Please, unlink my Windows OneDrive from ICloud storage files

Question

Please, unlink my Windows OneDrive from ICloud storage files

DEBRA MAXWELL 0

I hate iCloud. When I was using It, it destroyed all my files. I no longer trust Apple iClouds. Because of what happened to my files on iCloud, I will never store files there again. I had none of my ONEDRIVE files on Apple iCloud. But this past weekend I found all my ONEDRIVE files on ICLOUD. No, I have never requested this. I do not want ICLOUD to ever see my ONEDRIVE files. How do I stop this? I do not want to lose any of my files. I like MSoft Office so much more than ICLOUD. Please, help me unlink OneDrive to Apple's iCloud.

Thank you,

OneDrive User

EmilyS726 279.7K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-10T20:53:32.3033333+00:00

Hello,

First, please do not delete or move any files from either OneDrive or iCloud until we figure out what happened. I don’t want you to accidentally lose any files.

OneDrive and iCloud are two separate cloud storage services. OneDrive does not automatically sync files to iCloud. However, if both services are configured to sync the same folder, your files could end up in both places.

I would like to understand a few things first.

When you say you found your OneDrive files in iCloud, did you actually sign into https://www.icloud.com and see them there? Or did you see them in the iCloud Drive folder in Windows File Explorer?

Do you have iCloud for Windows installed on your computer?

Do you also have a Mac, iPhone, or iPad where you use OneDrive?

Also, please sign into https://onedrive.live.com and confirm that all your files are still there.

I am asking these questions because seeing your OneDrive files on an Apple device does not necessarily mean those files have been uploaded to iCloud.

There is no direct OneDrive-to-iCloud connection that you need to unlink. We need to identify how the files ended up in iCloud before making any changes.

Once we understand what happened, we can figure out how to stop it without risking your files.

1 answer

Your answer

EmilyS726 279.7K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-11-10T20:53:32.3033333+00:00

Hello,

First, please do not delete or move any files from either OneDrive or iCloud until we figure out what happened. I don’t want you to accidentally lose any files.

OneDrive and iCloud are two separate cloud storage services. OneDrive does not automatically sync files to iCloud. However, if both services are configured to sync the same folder, your files could end up in both places.

I would like to understand a few things first.

When you say you found your OneDrive files in iCloud, did you actually sign into https://www.icloud.com and see them there? Or did you see them in the iCloud Drive folder in Windows File Explorer?

Do you have iCloud for Windows installed on your computer?

Do you also have a Mac, iPhone, or iPad where you use OneDrive?

Also, please sign into https://onedrive.live.com and confirm that all your files are still there.

I am asking these questions because seeing your OneDrive files on an Apple device does not necessarily mean those files have been uploaded to iCloud.

There is no direct OneDrive-to-iCloud connection that you need to unlink. We need to identify how the files ended up in iCloud before making any changes.

Once we understand what happened, we can figure out how to stop it without risking your files.

Answer 1

Move the Windows OneDrive folder outside iCloud Drive, then reconnect OneDrive to that new location before signing out of or uninstalling iCloud.

Files appearing in both services does not by itself indicate that the OneDrive and Apple accounts are linked; the same Windows folder may be located inside, copied into, or covered by iCloud Drive.

1. Preserve complete local copies first

Do not delete or move anything from iCloud or OneDrive yet.

Open File Explorer → OneDrive.
For files that must remain on the PC, check their status:
- Available on this device files already have local copies.
- Available when online files exist only in OneDrive’s cloud until downloaded.^1^
Right-click the required OneDrive folders and select Always keep on this device. Wait until their status shows that they are locally available.
Open iCloud Drive in File Explorer. Copy—not move—anything that exists only there into a new ordinary local folder outside iCloud Drive, such as a folder under another local drive. Apple recommends making a PC copy before signing out of or uninstalling iCloud.^2^

Keep these safety copies until the separation is complete and the files have been opened successfully.

2. Check whether OneDrive is inside iCloud Drive

In File Explorer:

Right-click OneDrive in the navigation pane.
Select Properties and note its location.
If the path contains iCloudDrive, or the OneDrive folder is visibly nested beneath iCloud Drive, relocate it using the next section.

Also inspect OneDrive → Settings → Sync and backup → Manage backup. This shows whether OneDrive is managing Desktop, Documents, or Pictures.^3^ If iCloud is configured to handle one of those same Windows folders, stop that folder’s iCloud synchronization rather than turning off OneDrive backup unnecessarily.

3. Relocate OneDrive to a non-iCloud folder

Microsoft’s supported procedure is to unlink, move, and then relink OneDrive.^4^

Select the OneDrive cloud icon in the Windows notification area.
Select Help & Settings → Settings → Account.
Select Unlink this PC → Unlink account.
In File Explorer, move the existing OneDrive folder to a location that is not beneath iCloud Drive—for example, a normal folder under your Windows user profile or another supported local drive.
Start OneDrive again and select Get started.
Sign in with the same Microsoft account.
At the OneDrive folder-location screen, select Change Location.
Select the folder moved in step 4, choose Use this location, and complete setup.
Wait for OneDrive to finish checking and syncing the files, then open several files to confirm they work.

Unlinking does not delete the files stored in OneDrive online.^5^

4. Disable iCloud only after verification

Once OneDrive is operating from the new location and the files have been verified:

Open iCloud for Windows.
Turn off iCloud Drive, or sign out of iCloud.
If iCloud is no longer required, open Start → Add or remove programs, select iCloud, and uninstall it.

Do not delete the old iCloud copies until OneDrive’s new location has finished syncing and the independent safety copy has been checked.

References