OneDrive issue

Sounds to me that the other devices are syncing it back to the cloud which then syncs it back to the win10 desktop.

At work, when this happens, we ask End Users to open up one drive on the web and do their deletions there and is usually the end of it.

If not, on all your device select free up space for each file you want to delete on all three devices
then delete the files from the One Drive web app using your web browser.

Remember, One Drive is a Cloud Based app.
The SOURCE files are on the Cloud.
The copies are on all your devices.
Delete the source and there is nothing to sync back from.

If this is persistent after deleting from the web based one drive app in your web browser, as suggested above, then you might try this.
UN-install One drive from all but your Win10 device.
On Win10 break the lync to your account/all this does is sign you out and remove the "link" from device to cloud
Open a web browser and logon to One Drive on the web
delete everything you do not want to keep and remove it from the recycle bin
Sign onto One-drive once more on you Win10 PC and let it sync completely
reinstall one drive on your other devices and let them sync fully

THAT should resolve the issue.

Thank you for reply.

I have solved issue by unlinking and relinking account.

Awesome sauce!

I spoke too soon.

Issue has reappeared.

Any other ideas?

These are the steps that we take at work -> they always work (except when MS needs to be involved) -> if they do not work do it again, and don't skip whatever step you skipped thinking it didn't matter. (Giving troubleshooting steps to other technicians is sometimes a night mare : - ).

Uninstall from ALL devices Except Desktop.
reboot each device after uninstall to be sure.
On the desktop open One Drive settings and find out which directories are being sycn'd ->record these somewhere (notepad?)
UN-sync from the Desktop and uninstall one drive.

Navigate to the folder(s) on your desktop that were being sync'd by One Drive.
Delete all the files and folders you do not want.

Open a web browser and sign onto One Drive->delete all the folders and files you want gone, empty the one-drive recycle bin.
Sign out of One Drive.
Close the browser.

Re-open the browser and sign into One Drive again -> are the folders And files you just deleted gone still or have they come back?
#1 Gone=proceed with #3

#2 They are back= Ensure you have no other (Forgotten??) devices still signed onto One Drive.
Found one device I forgot about = delete the files from there uninstall One Drive reboot
Go on line again and delete all the folder and files form One Drive web app.
If they have come back see #4

#4ARE you sure there is no other devices? Yes
Are you doubly sure? Yes perform #5
#5 Stop troubleshooting and contact Microsoft


#3 - Navigate to all the recorded backup directorates of One Drive (in your notepad)
Ensure all folders and files you wanted deleted ARE deleted -> if not then delete them now


Reinstall One Drive on your desktop only and let it sync.
The folders and files should not be back now.
If they are you either messed up on of the steps, skipped or missed on of the steps or you need the intervention of someone with more than 34 years experience in IT desktop support, a developer or Microsoft.

This is not rocket science.
There is one place that is the source of the folders and files in the One Drive apps on Windows, Linux, your cell p[hone whatever and that source is = One Drive on the cloud.

If you delete them from One Drive on the cloud and they come back to One Drive on the cloud then they are being synced back by another device. OR being restored from the One Drive Cloud recycle bin.
There ARE no other options than these two that I am aware of.

- - - Updated - - -

The idea above is to have the files in 2 places only.
The cloud and the Windows desktop.
When you de-link the device and uninstall one drive from windows you are left with just the directories in which these files and folders reside.
So you navigate to then and delete all you do not want-empty the recycle bin if you want to be sure.

Then do the same on the cloud app-once the folders and files are gone there IS NO WHERE to sync them to other devices anymore.
So re-install on one device at a time and test. If the issue returns you are either forgetting about a device that has these folders and files on them and that device is syncing back to the cloud and the the cloud is syncing back to your desktop OR you missed a step OR something is wacky with your One Drive account and MS may have to address this on the server - this has happened to us a few times in the past few years on a corporate One Drive setup.