OneDrive File Issues

How to Set Up OneDrive on a Secondary Drive Without Moving Existing Windows Folders

Phi Hung Vo Sep 29, 2026 869 views

Question details

Setting up OneDrive on a secondary drive without syncing or altering the default Windows user folders.

How to Set Up OneDrive Without Moving Existing Windows Folders

Product: Microsoft OneDrive
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Installing or re-linking OneDrive and selecting a custom directory on a secondary drive.
Observed behavior: Creating an isolated OneDrive folder and explicitly disabling the Windows folder backup feature during or after setup.

Before you start

If you are already signed into OneDrive on your computer, you must first unlink your PC from the OneDrive settings so you can restart the setup process and choose a new directory.

Solution 1Recommended

Create a Dedicated OneDrive Folder and Disable PC Backup

This is the safest approach to ensure OneDrive only syncs files you manually place into its folder, leaving your standard Windows folders untouched.

By default, OneDrive often attempts to back up your primary Windows folders (Desktop, Documents, Pictures) during setup. To prevent this, you need to isolate OneDrive in its own newly created folder and skip the backup step.

Create an empty folder

Open File Explorer, navigate to your secondary drive (e.g., the D: drive), and create a new empty folder named 'OneDrive' (e.g., D:\OneDrive).

Start OneDrive Setup

Launch the OneDrive application and sign in with your Microsoft account. When prompted with the default folder location, click 'Change location'.

Select the new folder

Browse to the newly created D:\OneDrive folder and select it. Do not select the root of the D: drive or any existing folders like Documents or Pictures.

Skip folder backup

When the setup wizard reaches the 'Back up your folders' screen, uncheck all options (Desktop, Documents, Pictures) or click 'Skip' to prevent them from moving to the OneDrive folder.

Verify backup settings

After the setup finishes, click the OneDrive icon in your system tray. Click the gear icon, select 'Settings', go to 'Sync and backup', and click 'Manage backup' to ensure all folder toggles are turned off.

Create a Dedicated OneDrive Folder and Disable PC Backup

Setup Complete: Only files you intentionally copy or save directly into the D:\OneDrive folder will now synchronize with your cloud storage.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I change my OneDrive folder location if it is already set up?

Click the OneDrive cloud icon in your taskbar, click the gear icon, and select 'Settings'. Navigate to the 'Account' tab and click 'Unlink this PC'. Sign in again, and when prompted for a location, click 'Change location' to select your preferred folder.

Why did OneDrive automatically move my Desktop and Documents folders?

This happens when the 'PC Folder Backup' feature is enabled during the initial OneDrive setup. To protect your files, OneDrive changes the default path of these folders to sit inside the OneDrive directory so they can continuously sync to the cloud.

How can I stop OneDrive from syncing my Documents without losing files?

Open OneDrive Settings, navigate to 'Sync and backup', and click 'Manage backup'. Toggle off the backup for Documents. Your files will stop syncing to the cloud, but they will remain in the local OneDrive folder. You must manually move them back to your original C:\Users\YourName\Documents folder.

Document & File Issues