OneDrive File Issues

How to Fix Randomly Created Foreign-Language Folders in OneDrive

Chanuka Geekiyanage Oct 12, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is experiencing an issue where OneDrive unexpectedly creates new folders or renames existing ones (like the Documents folder) using Chinese or other Asian-language characters.

How to Fix Randomly Created Foreign-Language Folders in OneDrive

Product: OneDrive
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Synchronizing local files and folders with Microsoft OneDrive cloud storage.
Observed behavior: Random folders with foreign-language names appear in the OneDrive directory, or standard folders are duplicated and renamed into other languages due to synchronization glitches.

Before you start

Before troubleshooting, log into OneDrive via your web browser to check if the foreign-language folders appear online. This helps determine whether the issue is localized to a specific device's cache or affecting your entire Microsoft account.

Solution 1Recommended

Clear OneDrive Cached Credentials

Removing your cached credentials forces OneDrive to re-authenticate and refresh its synchronization settings, clearing out the corrupted configurations causing the foreign-language folders.

This issue is frequently caused by a bug in how OneDrive caches your login and language preferences locally. Clearing the credential manager on Windows or the Keychain on Mac is the most reliable way to reset this behavior without losing your files.

Clear Credentials on Windows

Click the Start menu, type 'Credential Manager', and press Enter. Select 'Windows Credentials', scroll down to find any entries related to 'OneDrive', click on them, and select 'Remove'.

Clear Credentials on Mac

Open the Finder, navigate to Applications > Utilities, and launch 'Keychain Access'. Use the search bar to find 'OneDrive' and delete the associated credential entries.

Restart the OneDrive Application

Quit the OneDrive app completely from the system tray (Windows) or menu bar (Mac), then relaunch it from your applications list. Sign back in when prompted.

Data Safety: Clearing cached credentials only resets your login session and synchronization settings. It will not delete the actual documents stored in your OneDrive account.

Solution 2

Review Microsoft Account Language Settings

Verify that your Microsoft account's default language and region settings are correct, as corrupted online settings can push incorrect folder translations to your local device.

Solution 3

Reinstall OneDrive

If resetting credentials and language settings fails, reinstalling the OneDrive client can resolve deeply corrupted local installation files causing the sync errors.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my OneDrive Documents folder renamed to Chinese?

This is a known synchronization glitch where the default folder language preferences get corrupted in the credential cache. This causes the system to incorrectly translate standard system folders like 'Documents' into other languages, such as Chinese, during the sync process.

Will deleting these foreign-language folders delete my files?

Yes, if the folders are actively syncing with the cloud, deleting them locally might remove the contents across all your connected devices. It is highly recommended to move or back up the files to a local directory outside of OneDrive before deleting any unexpected duplicate folders.

Does changing my Windows region settings fix the OneDrive language issue?

While Windows region settings dictate local display languages, this specific OneDrive bug is usually tied to cached login credentials or Microsoft account online settings. Changing your Windows region might not resolve the issue, which is why clearing the credential manager is the most effective fix.

Document & File Issues