User Folders - Change Default Location

How to Change the Default Location of User Folders in Windows 7 and Windows 8​

   Information

This will show you how to change (move) the default location of your account's C:\Users\(user-name) folders to another location of your choice instead in Windows 7 and Windows 8, and still have access to the user folder from the Start Menu (Windows 7 only) location.

   Tip

If you are just wanting to save HDD space, then you might consider this below to be able to access the files from your libraries with the files actually located where you like instead. This way you will not have to worry about any potential issues that come with moving user folder locations. For example, whatever partition you move your user folders to will now be included in a system image in Windows 7 and Windows 8.

• Create a new folder at any location you want.
• Move any files you want into the new folder.
• Include the new folder into a library (Windows 7 or Windows 8) of your choice.
• If you like, you can also set the new folder to be the default save to location (Windows 7 or Windows 8) for the library as well.

   Warning

If you change the default location of your Favorites folder in Windows 8 or 8.1, your Favorites in Internet Explorer will no longer be available until you move your Favorites back to the default "C:\Users\(user-name)" location.

EXAMPLE: User Folders
NOTE: This is at the default C:\Users\(user-name) location.

OPTION ONE

To Change Main User Profile Folder Location

1. For how, see:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/87555-user-profile-change-default-location.html

OR

How to Relocate User Profiles to another Partition or Disk in Windows 8

OPTION TWO

To Change User Folders Location from within User Profile Folder

1. If you a part of a homegroup, then you will need to change the homegroup settings to no longer share the user folder (ex: My Music) that you want to move first by unchecking the folder and clicking on Save Changes. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: This is so the user folder (ex: My Music) will not be shared on the homegroup anymore.

2. In Windows Explorer, navigate to where (ex: D: drive) you want to move the default user folder (ex: My Music) location to.

3. Create a New Folder by right clicking or press and hold on a empty space in the main window there, and click/tap on New and Folder. Name the new folder without spaces (ex: "Music" for My Music) for the user folder that you want to move there. (See screenshots below)
NOTE: The name that you type in for the new folder will be what you see as the user folder name in the Start Menu (shell:UsersFilesFolder) location when finished with all of these steps. It would be best to use the same name as the user folder to avoid confusion.




4. Close this window. (See screenshots above)

5. Press the Windows+R keys to open the Run dialog, type shell:UsersFilesFolder, and press enter.
NOTE: This will open your C:\Users\(user-name) folder.

6. Right click or press and hold on a user folder (ex: My Music, My Documents, My Pictures, etc.....) that you want to move the default location for, and click/tap on Properties. (See screenshot below)

7. Click/tap on the Location tab, and Move button. (See screenshot below)

8. Navigate to the same location as in step 2 and 3 above, then select the renamed new folder (ex: Music), and click/tap on the Select Folder button. (See screenshot below)

9. Click/tap on OK. (See screenshot below)

10. Click/tap on Yes. (See screenshot below)

11. After a few seconds when the location has been changed, the Properties window (screenshot under step 9) will then close.

12. Check back at the C:\Users\(user-name) location to make sure that the old user folder (ex: My Music) that you moved is no longer there. If it is, then make sure that the contents of the folder were moved to the new location, and delete it. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If you are unable to delete the folder, then restart the computer and try again.

13. You will notice that the folder at the shell:UsersFilesFolder location and the new location (ex: D drive) you moved the user folder to, now has the default user folder (ex: My Music) icon. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: The Start Menu in Windows 7 now opens the user folder from the new location (ex: D: drive) that you moved the user folder to.

