User Profile - Change Default Location

How to Change the Default Location of a User Profile in Vista and Windows 7​

   Information

A user profile is the main C:\Users\(user-name) folder of a user account that contains all of the account's settings, shortcuts, information, and user folders (ex: My Music) with the files in them.

This will show you how to Move the default location of a user profile in Windows 7 and Vista to another location of your choice so it will be stored and used from the new location instead.

This can be handy if you are low on free space on your C: drive.

You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial.

   Warning

Before doing this, you should create a system image to be safe. This way you can do a system image recovery to undo any mistake you might make in the instructions below that could result in the user profile you are moving, or Windows, to no longer work.

   Note

The drive or partition that you move the user profile folder(s) to, will now be included in a system image if created since it will now be considered a system drive.

   Tip

If you are just wanting to save HDD space from the files in your user folders, 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.

• 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 of your choice.
• If you like, you can also set the new folder to be the default "save" to location for the library as well.

OPTION ONE

For Already Existing User Accounts

   Warning

Some of the programs you have installed may not work properly after moving your user profile folder since they are still looking for their information in the user profile folder's original AppData folder location which of course no longer exists.

If you have this problem afterwards, then you may be able to uninstall and reinstall these programs, or use OPTION TWO in the tutorial to create a new user account and create new shortcuts for the programs to fix this.

Method One

To Change the Default Location of an Existing User Profile

1. Log on to the user account that you want to move. In Windows Explorer, navigate to it's C:\Users\(user-name) folder, right click on the user folder, click on Share with and Nobody.

2. Log off.

3. Log on to an administrator account that you are not moving it's user folder for.
NOTE: If you do not have another administrator account to use, then you will need to create a new account first and log in to it. When done with the tutorial, you can delete the new account.

4. In Windows Explorer, navigate to the C:\Users\(user-name) folder (ex: C:\Users\User account to move) that you want to move. Right click on it and click on Copy. (see screenshot below)

5. In Windows Explorer, navigate to the new location (ex: E: drive) that you want to move the C:\Users\(user-name) folder to. Right click on a empty space in the main window (middle), and click on Paste. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: This should be another internal hard drive or partition.

6. If prompted, click on Continue. (see screenshot below)

7. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes (Windows 7) or Continue (Vista).

8. The C:\Users\(user-name) folder (step 4) is now copied over to the new location (ex: E:\User account to move). You can close Windows Explorer. (see screenshot below)

9. Open the Start Menu, then type regedit in the search box and press enter.

10. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes (Windows 7) or Continue (Vista).

11. In regedit, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

12. In the left pane under the Profilelist key, select and look at each S-1-5 key with the long number until you see the user account name and path (step 3) that you want to move in the value Data column of ProfileImagePath in the right pane. When the correct user name is found, right click on ProfileImagePath, and click on Modify. (see screenshot above)

13. Type in the full path of the location (ex: E:\User account to move) that you copied the user profile folder to in step 7, and click on OK. (see screenshot below)

14. Regedit will now look similiar to this with the new location now. Close regedit. (see screenshot below)

15. To Verify that the User Profile has been Moved Successfully
A) Log off or Switch User, then log in to the user account that you moved the user profile folder of.

B) Open the Start Menu and open the user profile folder from this location. (see screenshot below)

C) Right click on one of the user folders (ex: Desktop), click on Properties, and click on the Location tab. (see screenshot below)

D) You should see the new location (ex: E:\User account to move\Desktop) from step 8 as the now new default location. Click on OK. (see screenshot above)
16. To Delete the User Profile from the Old Location
NOTE: Once you have verified (step 15) that the moved user profile has been moved successfully, you can now safely delete the user profile folder from the old location (ex: C:\Users\User account to move) from step 4.
A) Log off of the user account that you moved if you are logged into it from step 15.

B) Log on to an administrator account that you did not move it's user folder for.

C) In Windows Explorer, navigate to the old C:\Users\(user-name) folder (ex: C:\Users\User account to move) that you had copied (step 4). Right click on it and click on Delete. (see screenshot below)

D) If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes (Windows 7) or Continue (Vista).

