Windows 10: Strange folder

On my Windows 11 PC my data files are on a USB drive E:. I've noticed a strange folder on my Drive E: shown below. I think it might have been installed when I downloaded software Office 2021 from "Helpful Downloads". They don't live up to their name. The folder name starts with "24". I tried moving the folder to another drive, but I don't have access to the folder. Soon after downloading Office 2021 I decided to move to Microsoft 365. I uninstall Office 2021, restarted my computer, and install Microsoft 365. Now when I start a Microsoft app it starts Office 2021. Several times I've asked

:)

 

Downloads folder is the Documents folder

Hi Chris,

Thank you for posting your query on Microsoft Community.

I suggest you to Restore to Default the folders and document settings and see if it helps.

Step 1:

Please follow below steps and check if it helps.

• Go to Download folder.
• Right click on the Download Folder and go to Properties.
• In Properties go to Location tab.
• In location Tab Click on Restore Default.

Step 2:

Please follow below steps and check if it helps.

• Go to Documents folder.
• Right click on the Document folder and go to Properties.
• In Properties go to Location tab.
• In location Tab Click on Restore Default.

After performing above steps change the settings as you required and check if it helps.

Hope these information helps, please get back to us for future support, we’ll be glad to assist you further.

Thank you.

 

Quick Access not searching Pictures folder

Summary, that last suggestion didn't work.

• I moved the pictures to another folder temporarily.

• Then I tried to remove the Pictures folder with option one at Add or Remove Folders from This PC in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials. Even after rebooting, the Pictures folder remained.
• So I tried using option two. Same thing: reboot >> Pictures folder still there.

• Since there were no troubleshooting steps for this scenario, just for the heck of it, I ran through the restore steps. Copied some pictures into the Pictures folder, ran a Quick Access search and initial problem remains: Searching all of QA doesn't find any files in Pictures folder, running search on just the Pictures folder does. I want to run a global search and find matching files in any/all of the Documents, Music, Videos, and Pictures folders.

That article dates from 2015 and I'm guessing is out of date. I hope it didn't create potential future problems in my registry.

Bottom line: I'm still looking for a fix.

 

Strange folder appears listed under desktop

I think you're fine. I think you've just noticed the UsersFilesFolder , a virtual folder ( like Network, This PC, etc. ) that seems to mirror the contents of the user's profile folder. Quick Test:

• In the EXplorer Address bar or a Run dialog, type: shell:UsersFilesFolderEnter

If that command opens the same folder you juist noticed, everything is fine. It's normally always visible when viewing the rooted Desktop in Explorer:



It has this special icon:

The icon can be shown or hidden on the Desktop via:

• Settings >Personalization > Themes and clicking the Desktop icons settings link