14. If you a part of a homegroup, then you can now change the homegroup settings back to share the user folder (ex: My Music) again if you like by checking the folder, and click/tap on Save Changes. (see screenshot below)

   Tip

If you wanted to restore the default location of the user folder, then see:

How to Restore the Default Location of User Folders in Windows 7 and Windows 8

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Customize Default User Profile in Audit Mode
• How to Restore the Default Location of User Folders in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Change the Default "Screenshots" Folder Location in Windows 8
• How to Change the Windows 7 Default User Folder Icons
• How to Pin Your User Files Folder to the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Create Your Own Special User Folder
• How to Restore Windows 7 Default User Folder Icons
• How to Add or Remove your User Folder from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Allow or Prevent Users to Move their User Folders to a New Location
• How to Change the Default Location of a User Profile in Windows 7 and Vista
• How to Change the Name of "My Documents" without Renaming the Folder
• User Folders - Moving User Folders by Modular Script
• How to Free Up and Recover Hard Drive Space in Windows 7
• How to Change the User Folder Name of a User Profile in Windows 7

 

[Brink]

Thank you whs and Brink,

My Libraries are set exactly how I was hoping they would be. It was easy with your help and assistance. Thank you very much.

whs, I like the idea of of keeping the system folder listed in the Library. It keeps me alert as to what an app writes into the system folder.

You're most welcome Techron. I'm glad that we were able to help.

 

[techron]

Tried clicking on the Rep button to send my "mahalo" and "aloha" your way but informed I need to spread the aloha around. Learning more about this forum everyday. Much thanks.

 

[whs]

Tried clicking on the Rep button to send my "mahalo" and "aloha" your way but informed I need to spread the aloha around. Learning more about this forum everyday. Much thanks.

No Problem. We are happy to see a happy camper.

 

[Brink]

Yep.

 

[Petes]

If I move a default folder to another drive and drag and drop a file into the relocated default folder will the system make a copy (like in usb drives) or will the file simply be moved (as it should)? If it makes a copy, is there a way to change that behavior per folder so the system actually moves the file,? I know that a move equals to copy-delete and I don't want to make a right click or use the SHIFT key

BTW is there a global way to disable the copy of files into a different drive so the files are moved instead?

 

[Brink]

Hello Petes,

By default, if you drag a file from say your desktop to drop in a user folder, it will "Move" it instead of copying it no matter where you move a user folder to.

You might see if using the tutorial below to add "Move to Folder" may work as an option for you for this.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/516-context-menu-add-copy-folder-move-folder.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[whs]

If I move a default folder to another drive and drag and drop a file into the relocated default folder will the system make a copy (like in usb drives) or will the file simply be moved (as it should)? If it makes a copy, is there a way to change that behavior per folder so the system actually moves the file,? I know that a move equals to copy-delete and I don't want to make a right click or use the SHIFT key

BTW is there a global way to disable the copy of files into a different drive so the files are moved instead?

In general it is not a good idea to 'move' important data - especially to external drives. Too often files get lost during the move operation.

It is better to copy files and once you made sure that the data arrived at the new location, then you delete the original file.

 

[Petes]

Ok, It's good to know the file will be moved without right clicks or SHIFTs before I do this.

@WHS I'm not moving files to external drives, the problem is that I want to use another internal hard drive for user folders so I'm not as concerned that something may go wrong as with external drives.

Thanks.

 

[rovopio]

hello brink... thank you for your awesome awesome tutorial, this is kungfupanda from SEA, indonesia. : peace:


i'd like to ask, is it possible to move desktop folder also...? not only my music, pictures, etc, but also desktop?



second, im about to do a clean windows install. But im kinda confused whether to use this user folders tutorial or the user profile move during installation tutorial....


I'd like to ask your advice...


I notice that if i use the "user profile move", then my D partition will become system partition also.


While if i use this "user folders location change tutorial", my D partition will be just D




My main consideration is that, im using imaging software (macrium free), and i'd like to backup only my C (windows 7) system drive. I don't want to full backup D, because its too much data not enough space for my external HDD.


so the question is, if i use the user profile move during installation tutorial, will I have to backup D drive when i use image too (since it's system drive), in order to make the image backup/recovery runs smoothly.



What's the pros and cons to the 2 methods...?


so sorry and many thank you's


:cheers:

 

[Brink]

Hello kungfupanda,

To move the Desktop folder, you could use the tutorial below instead since this is for an existing user account.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/87555-user-profile-change-default-location.html

However, if you move the profile to another drive, it will need to be included in any image backup as well.

