Can't access files locally while syncing to OneDrive

Thanks for the response, but I don't think it quite fits my situation. Let me be more specific. I'm using Windows 11 on a PC (and don't expect to want to access files via my phone). So I don't have an app...just the OneDrive icon in my task bar. My goal is to have my files backed up, so I'd prefer to let the syncing continue. After all my files are backed up, I just want to be able to access my files on my laptop and only back up new/updated files to the cloud when I want.

And here's an added glitch: when I click on the OneDrive icon, the box pops up showing the progress of the syncing and icons for Settings, Pausing, etc. Nothing happens when I click the Settings icon, so I can't even get to "Manage Backup." That's new.

If you have the cloud icon on taskbar, that means you do have the app. OneDrive app is typically preinstalled with Windows, not one you have to install yourself.

If you want your files backed up, and still having them accessible locally, then you need to let the files finish syncing to the cloud. And you then want to keep those folders backup turned on. And the folders WILL stay in the OneDrive folder in this path format: C:\users\your username\OneDrive\Documents for example. Any folder that lives outside of the OneDrive folder will not be backed up to OneDrive. So there's no way you can have it at a local path outside of OneDrive folder but also expect the files to be synced to OneDrive.

Once all files are backed up, OneDrive usually by default use "OnDemand" feature, meaning the files are just links to the cloud files and will download as demanded. If you want to use them as local copies, do this:

1. Right click on the OneDrive cloud icon on the lower right on your taskbar to go to Settings.
2. On the "Sync and Backup" tab, click on "Advanced Settings" to expand that section. Then under File On-Demand, click on "Download all files".
3. Give it plenty of time to allow the files to be downloaded from the online cloud.

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Now, before you can do the above, it does look like you might have a little glitch with OneDrive Settings not launching. Does it even allow you to click on the cloud icon > gear icon > exit? If so, do that. Then restart the computer, and type "OneDrive" in the search on taskbar to launch the OneDrive app, and sign in and see if you can access Settings this time.

The answer from EmilyS726 looks like it will work (my OneDrive settings are accessible again), but I have 2 follow-up questions. When I turn off the Desktop folder in Manage Backup, for example, as EmilyS726 recommended, I get a pop-up box that asks "Stop backing up Desktop folder?" and then gives me two options: 1) Continue backing up (recommended) and 2) Stop backup and choose where to keep files.

So, my two questions:

1. If I want to access my files locally instead of always through the OneDrive>Name Personal path, where would I choose to keep the files if I selected option 2 above?
2. Could I periodically turn the folder back on in Manage Backup in order to have new/updated files backed up and, if so, would OneDrive back up ONLY those files, or would it start from scratch and backup everything in the folder (including files that have already been backed up)?