Windows 11 comes with OneDrive installed by default, which allows you to access your cloud files easily within File Explorer. OneDrive also backs up some of your folders to the cloud by default, and you don't have the option to disable this during the initial setup process.

While file backups are a good thing, not having that degree of control isn't, especially when OneDrive doesn't do the best job of handling backups. So we're here to show you how to disable these backups if you don't like how they work.

Why disable OneDrive folder backups?

Backing up your important files doesn't sound like a bad thing, but OneDrive also automatically restores your files from the cloud on your computer so you can access them more easily. The problem is those files include icons on the desktop, which means that when you buy a new laptop and sign into your account, the desktop may look something like this:

Yes, that's a bunch of links that aren't leading to anything, because while the icons were backed up, the apps they were linking to aren't. Plus, if you have multiple computers or you reset your computer, these backed-up files stack up, with each one adding -Copy at the end of the file name. It's a mess.

Plus, with OneDrive having limited storage space, it doesn't always make sense for all your files to be automatically backed up to the cloud. It can eat up your storage with files you don't really want to backup, like random screenshots of memes. It's generally better to have control.

Disable folder backups in OneDrive

If you want to avoid all this mess and save your cloud space, here's how to disable folder backups in OneDrive:

1. Click the OneDrive icon on the taskbar

   You may need to click the arrow to open the overflow menu first.

2. Click the cog wheel icon at the top of the OneDrive panel and then choose Settings.
3. Choose the Sync and backup tab on the left side. If you have an older version of the OneDrive app, you'll need to switch to the Backup tab at the top and then click Manage backup.
4. Under each of the folders (Desktop, Pictures, and Documents), click Stop backup. If you have the new version of OneDrive, click the toggles next to each folder to set them to Off.

   The latest version of OneDrive also includes the Music and Videos folders as backup options, but backups are disabled by default for these two.

5. You may need to click Stop backup again to confirm your choice.
6. Close the window.

When you stop backing up your folders, any backed up files in them will disappear from the respective local folder. Instead, you can find them in the Desktop, Pictures, and Documents folders in your OneDrive storage. You can copy or move them back to the respective local folders if you need them. However, you don't need to, as these files remain available offline, even if they're in OneDrive.

Avoid desktop clutter and save space in the cloud

I always disable this feature as soon as I turn on my PC for the first time, and I recommend you do the same if you want to avoid any hassle. If you've been using your computer for a while and are only disabling the feature now, you'll have to fetch some of your files back from the respective OneDrive folder. Doing this from the start makes things a bit simpler.