If this is about space issues on your C: drive, then you might consider having what you want in folders on another drive, then include the folders in libraries of your choice.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[rovopio]

Hello kungfupanda,

To move the Desktop folder, you could use the tutorial below instead since this is for an existing user account.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/87555-user-profile-change-default-location.html

However, if you move the profile to another drive, it will need to be included in any image backup as well.

If this is about space issues on your C: drive, then you might consider having what you want in folders on another drive, then include the folders in libraries of your choice.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Hi Shawn,


umm... thank you for your answer... it really helps, since im going to do clean windows install...

however, there is one issue im still not clear yet...


so... if i only move to D the below folders

my documents
my pictures
my music
my videos

i can just use this user folders change tutorial... and the system will only be on C drive,


however.., i can't move desktop folder using this tutorial.

if i move desktop folders to D, then the D drive would become system drive...?
and i have to use User Profile - Change Default Location tutorial, and cannot use this tutorial to move desktop folders...?


did i get it right...?


If i did, is there a safe way to move desktop folder to D without moving the user profile/system with it...


thank you,,,,


Fajar

 

[Brink]

Fajar,

Sorry. Since you wanted to do a clean install, then you would want to use the user profile move during installation tutorial to be able to move the entire user profile to D. This would be the only way to move Desktop to D.

 

[rovopio]

Fajar,

Sorry. Since you wanted to do a clean install, then you would want to use the user profile move during installation tutorial to be able to move the entire user profile to D. This would be the only way to move Desktop to D.

i see... oh.... okay... that is the only way to move desktop to D. . Thank you for the answer.


sorry if i seem like dumb / repeating a question.....


my last question is,
Despite it being the only way to move desktop to D, if i move the desktop to D.... the cons is that, i have to image D too using macrium, since it's a system...?


Am i getting it right...?



If that so, i think i'd rather move my docs/video/musics/picts only using this user folders tutorial.

Also... I'd like to ask, from what i can infer from your posts on this thread and the user profile create move, it seems like, you sort of recommend to do the user profile move, than user folders move...


Is there any stuff I should be aware of, if i decide to use the user folders tutorial instead..?



thank you,


Fajar

 

[Brink]

Fajar,

Yep, if you move your user profile to D in order to also have your Desktop moved to D, then you would need to include D in a image backup since it's now part of Windows 7.


My personal recommendation is to create new folders on D for your docs/video/musics/picts etc..., then include the folders in the appropriate library instead. This way this is stored on D with you being able to view them all in the libraries. Plus, you do not have to include D in the image backup.

 

[rovopio]

Fajar,

Yep, if you move your user profile to D in order to also have your Desktop moved to D, then you would need to include D in a image backup since it's now part of Windows 7.


My personal recommendation is to create new folders on D for your docs/video/musics/picts etc..., then include the folders in the appropriate library instead. This way this is stored on D with you being able to view them all in the libraries. Plus, you do not have to include D in the image backup.

Hi Shawn, as always, thank you for the answer, advice, and being okay with the way i contact you >___<


will including folders in appropriate library makes it green color? how to make it green folder?





thank youuuu....
.

:beer:


ps: i contacted you the way i did because i wanna do it right the first time since im clean installing windows anw.


:cheers:

 

[Brink]

Fajar,

You're most welcome.

No, it will be a normal folder on D, but you would access that folder through your library instead though.

 

[rovopio]

Fajar,

You're most welcome.

No, it will be a normal folder on D, but you would access that folder through your library instead though.

Dear brink.... thank you for your answer...


My last question is.... will moving my music folder to D partition have potential of creating a problem with iTunes...?


particularly the folder "automatically add to iTunes" that itunes created on installation...



thank youuuuuuuuu


:beer:

 

[Brink]

If you create a new folder say "Music" on D and include it in the say Music library, then you are not moving any folders.

You would just need to check to make sure that iTunes is set to look in say the Music library for files to play though.

 

[rovopio]

If you create a new folder say "Music" on D and include it in the say Music library, then you are not moving any folders.

You would just need to check to make sure that iTunes is set to look in say the Music library for files to play though.

Brink...


thanks a lot.


glad you could help



hehe peace:

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Fajar.