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How do I get my files back from One Drive,then delete One Drive. I did not sync etc. my settings or accounts.

TMS 0 Reputation points
2025-08-29T14:46:29.4333333+00:00

How do I get my files back from One Drive,then delete One Drive. I did not sync etc. my settings or accounts.
I have a upgraded - Windows 10 on my (now old) dell desktop.
Not tech savvy,but don't like that I woke up a few days ago and my personal photos/photo copies of records were in a darn so-called cloud.
I am a ole' soul with a landline telephone and settings that I thought were locked down on my PC.
I hope someone can help me get back my personal papers,all of them. My brother was killed in a horrific wreck years ago,I copied papers from his military files and more personal information about him. My goal : Was to just get his flag,I have my grandfathers,fathers and was working on my brothers records to get his. I had to do alot of DD 149's and DD 214's to upgrade/update records for his honorable discharge. I have been doing this since he passed,as we were working on it together at that time. We did not have birth records to even prove we were kin,due to being raised away from our parents,needless to say I'm pretty heart broken about this. This stuff was on my hard drive only and personal for a reason,now here I am in limbo,trying to get my information back to me and me alone.
If anyone can help me,please do,I have contacted,emailed the companies etc. and ask them to remove or delete all my files from their applications. That did not happen and I feel like I failed my brother and others.Sorry for such a long post,but am pretty stressed about all this due to it being my job to protect the VA admins.,lawyers,military,governers office etc. that were all helping me with this situation. 28 long years of all the back and forth,telphone calls,records got,then sent to and from all those who have helped along the way. I'm now "stuck in the mud" as they say,I will not let any more info. be put in a place that I do not trust. It is not personal with the apps. and such,it is personal when it comes to my families privacy and what we have been through.
Thanks for hearing me if you read this. I beg of you all not to ask me for money to solve this,or ask me to download some app. cleaner etc. that may work. It was a app. downloaded/synced etc. that was not done by me,that got me to the panic room here today. I tried to find a answer for 4 days and 3 nights now,can't sleep due to the feeling of being violated by apps., automatic downlods and a screen.
Thank you,stay safe and be careful with what you share. I have shared to much right now,but I had no other choice.
TS

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Security and privacy
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  1. EmilyS726 151.9K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-08-29T15:39:13.47+00:00

    Hello,

    In order for us to sort all of these out, it is necessary (just for now) to get OneDrive desktop app back up and running.

    To do so, go to your Start menu and see if you already have the OneDrive app installed. If so, go ahead and run it, sign in. If you don't have it installed, you will need to download it, install it back and then set it up. You can download it from here: https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/onedrive/download

    Once you have the OneDrive app up and running again, please follow these steps closely:

    1. Right click on the OneDrive cloud icon on the lower right on your taskbar to go to Settings.
    2. On the "Sync and Backup" tab, click on "Advanced Settings" to expand that section. Then under File On-Demand, click on "Download all files".
    3. Give it plenty of time to allow the files to be downloaded from the online cloud. On your computer's file explorer, you can observe the OneDrive folder and its folders/files inside. You want all of the green checkmark icon to turn solid green with a white checkmark. Depends on how many files you have, this process can take a while, so please be patient.
    4. Once all of the folders and files turn into the solid green icon with white checkmark, you can go back to OneDrive Settings. Very important - click on "Manage Backup" button, then turn off all folders listed there.
    5. After you turn off the folders sync in Step 4, now go to Account tab, click on "Unlink this PC"
    6. Go to your Windows Settings > Apps, find OneDrive and uninstall it.
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  2. Airbus A350 5,575 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2025-08-29T16:02:55.05+00:00

    Hello,

    Are your files and folders still in your documents folder, and everywhere else you stored them?

    If so, you can just locate the blue or white cloud in the right corner of your taskbar and then right-click it. This will open a menu that houses OneDrive. Select "Settings" and then this will open a new window. Push "Account" in the menu to the left, and then "Unlink this PC".

    This will disconnect OneDrive from your PC and will keep a local copy of the files still on your PC, which means that as long as your files weren't online-only (as in they are not downloaded to your device yet, you have to manually go in and double click them to be able to access them), you will have the latest version to keep.

    If your files are not located there, go to https://onedrive.live.com and then sign into your Microsoft account. Once you do that, go to the Recycle Bin in the menu on the left, and then restore any items, and then follow the steps above to unlink OneDrive.

    If you need anything clarified, please tell me, and I'd be glad to help :)

    Hope this helps.

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