Windows 10: How can I stop Windows from default saving files to OneDrive/Documents?

I do not want to get rid of OneDrive, I simply want to control where my files go. Whenever I can't find a file, it is always in OneDrive/Documents folder. I simply want them to go to This PC/Documents folder. Can I do that?

:)

 

No authority to save files to Documents, OneDrive


I initially posted about this problem a few days ago to a thread that seemed to be addressing a similar problem, but the OP decided to stop pursuing active solutions so the advice dried up.

I am running Win10 build 10240 and ever since build 10166 I have lost authority to save files to Documents. My workaround was to rely on OneDrive, but now I've lost the ability to access OneDrive. So now I'm saving to Desktop and then manually transferring files to Documents through Windows Explorer. I am concerned that my problem has not yet hit bottom and I really ought to fix it. I'd conduct a clean install of Win10, but Microsoft does not appear to have released an ISO of 10240 for Windows Insider users, making that solution a bit tough at the moment.

The new problem with OneDrive is that any time I try to access OneDrive, it opens up the "Welcome to OneDrive" setup wizard. I then provide my *.live login with strong password, then enter the texted double-authentication code sent to my phone. The wizard then warns me that I already have files in the default OneDrive directory, so I tell it to merge the new with the old. Then, when I try to access OneDrive, I get the following error message:





...and I'm back to where I started. It opens the setup wizard instead of opening any of the directories within my OneDrive.

Suggestions? Is there a DL-able ISO for 10240 (Home version)?

What I have tried so far:
Assuming that the problem is a corrupted user profile, I created two alternate profiles and followed Microsoft's directions for Windows 8.1 as far as recovering a corrupted profile. But that process failed because even with the new profiles I was denied permission to access Documents.

 

Utilities that I run can no longer automatically save files to my OneDrive

Hi Alan,

Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.

To set OneDrive as your default location to save your documents and files, follow the below steps.

1. Click on the OneDrive icon from the Taskbar area > Click on the menu button (three-dots) on the top-right corner > Click on
   Settings > Go to the Auto Save tab.
2. Using the drop-down menu, select OneDrive for
   Desktop, Documents, and Pictures and click on
   OK.
3. Once you complete the above steps, restart the computer once and try saving the files generated from utilities and check if it is saving in
   C:\Users\myname\OneDrive\Documents folder.

If you are still facing the same issue, then I suggest you to contact OneDrive support for further assistance on this issue by following the below steps.

• Login to
  https://onedrive.com/.
  
• Click the ? Help icon on the top banner of the page.
  
• Select Email OneDrive support for the further assistance.
  

 

How can I stop Windows from default saving files to OneDrive/Documents?

OMG, this is so easy:

Let's start with Microsoft Office files. Open any Office app - let's say Word. Go to:

File > Options > Save > Save to Computer by default

It's that simple. Now choose where you want your files to be saved. I chose:

D:\Users\\Documents (I store my personal files in their own partition.)

Whatever location you choose is fine, just make sure it's inside your own user profile, i.e.

...\Users\your user name\

... and this won't stop from saving individual files to OneDrive in those situations where
you want to. What other applications do you have that save to OneDrive by default? (Should be just Microsoft applications. Who else would have the
chutzpah?)