One Drive has complicated what used to be easy to accomplish.

Start OneDrive from the Windows 11 Start menu, let it reconnect, and then select its actual folder from EMBIRD’s Open or catalog window.

Restore OneDrive’s folder in EMBIRD

1. Select Start, type OneDrive, and open the OneDrive desktop app.
2. Sign in with the Microsoft account previously used for these files, if prompted. Windows 11 normally includes OneDrive already.^1^
3. Wait until the cloud icon appears near the clock.
4. Open File Explorer and select OneDrive in the left pane.
5. Locate an embroidery file, right-click it, and select Open file location. Note the folder shown in File Explorer.
6. In EMBIRD, use its Open, Browse, or catalog-folder command and browse to that same folder. It will usually be under:
   • C:\Users\<your-name>\OneDrive\
   • or a folder such as OneDrive\Documents

If the embroidery files show blue cloud icons, they are online-only. Right-click the main embroidery folder and select Always keep on this device. Wait for a green circle with a white check mark before using that folder in EMBIRD; this downloads the contents so they remain available offline.^2^

If the folder still cannot be found

Search the entire laptop rather than only OneDrive:

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Select This PC on the left.
3. In Search This PC, enter the name of a known embroidery design. Alternatively, search by its extension—for example, *.pes if that is one of the formats you use.
4. Right-click a result and select Open file location.
5. Check these locations separately:
   • C:\Users\<your-name>\Documents
   • C:\Users\<your-name>\Desktop
   • C:\Users\<your-name>\OneDrive\Documents
   • C:\Users\<your-name>\OneDrive\Desktop

Microsoft notes that files can move during an update and recommends Open file location after searching.^3^

Also check the Windows Recycle Bin and OneDrive’s web Recycle bin before concluding that anything was deleted. Files removed from the cloud may not appear in the computer’s Recycle Bin.^4^

If OneDrive will not start

Reset it without deleting your data:

1. Press Windows+R.
2. Enter:

%localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset

3. If Windows cannot find it, try:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset

4. Open Start, search for OneDrive, and launch it again.

Resetting rebuilds OneDrive’s settings and sync connections but does not delete the files or data.^5^

Keep the EMBIRD collection only on the laptop

Do this only after the embroidery folder displays green check marks and after copying it to an external USB drive for safety.

1. Connect an external drive and copy the complete embroidery folder to it. Verify that several copied designs open correctly before changing OneDrive.^6^
2. Create a local folder outside OneDrive, for example: C:\Embroidery
3. Copy—not move—the verified embroidery collection into that folder.
4. Open several files from C:\Embroidery in EMBIRD and set that as EMBIRD’s catalog location.
5. To stop OneDrive from taking over Documents or Desktop, select the cloud icon near the clock → Settings → Sync and backup → Manage backup.
6. Turn off the relevant folder and choose Keep the files only on my PC. If OneDrive reports cloud-only files, download them first using Always keep on this device.^7^
7. If OneDrive is no longer wanted at all, go to its Settings → Account → Unlink this PC. Unlink only after verifying both the local copy and external backup.^8^

Do not delete duplicate folders until the local working copy and external backup have been compared. Deleting an online-only file from File Explorer can also delete it from OneDrive on every synchronized device.^2^

References

1. Windows
2. Save disk space with OneDrive Files On-Demand for Windows | Microsoft Support
3. Find lost files after upgrading Windows | Microsoft Support
4. PC or Mac
5. Windows
6. Move your files to a new Windows PC using an external storage device | Microsoft Support
7. Back up your folders with OneDrive | Microsoft Support
8. How to cancel or stop sync in OneDrive | Microsoft Support