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

 

[Megalodon]

Yup, this worked just fine. However, I strongly recommend doing it before installing anything as some installations have the original path hard coded. Do it on a dummy user, then create a new user and then delete the dummy one.

Good to know. Are there any common programs you know of which this is true for?

 

[gellio]

Ironically (or not) if I remember correctly (don't have access to that computer right now) the main culprity seems to be Microsoft products (I seem to remember IE being a problem) and I think quicktime was a problem too if I remember correctly. After starting the process of scanning through the registry for the hard coded links and making one or two changes manually in the registry I decided that I was getting into a state of chaos and reverted back to just changing the basic values you suggested in your own post.

 

[Barman58]

The whole point of using junction points is to get around the problem of programs hard coding addresses - Microsoft themselves use the technique for the old Documents & Settings folder, (re-directing it to Users), amongst others others, to allow for bad programming by developers, (yes that includes themselves)

If you replace the original Local Folder with a JP called Local, even direct coded links will work

 

[Boras]

Hello,Brink
I moved My Music folder according to your tutorial to another partition but now when I check back there is still a empty My Music folder in C:\users\my-name\ location. When I try to restore default location Windows 7 Professional offers making a new folder because C:\users\my-name\Music does not exist
I clicked Yes in step 9 and was doing exactly all steps from tutorial. It's a brand new installation and I wanted to set it up properly.

 

[Brink]

Hello Boras,

When you move a user folder to another location, it will still have the folder displayed in the Start Menu and the C:\Users\(user-name) location (normal folder now without a location tab), and one where you moved it to. In it's Location tab (properties) it should have the new location displayed as the path though. Do you see the new location path in the Location tab for where you moved it to?

 

[Boras]

Brink, thanks for reply.
Yes, I can see the new location path in the Location Tab (it's now F:\My Music). I was confused between My Music and Music and the reason why Windows needs to create a new Music folder during Restoring Default Location. In the Library I have 2 locations, my new F:\My Music and Public (C:\Users\Public\Music). Assuming it's right so.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Boras.

Yep, those two locations would be correct as well. One from your user folders, and one from the Public folders is included by default in a library.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/585-library-include-folder.html

 

[wallyinnc]

Hi Shawn
I did this somehow differently, it apparently worked, but I would like your opinion whether I might be messing things up.
I went straight to step 5, right click, then click on tab Location. There, I simply changed the drive letter (from C to M in my case) and confirmed that I wanted a new folder created and the contents moved (in short, enter 3 times).
Do you think I might run into trouble in the future by doing this?
Tks

 

[Brink]

Hello Walter,

Na, you're fine. As long as it created a new folder at the new location for the user folder, it will work perfectly fine. It's when a new folder isn't created is when you have problems.

 

[wallyinnc]

Great, thanks! It looked too simple to be true, maybe sometimes it is not!

 

[Brink]

You're welcome. Nar, sometimes we get lucky and catch a break.

 

[dknight178]

Hello guys...

I'm using an Acer laptop running with both Vista and Windows 7 installed on separate partitions (dual boot). My personal files are in the drive where my Vista is (drive C if Vista, drive D if Win 7). Would the method presented here work with Documents, Music, Downloads, and other folders in the start menu (i.e. I'd right click the Document folder, etc. in Win 7 then change its location to match the location of my documents, music folder, etc. in my Vista partition)?

Could I also use this to the folder AppData, or even to my User folder (i.e. I'd right click my user folder in Win 7 then make its location my user folder in Vista)? Thanks

 

[Brink]

Hello DkNight,

It would not be a good idea to have your Windows 7 user folders moved to the same one inside Vista. This can cause unknown issues that may cause you to lose them and the file in them. When you move a user folder, you would want it to be on a separate partition or drive than in another OS.

No, you would not want to move the AppData or the main User Folder itself to another location. Doing so would cause issues like a currupted user profile that may prevent you from being able to log on that user account later.

Hope this helps some,
Shawn

 

[dknight178]

Instead of the method stated here, would adding shortcuts work? For instance in MS Word (in Win 7), could I save my file to drive C (my Vista partition) thru a shortcut link?

 

[Brink]

I have not tried it, but it will not hurt anything to give it a try and see for just a shortcut.

 

[flame1]

Hello Brink.

