Users|YourUserName in step 1:

Use the tutorials below (Option Three) to manually restore the default location of each folder and move your files from Onedrive into it.
Move or Restore Default Location of Desktop Folder in Windows 11
Move or Restore Default Location of Documents Folder in Windows 11
Move or Restore Default Location of Pictures Folder in Windows 11
Move or Restore Default Location of Videos Folder in Windows 11 |
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Step 2: Unlink Account & PC from OneDrive

After syncing is turned off, disconnect your account and computer from OneDrive:
Unlink account & PC from Onedrive.

Once you do this the files you have in onedrive will remain there until you login to Onedrive on the Web and delete them.
Microsoft OneDrive
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Step 3: Prevent OneDrive from Starting Automatically or Uninstall Onedrive

At this point, you can either disable OneDrive from autostart or uninstall it.

NOTE: Office 365 and Ofc 2019-2024 DEFAULT save location is Onedrive. You will have to go into each Office app and change its default save location to a folder on your computer.
ALSO NOTE: : Autosave will no longer works unless files are saved to Onedrive by default.

To disable Onedrive from auto-starting(recommended):

Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc).

Go to the Startup Apps tab.

Find OneDrive, right-click it, and select Disable.

This prevents OneDrive from launching at startup and survives Windows and Office updates.

To Uninstall OneDrive (Optional)
Note: An Office update may reinstall Onedrive at some point.
If you prefer to completely remove OneDrive, use one of these methods:

Method 1 – Using Revo Uninstaller (recommended):
Download Revo Uninstaller Freeware Portable.

• Open Revo and look under Windows Apps to find OneDrive.
• Uninstall it using Revo, then run its scan feature. Check all the leftover files and registry entries Revo finds and remove.

Method 2 – Built-in Windows option:
You can also uninstall OneDrive through Windows settings, but this may leave some registry entries behind. Uninstall and Reinstall OneDrive in Windows 11
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Following this sequence ensures your files are safe and your folders return to their proper locations, while OneDrive is disabled or completely removed from your system. Note: Whether this will work as written for you depends on what steps were taken in your prior attempts to get rid of Onedrive. Sometimes a user’s incorrect actions can have unwanted results. Nevertheless, your files should still be in Onedrive so they are not lost.

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