onedrive

OneDrive Folder Keeps Reappearing

Resolution Checklist

  • 1 Understand why folders keep recreating
  • 2 Check Windows system folder mappings
  • 3 Delete locked directories on Windows
  • 4 Purge hidden system files and directories on macOS
  • 5 Verify application folder generation pathways
  • 6 Summary Checklist

OneDrive Folder Keeps Reappearing

If a folder you delete from Microsoft OneDrive keeps coming back, it is usually because the folder contains hidden system files (such as desktop.ini or .DS_Store) that are locked by your operating system’s file explorer. When the shell locks these files, the deletion fails locally, and the OneDrive sync engine pulls the parent folder back down from the cloud.

This guide provides steps to remove hidden files, disable system directory links, and permanently delete persistent folders on Windows and macOS.

Understand why folders keep recreating

Folder regeneration is usually caused by one of three scenarios:

  1. Hidden OS Files: Desktop customization files (desktop.ini or Thumbs.db on Windows, .DS_Store on macOS) are locked by the system shell during deletion.
  2. Relocated System Folders: You have redirected your default Documents, Pictures, or Desktop folder to OneDrive. Windows will recreate these folders automatically if they are deleted.
  3. Application Workspaces: A local program (such as Adobe, Visual Studio, or Outlook) is configured to use that folder for automatic backups or scratch space, recreating the folder whenever the app is launched.

Check Windows system folder mappings

If you try to delete standard folders like “Documents”, “Desktop”, or “Pictures” and they reappear:

  1. Right-click the folder in File Explorer and select Properties.
  2. If there is a Location tab, this folder is a redirected Windows Shell Folder.
  3. Do not delete this folder. If you want to stop syncing it to OneDrive, you must restore its default location:
    • Click Restore Default in the Location tab.
    • Or click the OneDrive Cloud Icon -> Settings -> Sync and backup -> Manage backup and toggle off the folder backup.

Delete locked directories on Windows

To delete a folder that keeps reappearing due to a locked desktop.ini or Thumbs.db file:

1. Stop the Windows Explorer Shell and OneDrive

Open a Command Prompt as Administrator and kill the file explorer shell and the OneDrive engine:

taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
taskkill /f /im OneDrive.exe

2. Remove Hidden and System Attributes from Files

Navigate to your OneDrive directory and remove file locks (replace ExampleFolder with the name of the folder you want to delete):

attrib -h -s -r "%USERPROFILE%\OneDrive\ExampleFolder\*.*" /s /d

3. Delete the Folder via Command Prompt

Force delete the directory tree:

rd /s /q "%USERPROFILE%\OneDrive\ExampleFolder"

4. Restart Explorer and OneDrive

start explorer.exe
start "" "%localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\OneDrive.exe"

Purge hidden system files and directories on macOS

On macOS, Finder automatically creates .DS_Store files to save folder view settings. If a folder cannot be deleted because of a locked .DS_Store file, you can delete it using Terminal.

1. Find and Delete Hidden Files

Open Terminal and delete all .DS_Store instances inside the target folder (replace ExampleFolder with the actual folder name):

find ~/Library/CloudStorage/OneDrive-Personal/ExampleFolder -name ".DS_Store" -depth -exec rm {} \;

2. Force Remove the Folder

Remove the directory and all of its contents:

  • For Personal Accounts: 
    rm -rf ~/Library/CloudStorage/OneDrive-Personal/ExampleFolder
  • For Business/School Accounts: 
    rm -rf ~/Library/CloudStorage/OneDrive-Shared/ExampleFolder

3. Clear the macOS FileProvider Cache

If the folder remains visible in Finder as a ghost placeholder, flush the file daemon:

killall -9 fileproviderd

Verify application folder generation pathways

If the folder still reappears, a running application is likely recreating it:

  1. Audit Active Apps: Note the exact time the folder reappears.
  2. Check App Preferences: Programs like Adobe Creative Cloud, Steam, Microsoft Teams, and Python virtual environments often auto-create default folders in your user directory.
  3. Change App Settings: Change the save path in the offending application’s settings to a location outside of your OneDrive directory.

Summary Checklist

Action ItemVerification MethodStatus
Manage Folder BackupsVerify redirected shell folders are turned off in OneDrive Backup Settings[ ]
Kill Explorer & ClientRun taskkill for explorer.exe and OneDrive.exe (Windows)[ ]
Strip System AttributesRun attrib -h -s -r to unlock files on Windows[ ]
Delete via CLIExecute rd /s /q (Windows) or rm -rf (macOS)[ ]
Clear macOS .DS_StoreDelete Finder configuration files using Terminal[ ]
Audit Third-Party AppsRepoint application default directories away from OneDrive[ ]