OneDrive File Issues

How to Move Documents and Pictures from OneDrive to Local Folders

Phi Hung Vo Sep 28, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user wants to stop files from synchronizing with OneDrive and needs to keep their Documents and Pictures permanently on their local hard drive.

How to Move Documents and Pictures from OneDrive Back to Local Folders

Product: Microsoft OneDrive
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Reverting folder paths to the local drive after disabling OneDrive PC folder backup.
Observed behavior: Even after folder backup is disabled, the system's Documents and Pictures folders still point to the OneDrive directory, and attempts to redirect them are sometimes met with access denied errors.

Before you start

Ensure you are logged into your Windows computer with an administrator account to avoid 'Access Denied' errors when modifying system folder locations.

Solution 1Recommended

Manually Move Files to Local Folders

Turn off OneDrive's folder backup feature and manually cut and paste your files outside the OneDrive directory to stop synchronization.

OneDrive continues to sync any files located inside its designated directory as long as the application is installed. To keep files strictly on your local hard drive, you must physically move them to a local path outside of the OneDrive folder.

Turn Off Folder Backup

Open OneDrive Settings from your system tray, navigate to the 'Sync and back up' tab, click 'Manage back up', and toggle off the backup for both the Documents and Pictures folders.

Navigate to the OneDrive Folder

Open File Explorer and go to C:\Users\username\OneDrive\Documents (replace 'username' with your actual Windows username).

Cut the Files

Select all the files and folders within this directory, right-click, and select 'Cut' (or press Ctrl + X).

Paste into the Local Folder

Navigate to your local Documents folder at C:\Users\username\Documents, right-click inside the empty folder, and select 'Paste' (or press Ctrl + V).

Repeat for Pictures

Perform the exact same cut-and-paste process for your C:\Users\username\OneDrive\Pictures folder, moving its contents to C:\Users\username\Pictures.

Cloud Deletion Warning: When you move files out of the OneDrive folder, they will be deleted from your OneDrive cloud storage to free up space, but they will remain safely on your local computer.

Solution 2

Restore Default Folder Location via Properties

If standard copy-pasting doesn't fix the library paths or returns access denied errors, force Windows to restore the default local folder locations.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Pictures folder keep returning to OneDrive after I move it?

This usually happens if OneDrive's folder backup feature is still active. Ensure you have properly disabled the backup for the Pictures folder in the OneDrive 'Sync and back up' settings before attempting to redirect or move the folder.

Will moving files out of the OneDrive folder delete them permanently?

No. Moving files from the OneDrive directory to a local-only folder will remove them from your cloud storage, but the files themselves will remain safely on your computer's local hard drive.

How do I fix the 'Access Denied' error when restoring default folder locations?

The 'Access Denied' error often occurs due to insufficient permissions or if OneDrive is actively locking the files. Ensure you are logged into a Windows Administrator account, pause OneDrive syncing temporarily, and try restoring the default location again.

Document & File Issues