E) If prompted, click on Continue. (see screenshot below)

F) You can now empty the Recycle Bin to finish deleting the old user profile folder from the old location.
NOTE: You will need to approve emptying the Recycle Bin.
17. The existing user profile folder has now been completely moved to the new default location where Windows 7 or Vista will now run it from when logged on to it.

Method Two

To Restore the Existing User Profile's Default Location

1. Repeat OPTION ONE, but move the new default User Profile folder (ex: E:\User account to move) and registry entries back to the original C:\Users folder location (ex: C:\Users\User account to move).

OPTION TWO

For All New User Accounts Created

   Note

This will change where all newly created user accounts will have their user profile folder created at in a default location of your choice instead of the old default C:\Users location.

Thank you to Alain for pointing this out.

1. To Change the Default User Profile Location of New User Accounts
A) Open the Start Menu, then type regedit in the search box and press enter.
B) If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes (Windows 7) or Continue (Vista).

C) In regedit, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

D) In the right pane of ProfileList, right click on ProfilesDirectory and click on Modify. (see screenshot above)

E) Type in the full path (ex: E:\Users) of where you want new user accounts to be created at, and click on OK. (see screenshot below)

F) The registry will now look similar to this. (see screenshot below)

G) When you create a new user account, it's user profile folder will now be created at the location you specified in step 1E.
2. To Restore the Default User Profile Location of New User Accounts
A) Repeat step 1, but type %SystemDrive%\Users at step 1E instead.
NOTE: This step only changes the user profile folder location of any newly created user accounts back to this default location, and not any existing user accounts.

B) If you wish to change an already existing new account's user profile folder location, then you will need to do Method Two in OPTION ONE above to change it back to C:\Users.
3. Close regedit.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Customize Default User Profile in Audit Mode
• How to Change the Default Location of Windows 7 User Folders
• How to Restore the Default Location of Windows 7 User Folders
• 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 Add or Remove "User Folder" from Desktop Context Menu
• How to Create User Accounts on another Partition or Disk During Windows 7 Installation
• 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]

Hello Sargan,

Sorry, but your screenshot was broken. Could upload and attach it again please?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html

added it in as a jpeg to original post

That file is in use, and is why you are not able to do so. You have something that is still using the old location instead of the new one.

To be safe, I would recommend to create a restore point, and make a backup copy of this folder first in case you have a issue after trying the below. This way if you do, you could just do a system restore using the restore point and copy the folder back.

Next, you could try and delete the folder from a command prompt at boot using step 2 in the tutorial below.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/55721-folder-delete-command-prompt.html

 

[sargan]

OK .. sounds like this is not going to be easy then

 

[iwind]

Hello iwind, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Do you have any program that may still be saving to the C: location by default? If so, you would need to change the program's settings to use the new D: location instead.

Do you have any folders or files in the C:\Users\(user-name) location set to be shared by any other users or homegroup? If so, then you would need to set them to be shared by "Nobody" first, then see if you may be able to delete it.

Hope this helps for now,
Shawn

Oh I see. Thanks a lot

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome iwind. Were you able to get it deleted?

 

[GUALHERO]

I have just registered, just for say: thank you!!!! I changed the default location for users path. As easy as I write this sentence. Thanks a lot for your simple, yet precise explanation.

Regards, from Guatemala!

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Gualhero, and welcome to Seven Forums.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Well Shawn I did it but it didn't shift Desktop icons is this ok - the rest is now in my HDD.

 

[Brink]

Hello John,

Sorry, but could you give more details on what you mean?

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hiyya Shawn I went through the tutorial and followed each step and got to that delete bit and just did it. It left me with a blank screen on reboot and I couldn't click on IE emails or anything on the taskbar so I have obviously missed a step somewhere misinterpreted your directions.

One thing that I was not real sure of was it mentioned something about changing login accounts during that process - as I only have the one account - mine and I was just not sure of what that meant. But in hindsight I am now thinking should I have made another UAC account and done that transfer from there?

Anyway I have got everything back from an image using the repair disk except the Office stuff which I installed after I did the image - but no big deal I can redo that.

Sorry Shawn have just found where I went wrong

I know I am PITN

 

[Brink]

You're not at all mate. I'm glad you found where you went wrong. Hopefully it'll work this round for you.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Thanks Shawn you're just a real pal.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Shawn this is going be a rather stupid query but I have to ask before I go making any more complete muck ups of my machine.