Thank you so much for this tutorial! I upgraded from Vista a few days ago after getting a 2nd internal hard drive. I was finally able to move my user data so I should now have enough room on my system drive for it to actually function.

I blundered my way through the process of trying to move my files - before I found your tutorial - and I've messed up some things. I think I'm going to do the upgrade again (partly to make sure I can in case I need to sometime down the road) and would like to do things right this time. I have a few questions from my first upgrade and also from some of the comments I've read here.

1. Is there a benefit to navigating to the folders to be moved via the "shell" method (which was new to me) versus just going to the C:\Users\Username folders through Windows Explorer?

2. Some of my folders completely moved to the new location and no longer exist in the old location (Documents, Downloads, Links, Music, Pictures, Videos) but some of them still exist in the old location (Contacts, Desktop, Favorites, AppData\Roaming). I thought I said yes to "move" the files but maybe I just messed up. Should all of them be gone from the old location? Or at least all the files should be gone?

3. I had a lot of problems with Vista and corrupt profiles - one of the main reasons I decided to upgrade to Windows 7. If something should happen to my user profile in Windows 7 and I have to set up a new profile, will I be able to just change the locations on the new profile to point to the data on my 2nd drive and be able to access it? If my username was different, there wouldn't be any profile-specific security, right?

4. I've already moved all my data to my 2nd drive. If I reinstall Windows 7 (on my original drive), can I just re-direct the new user folders to my 2nd drive and be able to access the data or do I really have to copy my data somewhere else and then copy it back to the 2nd drive after the reinstall?

5. I read somewhere that the AppData\Roaming folder contained user-specific data and that the local and locallow folders contained machine-specific data. I also read somewhere that if you move all your folders (including the local and locallow) or changed where the system points by using junction points, changing environment variables, or making registry changes, then updates through Windows Update might not work properly. Personally, I don't feel confident enough to try the more technical avenues but is there a reason to move the local and locallow folders if they don't contain user settings? If so, are you aware of any problems with Windows Update?

Thanks in advance for indulging my questions. I'm so glad I found this forum!

 

[Brink]

Hello Flame1, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Q1) Using the shell command is just another way to open the folder. It can be handy if you are not sure where it is exactly.

Personally, I have always believed it best to start with a clean install instead of upgrading to avoid any issues from the previous OS. With a clean install, you will need to reinstall programs and copy your data back.

Unless you just really need the HDD space on the C: drive, I would recommend to leave the user folders as is on the C: drive to avoid any problems from potential mistakes made while moving them to another location. You can then just keep backups of anything that you do not want to lose to be safer and more reliable.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[flame1]

Hi Shawn,

My laptop is a couple years old and came with Windows Vista so I bought the upgrade package. I am, however, going to do a clean install - again.

My biggest problem has been space. My laptop came with only a 120GB hard drive. In fact, when Windows 7 came out, I tossed the idea of upgrading because I didn't have 16GB available for the new OS. However, I recently discovered that my laptop has a second internal bay so I bought a 550GB hard drive to put my data on.

So... I really do need to move my data - hence, all my questions. Could I get you to make a stab at answering the others? Oh, and I thought of one more.

6. Can any of the user folders that have a "location" tab be moved or are there only certain folders that can be moved?

Thanks for the quick response!

Carol

 

[Brink]

Carol,

You can only move the user folders with the "Location" tab to the other hard drive.

2. Some of my folders completely moved to the new location and no longer exist in the old location (Documents, Downloads, Links, Music, Pictures, Videos) but some of them still exist in the old location (Contacts, Desktop, Favorites, AppData\Roaming). I thought I said yes to "move" the files but maybe I just messed up. Should all of them be gone from the old location? Or at least all the files should be gone?

Only the ones that you moved would no longer exist in that location. You do not want to move these Contacts, Desktop, Favorites, AppData\Roaming folders. Doing so will cause issues of apps that use them to no longer work. For example, favorites in IE8 would no longer work if moved.

 

[churin]

You do not want to move these Contacts, Desktop, Favorites, AppData\Roaming folders. Doing so will cause issues of apps that use them to no longer work. For example, favorites in IE8 would no longer work if moved.

Hi Brink,
I wonder what apps use the favorites other than IE8. I moved the favorites out of C: drive onto one of the data drives and so far no problem has happend.