How to stop staff saving files to desktop and documents folders

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to stop staff saving files to desktop and documents folders. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

Many small businesses rely on local Desktop and Documents folders for daily file storage. While convenient, this practice leaves critical business data vulnerable if a laptop is damaged, lost, stolen, or replaced. Files stored locally are not automatically backed up to the cloud, making recovery difficult and time-consuming. By redirecting these folders to OneDrive for Business and SharePoint Online, your organisation gains automatic version history, protection against accidental deletion, and the ability for staff to access their work from any device.

Quick Fix Steps

1. Confirm that all staff have active Microsoft 365 licences that include OneDrive for Business.
2. Back up existing local Desktop and Documents data before making any changes.
3. Configure Known Folder Move via Microsoft Intune to redirect Desktop, Documents, and Pictures to OneDrive.
4. Communicate the change to staff and provide short training sessions on cloud file access.
5. Monitor sync status and verify that files are appearing in the cloud.

Detailed Instructions

1. Prepare Your Microsoft 365 Environment

1. Sign in to the Microsoft 365 admin centre with a Global Administrator account.
2. Navigate to Users > Active users and confirm each staff member has a licence that includes OneDrive for Business.
3. Ensure OneDrive is provisioned for every user. Users can provision their OneDrive by signing in to office.com, selecting the OneDrive app, and completing the initial setup wizard.

2. Back Up Local Data

1. On each workstation, copy the contents of %UserProfile%\Desktop and %UserProfile%\Documents to an external drive or network share.
2. Verify the backup completed successfully before proceeding with folder redirection.

3. Configure Known Folder Move with Intune

1. Sign in to the Microsoft Intune admin centre.
2. Go to Devices > Configuration profiles > Create profile.
3. Select platform Windows 10 and later and profile type Settings catalog.
4. In the settings picker, search for and add the OneDrive Known Folder Move settings:
• Silently move Windows known folders to OneDrive — Set to Enabled.
• Prompt users to move Windows known folders to OneDrive — Set to Disabled to avoid user interruptions.
• OneDrive Tenant ID — Enter your organisation's Microsoft 365 tenant ID.
5. Assign the profile to a group containing your Brisbane-based staff devices.
6. Save and deploy the profile. Devices will apply the policy during the next Intune check-in cycle.

4. Communicate and Train Staff

1. Send an email to all staff explaining that Desktop and Documents folders will now save to the cloud.
2. Show staff how to access their files via the OneDrive sync client in File Explorer or through office.com in a web browser.
3. Demonstrate version history by right-clicking a file in OneDrive and selecting Version history.
4. Explain that files marked as Always keep on this device will use local storage, while Files On-Demand files download only when opened.

5. Verify the Migration

1. Ask a pilot user to save a test file to their Desktop and Documents folders.
2. Check OneDrive online to confirm the file synced successfully.
3. Open File Explorer and confirm the Desktop and Documents shortcuts now point to the OneDrive location, typically %UserProfile%\OneDrive - [Organisation Name]\Desktop.
4. Review the Intune device configuration report to ensure all targeted machines received the policy.

Troubleshooting

Files Are Not Syncing to OneDrive

• Confirm the user is signed into the OneDrive sync client with their work account.
• Check the OneDrive icon in the system tray for error messages.
• Ensure the device has an active internet connection and sufficient OneDrive storage quota.
• Restart the OneDrive app by right-clicking the cloud icon in the taskbar and selecting Close OneDrive, then relaunching it from the Start menu.

Known Folder Move Policy Not Applying

• Open the Company Portal app and select Sync to force an Intune policy check, then wait for the next device check-in cycle.
• Verify the device is Azure AD joined or hybrid joined and enrolled in Intune.
• Check that the user is included in the assigned Intune group.

"File in Use" or Sync Conflicts

• Close the file in all applications before saving to Desktop or Documents.
• Advise staff to use Microsoft 365 apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) with AutoSave enabled for real-time co-authoring.
• If a conflict occurs, OneDrive will create a separate copy. Review both versions and save the correct one.

By centralising file storage in OneDrive for Business and SharePoint Online, your organisation removes the risk of data loss from local hardware failure and enables seamless collaboration across multiple devices. 220 Internet Services can configure and manage these Intune policies for your Brisbane workforce, ensuring a smooth transition without disrupting daily productivity.

If you need assistance deploying Known Folder Move or configuring folder redirection for your team, Open a Ticket.

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