How to Fix Pending Removal from OneDrive: 3 Methods

How do I stop pending removal from OneDrive?

What does pending removal mean on OneDrive?

In OneDrive, "pending removal" typically refers to a status or message associated with file(s)or folder(s) that is in the process of being deleted. It is different from sync pending on OneDrive. When you initiate the deletion of a file or folder from your OneDrive account, it doesn't get permanently deleted immediately. Instead, it goes through a temporary phase during which it's marked as "pending removal."

The purpose of this two-step process is to give users a chance to recover accidentally deleted files or folders before they are permanently lost. It's a safety mechanism to prevent data loss due to accidental deletions.

Note:✎...

Due to the two-way sync feature of OneDrive, when you delete or remove files from the OneDrive local folder, they will be deleted from the OneDrive cloud as well. Therefore, you should avoid deleting or moving data inside the OneDrive folder.

3 Methods to fix pending removal from OneDrive

Now you know why pending removal from OneDrive on Windows 10/11 appears, this detailed guide will help you on how to solve this error. Read the following points patiently to find out how to fix the OneDrive pending removal issue.

Way 1. Unlink your OneDrive account

Unlinking your OneDrive accounts can temporarily stop OneDrive sync. That is to say, you can stop OneDrive from removing your files. Here is what to do to remove sync pending on OneDrive:

Step 1. Click the OneDrive icon located on the taskbar, and select Help & Settings > choose Settings.

Step 2. Navigate to the Account tab, tap on Unlink this PC.

Step 3. Click on Unlink account to unlink OneDrive from your computer.

Way 2. Reset OneDrive

To address OneDrive errors, a reset of the full client can sometimes resolve the issue without data loss. Please check the steps below to know how to fix pending removal from OneDrive:

Step 1. Exit the OneDrive desktop app on your computer.

Step 2. Press Windows Key + R to open Run.

Step 3. Type the command below and then press Enter to reset your OneDrive.

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

Step 4. If OneDrive doesn’t start automatically after the reset, you can manually launch it by running:

• %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe

Way 3. Restore deleted files from Recycle Bin

Typically, removed files from OneDrive are stored in the Recycle Bin folder, and it is available for you to restore for a certain period of time, usually 30 days. After this time, they will be deleted permanently. Here is how to restore accidentally deleted files to resolve pending removal from OneDrive on Windows 11/10:

Step 1. Log in to your OneDrive account on its website.

Step 2. Locate the Recycle bin folder on the left panel.

Step 3. Select the file or folder you want to restore, and hit the Restore button.

Step 4. Or you can tap on Restore all items to recover all deleted files and folders.

Bonus tip: Backup OneDrive files regularly to prevent data loss

OneDrive's two-way synchronization is actually very useful in keeping files on different devices, usually the cloud and local computers, but it is also very easy to cause files to be accidentally deleted with errors like pending removal from OneDrive. So creating automatic backups for OneDrive files is necessary. AOMEI Backupper Standard is a free backup software for Windows, with which you can backup OneDrive files to multiple locations automatically.

• It allows you to backup OneDrive files to NAS, network drive, local disk, external hard drive, USB drive, etc.
• You are allowed to create data backups at needed schedules, like daily, weekly, monthly, event trigger, or USB plug in.
• By default, it uses incremental backup method to backup only changed files, helping save backup time and storage space. (Differential backup is offered in the paid version)

Please download the free file backup software - AOMEI Backupper Standard and install it on your computer. Don’t forget to run OneDrive app on your computer. Then, follow the guide below to create OneDrive file backup now!

Step 1. Launch AOMEI Backupper Standard. Click Backup and File Backup to begin this backup task.

Step 2. Click Add Folder to select the OneDrive sync folder on your computer, which contains all OneDrive files.

Step 3. Click the destination box to select a location where you want to save OneDrive backup. For example, to backup OneDrive to USB, choose Select a local path, and pick the connected USB device as the backup destination.

Step 4. Click Schedule Backup to enable Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Event trigger, or USB plug in option to backup OneDrive files automatically.

Step 5. Confirm all the configured backup settings and click Start Backup.

Conclusion

This post primarily introduces how to fix pending removal from OneDrive, and accidentally deleted files from OneDrive are recoverable, as long as it is within the recovery time.

Besides, to prevent important OneDrive data loss, it is highly recommended to backup OneDrive automatically with the free backup and restore software AOMEI Backupper. It can help you backup OneDrive data to local & external disk, NAS, and so on. Moreover, it comes with other backup features like System Backup, Disk Backup, and Partition Backup to prevent you from getting into the dilemma of computer data loss.