How do I recover my deleted desktop?
Onedrive wanted cash for extra Q storage. I couldn’t work out why until I discovered it had my Windows 11 desktop included in it. I don’t remember enabling this, deliberately or otherwise. I therefore deleted it from Onedrive. To my horror, it also got removed from my computer. I can still use Windows 11 but have no icons. It also deleted a folder from my desktop, which I later deduced was causing the original problem – because it contained photographs. I had backups of most, but there are some images I’d like to retrieve. I’d also like to get my icons back without having to do a complete reinstall of Windows. I tried third-party tools but none seem to do what I want. Can you help?
John S Biggam
A New installs of Windows 10 and 11 will set up Onedrive to automatically back up and synchronise the Windows desktop, along with various key folders. So, that’s how this happened.
With desktop syncing enabled, whatever you do with your desktop is automatically replicated on other devices. That’s why deleting from one PC led to your stuff disappearing on the other.
Recovery is possible, because Onedrive accounts have an online recycle bin. However, this is only accessible for 30 days, because that’s the maximum retention limit fixed by Microsoft for non-business accounts. You’d first need to log in at www.onedrive.com and then click ‘Recycle bin’ on the left. Next, from the deleted stuff on the right, right-click what you want back and click Restore.
However, you’re past the 30-day cut-off, so Onedrive’s archive is no use here. Instead, look in the local Recycle Bin on your Windows desktop. If its icon has disappeared, press Windows key+e to open File Explorer, then click the little right-pointing chevron in the Path field, before clicking Recycle Bin (see screenshot 1 ). To recover items, rightclick them and choose Restore.
Finally, you can disable desktop syncing, if you wish. Right-click the Onedrive icon in the notification area, at the far right-hand side of the taskbar, followed by the Settings cog, and then Settings.
Next, in the ‘Sync and back up’ tab, click the ‘Manage back up’ button 2. Then, next to Desktop, move the slider to its off position 3.