I have x's on certain files

Margo Hirschman 0 Reputation points
2026-08-19T17:57:05.6833333+00:00

After my Carbonite backup files were downloaded, I now have x's on my One Drive files. How do I get them off?

Windows for business | Windows 365 Business
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  1. Hoang Le 1,285 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-08-20T01:12:14.6133333+00:00

    Hello,

    The “x” marks you’re seeing on your OneDrive files after restoring from Carbonite indicate a sync conflict or that OneDrive cannot properly reconcile the restored files with its cloud copy. Carbonite restores files with their original attributes, but OneDrive expects its own sync metadata. When those don’t match, OneDrive flags them with the red “x” overlay.

    To clear this, first make sure OneDrive is running and signed in with the correct account. Then open the OneDrive client, right‑click the cloud icon in the system tray, and select “View sync problems.” If the restored files are missing OneDrive’s hidden metadata, you’ll need to let OneDrive re‑sync them. The simplest way is to move the restored files out of the OneDrive folder temporarily, allow OneDrive to sync clean, and then copy the files back into the OneDrive directory. This forces OneDrive to treat them as new files and upload them properly.

    If the issue persists, check the OneDrive status under Settings > Account > Choose folders. Ensure the folders restored by Carbonite are included in sync. Also verify that the OneDrive folder path hasn’t changed during the restore. If Carbonite placed files in a different directory, OneDrive won’t sync them until they’re inside the designated OneDrive folder (usually C:\Users<username>\OneDrive).

    In some cases, the red “x” can also appear if the restored files have permissions mismatched with OneDrive. Right‑click a file, go to Properties > Security, and confirm your user account has full control. If not, adjust the permissions and re‑sync.

    I hope you've found something useful here. If it helps you get more insight into the issue, it's appreciated to accept the answer. Should you have more questions, feel free to leave a message. Have a nice day!

    HL.

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  2. Hoang Le 1,285 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-08-20T01:10:58.38+00:00

    Hello,

    The “x” marks you’re seeing on your OneDrive files after restoring from Carbonite indicate a sync conflict or that OneDrive cannot properly reconcile the restored files with its cloud copy. Carbonite restores files with their original attributes, but OneDrive expects its own sync metadata. When those don’t match, OneDrive flags them with the red “x” overlay.

    To clear this, first make sure OneDrive is running and signed in with the correct account. Then open the OneDrive client, right‑click the cloud icon in the system tray, and select “View sync problems.” If the restored files are missing OneDrive’s hidden metadata, you’ll need to let OneDrive re‑sync them. The simplest way is to move the restored files out of the OneDrive folder temporarily, allow OneDrive to sync clean, and then copy the files back into the OneDrive directory. This forces OneDrive to treat them as new files and upload them properly.

    If the issue persists, check the OneDrive status under Settings > Account > Choose folders. Ensure the folders restored by Carbonite are included in sync. Also verify that the OneDrive folder path hasn’t changed during the restore. If Carbonite placed files in a different directory, OneDrive won’t sync them until they’re inside the designated OneDrive folder (usually C:\Users<username>\OneDrive).

    In some cases, the red “x” can also appear if the restored files have permissions mismatched with OneDrive. Right‑click a file, go to Properties > Security, and confirm your user account has full control. If not, adjust the permissions and re‑sync.

    I hope you've found something useful here. If it helps you get more insight into the issue, it's appreciated to accept the answer. Should you have more questions, feel free to leave a message. Have a nice day!

    HL.

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  3. AI answer

    2026-08-19T17:57:19.5666667+00:00

    The X marks are typically OneDrive sync error indicators. A common fix is to rebuild the OneDrive connection or clear stale cached credentials.

    Try this in order:

    1. Close any files that are open from OneDrive.
    2. Wait for OneDrive to finish any active work if possible.
    3. Rebuild the OneDrive connection:
      • Select the OneDrive cloud icon near the clock.
      • Go to Help & Settings > Settings > Account.
      • Select Unlink this PC and confirm.
      • Sign in again with the same account.
      • If prompted that a OneDrive folder already exists, select Use this folder.
      • Let OneDrive rebuild the file status icons, then restart Windows.

    If the issue started after duplicate or conflicted files appeared, refresh OneDrive credentials:

    1. On Windows, press Windows key + R.
    2. Enter: %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\settings
    3. Delete PreSignInSettingsConfig.json.
    4. Start OneDrive again and sign in if prompted.

    If the X marks remain and there are duplicate files with the computer name added to the filename, that strongly points to expired or stale OneDrive credentials.

    If the goal is only to stop OneDrive from syncing certain folders, turn off folder backup:

    • Right-click the OneDrive cloud icon > Settings > Sync and Backup > Manage Backup > turn off the folders that should not sync.

    Note: Unlinking or disabling sync removes files from File Explorer sync view, but the files remain in OneDrive in the cloud.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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