- If I transfer the User and temp files to the HDD am I going to lose the taskbar functions when still purely using the SSD on booting up? Because when I did it - albeit wrong last time those taskbar functions were lost in the transfer.

Sorry mate but I just want to be absolutely clear in what little mind I have left

 

[Brink]

No problem John. I hear you. Personally, I find moving user profiles a risky thing to do that could cause quite a few issues if a mistake was made. I'd recommend leaving the profiles in their default locations to avoid this. If you're just trying to save space if tight, 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.

• 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 of your choice.
• If you like, you can also set the new folder to be the default "save" to location for the library as well.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

No problem John. I hear you. Personally, I find moving user profiles a risky thing to do that could cause quite a few issues if a mistake was made. I'd recommend leaving the profiles in their default locations to avoid this. If you're just trying to save space if tight, 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.

• 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 of your choice.
• If you like, you can also set the new folder to be the default "save" to location for the library as well.

Thanks yet again Shawn that sounds about my level at the moment - you're worth more money

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome.

 

[Alun1976]

Hi

Ive tried this but it just logs me into a temp account although the registry values stays the same as what I had set it to. It had also created another entry in the registry in the same location but had the value C:\Users\temp. I have reverted back to the original value C:\Users\Username and everything has gone back to normal but wanted some help as why it uses a temp login when I have followed what to do correctly? I am drastically running out of system hard drive space and need some help with this soon.

Thanks

Al

 

[Brink]

Hello Al, and welcome to Seven Forums.


Since you are just wanting to save HDD space, then you might consider this below to be able to access files from your libraries with the files actually located where you like instead. This would be much safer than trying to change the default location of your user profile.

• Create a new folder at any location you want.
• Move any files (ex: video, music, documents, etc.....) you want into the new folder.
• Include the new folder into a library of your choice.
• If you like, you can also set the new folder to be the default "save" to location for the library as well.
• Repeat if you would to do this with another library for different types of files.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Alun1976]

Hi Shawn,

thanks for the info, but I should have perhaps been a bit clearer in my previuos post. My C Drive is a system drive only with nothing else on it other than the operatin g system. It originally started out at around 40Gb full and since installing numerous programs over the years it has increased to nearly 60Gb (max sysytem disk size) and I'm running out of system disk space (even though my programs have all been installed on a separate 500Gb hard disk). Even though I have installed on a separate HD it still puts data inside the C:\Users folder and this is my problem. I need to relocte this folder onto my separate 500Gb HD but need to retain all functionality of my programs etc. Any further suggetsions would be appreciated. Like I said, Ive tried the change in profilepath in registry but it just creates another registry value for a temp profile when booting device although the amended registry value for the 500Gb HD still exists

Thanks

Al

 

[Brink]

Al,

Moving an existing profile could be problematic with some programs.

You might consider OPTION TWO in the tutorial. After OPTION TWO, the new user account that will be at the new location. Next, you would just need to copy any shortcuts (Start Menu, desktop, Startup, etc) and files (ex: your users' Music, Documents, etc.. ) from the old user account's profile folder to the new user account's profile folder. You will have to setup all your settings in the new account again though.

When finished, and everything checks out ok, you could delete your old user account to regain the HDD space it's using. You might wait a day or two before deleting the old account just to be safe and make sure that you had copied everything you wanted though.

 

[Alun1976]

Al,

Moving an existing profile could be problematic with some programs.

You might consider OPTION TWO in the tutorial. After OPTION TWO, the new user account that will be at the new location. Next, you would just need to copy any shortcuts (Start Menu, desktop, Startup, etc) and files (ex: your users' Music, Documents, etc.. ) from the old user account's profile folder to the new user account's profile folder. You will have to setup all your settings in the new account again though.

When finished, and everything checks out ok, you could delete your old user account to regain the HDD space it's using. You might wait a day or two before deleting the old account just to be safe and make sure that you had copied everything you wanted though.

Great, will give that a try and feed back to you. I wont delete the old user profile in any hast, will make sure it is up and running smoothly first. Could I copy the existing user and paste it in the new user profile on my bigger HD? Would this miraculously make my programs functionable or am I dreaming?

Thanks again