OneDrive File Issues

Fix Cut and Paste Creating Duplicate Folders with Laptop Name in Windows

Maira Mehtab Sep 28, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users experience an issue where attempting to cut and paste a folder results in a duplicate folder being created, which has the laptop's name appended to it, rather than the original folder being moved.

Product: Windows / OneDrive
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Reorganizing files and directories by cutting and pasting folders within a Windows environment synced with OneDrive.
Observed behavior: Instead of successfully moving the folder, Windows creates a duplicate version of the folder with the computer or laptop name attached to the folder name.

Before you start

Before proceeding with credential changes, copy any important files from the affected folders to a completely separate, non-synced local directory to prevent accidental data loss.

Solution 1Recommended

Clear Cached Microsoft Credentials

Removing outdated or conflicting Microsoft account credentials from Windows can resolve the OneDrive synchronization conflicts causing the duplicate folders.

Often, Windows caches older login tokens that conflict with OneDrive's current authentication state. When a cut and paste operation is initiated, this conflict causes OneDrive to panic and create a separate copy with the device name to avoid data loss.

Open Credential Manager

Click the Start menu, type 'Credential Manager' into the search bar, and press Enter to open the utility.

Access Windows Credentials

In the Credential Manager window, click on the 'Windows Credentials' tab located on the right side.

Remove Microsoft Account Entries

Scroll down to the 'Generic Credentials' section. Find any entries starting with 'OneDrive Cached Credential' or associated with your Microsoft account, click the down arrow to expand them, and click 'Remove'.

Restart OneDrive

Close the Credential Manager, exit the OneDrive application from your system tray, and reopen it from the Start menu. Try cutting and pasting the folder again.

Authentication Restored: You may be prompted to sign into OneDrive again. Doing so will establish a fresh, error-free connection.

Solution 2

Reset or Reinstall OneDrive

If clearing credentials does not resolve the duplication issue, resetting the OneDrive sync client can fix underlying software glitches.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does OneDrive append my laptop's name to a duplicated folder?

OneDrive appends the device name when it detects a synchronization conflict. If it cannot verify the movement of a folder due to credential errors or if a folder is modified simultaneously on two devices, it creates a second copy with the device name to ensure no data is lost.

Will removing generic credentials delete my locally saved files?

No. Removing cached generic credentials in the Credential Manager only deletes the stored login tokens. Your local files, folders, and documents stored in the cloud will remain completely intact.

Does this cut and paste issue only happen with folders?

While it is most commonly reported with entire folders during bulk moves, this synchronization conflict can also occur with individual files if OneDrive struggles to authenticate the move operation properly.

How do I know if my OneDrive has successfully reset?

When you run the reset command, the OneDrive cloud icon in the bottom-right system tray will vanish. Once the reset is complete, the icon will reappear and begin saying 'Processing changes' as it re-scans your directories.

Document & File Issues