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Urgent Concern About OneDrive Automatic Upload & Missing Files

Alex Morales 0 Reputation points
2025-11-29T07:02:59.46+00:00

Hello Microsoft Support,

I’m reaching out because I’m seriously worried about something that happened with my files and OneDrive, and I really need help understanding what went wrong.

About a week ago, I bought a new laptop (an HP from 2021 running Windows 11 Pro). I signed in and set it up like I normally do. I used it for about a week or two without any issues,until one day I noticed I suddenly had twice as many files in my File Explorer. When I looked closer, I realized they were duplicates of the files I had originally stored on my laptop.

What confused and worried me is that I never manually uploaded anything to OneDrive, yet the files appeared to have been synced to the cloud automatically. I didn’t realize this was happening in the background. When I attempted to delete the cloud copies from OneDrive, it also deleted the original files stored on my computer. This really scared me because those files are extremely important.

Thankfully, I eventually found the restore option on OneDrive and was able to get the files back, but everything came back extremely disorganized. They were placed inside multiple subfolders, completely different from my original structure. Even worse, some of my normal Windows folders like Desktop, Documents, and Pictures disappeared or were replaced with the cloud versions.

Is OneDrive allowed to do that when files are deleted from the cloud? It felt like deleting something on the cloud deleted it everywhere, including my actual PC,without warning.

Right now, I’m dealing with thousands of files scattered across messy subfolders, and my File Explorer layout is almost unusable from how disorganized everything became. I’m really scared that I may have permanently lost important files because of this syncing/restoring situation.

Should I be worried, and what steps should I take to fix this? I’m honestly just confused because this all started right after signing in to my Microsoft account during the initial setup of the laptop. I didn’t knowingly choose to sync my folders to OneDrive.

I would really appreciate any guidance or help. I’m just trying to make sure my important files are safe and that this doesn’t happen again.

Thank you for your time.

Moved from: Microsoft Security | Active Directory Federation Services

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | Other | Windows
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  1. Q&A Assist
    2025-11-29T07:03:14.54+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

    It sounds like you've encountered some common issues with OneDrive's syncing behavior, especially regarding automatic uploads and file management. Here are some key points to help you understand what might have happened and how to address your concerns:

    1. Automatic Syncing: When you set up OneDrive and sign in with your Microsoft account, it may automatically sync certain folders like Desktop, Documents, and Pictures. This is designed to keep your files backed up and accessible from different devices. However, this can lead to confusion if you're not aware that syncing is happening.
    2. File Deletion Behavior: OneDrive operates on a model where deleting a file in the cloud can also delete it from your local device if the files are synced. This means that if you delete a file from OneDrive, it will also remove it from your computer, which can be alarming if you're not expecting it. It's important to be cautious when managing files in OneDrive to avoid accidental deletions.
    3. Restoration Process: When you restored your files from OneDrive, they may not have returned to their original structure because the restoration process can sometimes place files into different folders or create duplicates. This can lead to a disorganized file structure, as you've experienced.
    4. Steps to Take:
      • Review Sync Settings: Check your OneDrive settings to see which folders are being synced. You can choose to stop syncing certain folders if you prefer to manage them manually.
      • Organize Restored Files: Spend some time reorganizing your files back into your desired structure. You might consider creating a backup of your important files before making significant changes.
      • Utilize OneDrive Features: Familiarize yourself with OneDrive features such as version history and file recovery options to help manage your files better in the future.
      • Consider Local Backup: If your files are extremely important, consider maintaining a local backup on an external drive in addition to using OneDrive.
    5. Future Precautions: To prevent similar issues in the future, ensure that you understand the implications of syncing with OneDrive and consider adjusting your settings to suit your needs better.

    If you continue to have concerns or if the issues persist, reaching out to Microsoft Support for more personalized assistance might be beneficial.

    References:

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