Windows 10: How to separate "Desktop" and other folders if I use One Drive on 2 different laptops

I have two different Windows laptops that are used for different purposes, so there are mostly different files and shortcuts on each. I had been using One Drive on one of them for quite a while and decided to turn it on for the second laptop. This was apparently a big mistake as I did not realize that it was going to merge the two desktops together on One Drive, creating a mess. It also did this to all other folders that had One Drive turned on on both laptops Documents, Pictures, etc.. When I realized this, I turned off the One Drive on the second laptop, then all of my desktop files an

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How to separate "Desktop" and other folders if I use One Drive on 2 different laptops

I have two different Windows laptops that are used for different purposes, so there are mostly different files and shortcuts on each. I had been using One Drive on one of them for quite a while and decided to turn it on for the second laptop. This was apparently a big mistake as I did not realize that it was going to merge the two desktops together on One Drive, creating a mess. It also did this to all other folders that had One Drive turned on on both laptops (Documents, Pictures, etc.). When I realized this, I turned off the One Drive on the second laptop, then all of my desktop files and shortcuts on the PC were gone - they were still on One Drive combined with the other PC. I didn't realize that it was going to remove them entirely from my PC. It took me hours to sort out the two different desktops (and other folders) by manually downloading the appropriate stuff to each laptop. I have since turned off One Drive on the first laptop, and totally removed it from the second.

So, my question is: if I want to use One Drive on two separate laptops, how do I keep the folders separate?

My first thought is to rename the folders (e.g. rename Desktop to Desktop#1, etc.) but I don't know if that is going to mess up functionality on my laptop, or if I can even do that. Hesitant to try as I don't want to mess anything up and have to spend hours again fixing it.

Also, there should be some type of warning that this is going to happen if you already have One Drive files on a different PC.

 

How to separate "Desktop" and other folders if I use One Drive on 2 different laptops

Rodrigo - I know how to disable One Drive, what I am trying to determine is if there is a way to use One Drive to backup my Desktop's on two separate PC's but keeping the backups separate on One Drive, not merging them together into the same One Drive location.

 

Desktop icons on 2 separate user profiles

Hi Jack

I am Dave, I will help you with this.

1

Are these virtual Desktops, if they are, there is no way to have a different set of icons on each desktop.

2

If these are two separate Desktops for 2 different users, then the desktop is made up of two different folders, any icons that are in the Public Desktop folder will appear on all users Desktops

To access the Pubic Desktop, on the View Menu in File Explorer, turn on 'Hidden Items', then navigate to C:\Users\Public\Public desktop