How to stop OneDrive syncing the documents folder

If you have ever tried to stop syncing the documents folder in OneDrive, you may find that it’s impossible as the file won’t stop syncing. If you find that OneDrive won’t stop syncing the documents folder, you can try the steps illustrated below to see if you can. The guide includes the solutions and explains why OneDrive won’t stop syncing the documents folder.

Below is a guide on stopping OneDrive from syncing the documents folder; as you can see, when I try to stop the sync of the documents folder in OneDrive, I can’t stop the sync this error shows. The error is related to the documents folder being an integral part of the Windows operating system. Therefore you will need to change folder locations to the cloud to stop the folder sync. Read through for information on stopping OneDrive from syncing the documents folder.

  • Firstly, open “File Explorer.”
  • Choose the correct OneDrive account.
  • Locate the documents folder and right-click on it.
  • In the panel, click on “Free up space.”
  • Now click on the OneDrive icon in the toolbar.
  • Click on “Settings.”
  • Click on “Settings” again.
  • In the settings panel, click on “Accounts.”
  • Click on “Choose folders.”
  • Now uncheck the “Documents” folder.
  • Finally, press “OK.”

Once the steps above have been completed, you will have successfully stopped OneDrive syncing the documents folder. OneDrive will unlatch the documents folder from the desktop and then allow you to stop syncing the documents folder. You must ensure that all the steps illustrated above are followed; otherwise, you may receive the error message again; if you find that the error message still shows when you try to stop the sync of the documents folder, then it may still be on the device. So therefore, you need to make sure you go through the steps properly to ensure the process works and that OneDrive syncing the documents folder is stopped.

In-depth step by step guide [with screenshots] – How to stop OneDrive syncing the documents folder

Here is a more in-depth guide on stopping OneDrive from syncing the documents folder; this guide includes a series of screenshots and an in-depth explanation of the more complicated steps to allow you to understand the process better if you are stuck with the steps. The illustrated screenshots provide visual context on steps allowing you to properly understand what the steps are referring to.

  • Firstly, open “File Explorer.”

File Explorer is located in the windows desktop application section; this is where all your files and folders can be accessed, including those synced with OneDrive. You will need File Explorer to access OneDrive and proceed with the steps ahead. 

  • Choose the correct OneDrive account.

If you have a single one drive account, you simply need to open that one drive folder and proceed with the steps. However, if you have multiple accounts click on the OneDrive account that applies to the process being illustrated above. 

  • Locate the documents folder and right-click on it.

Within that OneDrive folder you have just opened up, you can now select a series of options in terms of files and folders available. You need to click on the file that says the document; once you have opened the file that says the document, you’ll be able to proceed with the steps illustrated ahead. 

  • In the panel, click on “Free up space.”
  • Now click on the OneDrive icon in the toolbar.

OneDrive has a small desktop application icon in the toolbar, which allows you to access app features and settings related to your account and the program itself. As you can see in this example, the icon is available for us to access the settings feature, so we just need to click on the button and proceed with the steps ahead. 

  • Click on “Settings.”
  • Click on “Settings” again.
  • In the settings panel, click on “Accounts.”

Once you click on settings, a new panel will open; this panel is your Microsoft OneDrive program management section. You can access various features such as your account settings and general settings and even back up your OneDrive account. In this section, we need to access the account section, which is where all your OneDrive accounts are managed; from here, you can manage content such as the storage; you can unlink the account from your PC or even set sync settings for each folder which is what we require.

  • Click on “Choose folders.”
  • Now uncheck the “Documents” folder.
  • Finally, press “OK.”

You’ve successfully stopped OneDrive from synchronizing the documents folder after following the instructions above. OneDrive will unlatch the documents folder from the desktop, allowing you to turn off the syncing of the documents folder. If the problem message appears again when you try to stop the sync of the documents folder, make sure you follow all of the procedures outlined above. If the error message appears again when you try to stop the sync of the documents folder, it may still be on the device. As a result, follow the steps carefully to ensure that the process works and that OneDrive syncing the documents folder is disabled.

Why may you want to stop OneDrive from syncing the documents folder?

Find that the document folder no longer serves a purpose for your company-based activities. You can simply use the method above to stop the folder and what this will do is prevent any unnecessary file syncs. 

There may also be contents in the documents folder that you no longer want sync enabled for; in this situation, you can use the method above; it helps stop syncing the documents folder, preventing any unnecessary cloud data logs via OneDrive.

Conclusion

That concludes the blog; I hope the solution above has given you the answers to help you stop the document folder from being synced. The solution above will allow you to stop document sync; however, as stated before, you must follow all the steps illustrated above to prevent the document folder from being synced. If you find that the solution illustrated above is not helping to resolve the issue, simply drop a comment below, and we will address the issue as soon as possible. 

Saajid Gangat

Saajid Gangat has been a researcher and content writer at Business Tech Planet since 2021. Saajid is a tech-savvy writer with expertise in web and graphic design and has extensive knowledge of Microsoft 365, Adobe, Shopify, WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, and more! You can connect with Saajid on Linkedin.

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