Change the Default Save Location in Windows 11 and 10: Apps, Documents, Photos and Downloads

To change the default save location in Windows 11, open Settings, then System, Storage, and go to Advanced storage settings and Where new content is saved. Choose a drive, such as D:, for new apps, documents, music, photos and videos and movies and TV shows, and select Apply for each. In Windows 10, use Settings, System, Storage and Change where new content is saved. That covers Microsoft Store apps and new files. To move your existing Documents, Pictures or Downloads folder, right-click it, choose Properties, then the Location tab and Move. Desktop programs choose their install folder in their own installers. Office apps that save to OneDrive by default have a Save to Computer by default option under File, Options, Save.

Ethan's new laptop came with a small 256 GB SSD as drive C: and a roomy 1 TB second drive as D:. Within a month, C: was nearly full: the family's photos, a few games from the Microsoft Store and his son's video projects had all landed on it by default. Ethan asked Jake how to make everything go to D: instead. Jake set Where new content is saved to D: for apps, documents and photos. Then he moved the existing Pictures, Videos and Documents folders to D: through each folder's Location tab, and moved two big games across in Installed apps. C: went from 12 GB free to 120 GB free in half an hour, and everything still opened from the same places in File Explorer. This page shows every way to change where Windows 11 and 10 save things, how to move what is already there, Office, OneDrive, browser and game settings, and what not to move.

Why change where Windows saves things

By default, Windows saves almost everything to the C: drive: apps, your Documents, Pictures, Videos and Downloads folders, and app data. That is fine on a PC with one large drive, but many PCs have a small, fast SSD for Windows and a larger second drive, or have a C: drive that has simply filled up over the years. When C: runs low on space, Windows slows down, updates fail, and apps complain.

Changing the default save location sends new files and apps to another drive, so C: stays comfortable. Moving existing folders shifts what is already there. Together, they let you use a second drive without changing how you work: the Documents and Pictures shortcuts in File Explorer still open your folders, wherever they now live.

There are also reasons beyond space: keeping personal files on a separate drive makes reinstalling Windows easier, since your files are not on the drive being wiped, and some people prefer their media on a large hard drive while apps run from the faster SSD. And on PCs with OneDrive, people often want the opposite: to stop files being saved to OneDrive by default and keep them local.

Windows does not offer a single switch for all of this, because different kinds of content are saved by different parts of Windows and different apps. The sections below cover each one, in order of how much space they usually free.

Where Windows saves things by default

Before changing anything, it helps to know where each kind of content goes today. These are the defaults on a standard Windows 11 PC.

Everything in the table is on C: by default, which is why one small drive fills up while another sits empty. Settings, System, Storage shows which categories use the most space, so you can decide which moves will help most.

Change where new content is saved in Windows 11

1. Open Settings with Windows + I and select System, then Storage.
2. Scroll down and expand Advanced storage settings.
3. Select Where new content is saved.
4. For each type, New apps will save to, New documents will save to, New music will save to, New photos and videos will save to, New movies and TV shows will save to, and New offline maps will save to where shown, choose the drive from the list.
5. Select Apply next to each one you changed.

Windows creates folders on the chosen drive, such as D:\YourName\Documents and D:\YourName\Pictures for files, and a protected D:\WindowsApps folder for apps. From then on, new Microsoft Store apps install to that drive, and apps that use the standard libraries save new content there.

This setting affects new content only. Files already in your Documents or Pictures folders stay where they are, and apps already installed stay on C:. The next two sections cover moving those. It also mainly affects Microsoft Store apps and Windows' own apps; traditional desktop programs choose their own locations, usually in their installers or settings.

The target drive must be an internal drive formatted with NTFS for apps. External drives may be offered for some content types, but apps installed to a drive that is later disconnected will not start, so keep apps on internal drives.

See what is using space before you move anything

The Storage page in Settings shows what is filling C:, and a quick look tells you which moves will free the most space. Open Settings, System, Storage: the top shows used and free space, and the categories below, such as Installed apps, Temporary files, Documents, Pictures, Videos and Other, show sizes. Select Show more categories for the full list, and select a category to see details.

On most family PCs, Pictures and Videos are the biggest personal categories, while Installed apps includes games, which can be enormous. On developers' PCs, Other often holds large tool caches and virtual machines. Note the numbers, make your moves, and check again; the difference shows exactly what you gained, and it is satisfying to watch C: recover.

If the categories do not add up to the used space, the rest is usually system files, restore points and the hibernation file, which show under System & reserved, or hidden folders. Our guide to hidden files explains how hidden items can account for missing space.

Change where new content is saved in Windows 10

In Windows 10, open Settings, System, Storage, and under More storage settings select Change where new content is saved. The page lists the same content types, New apps, New documents, New music, New photos and videos, New movies and TV shows and New offline maps, each with a drive list and an Apply button. The behavior is the same as in Windows 11.

Windows 10 is past its October 2025 end of support except for PCs enrolled in Extended Security Updates. If you are moving to a new Windows 11 PC, set the save locations there after setup, and copy your files from the old PC's folders into the new locations directly, so they land on the right drive from the start.

Move your existing Documents, Pictures, Downloads and other folders

To move what is already in your personal folders, use each folder's Location tab. This moves the folder and its contents to another drive and updates Windows so that everything pointing at the folder follows it.

1. Create a folder on the target drive for the destination, for example D:\Ethan\Pictures. Use a separate folder for each library; do not point a library at the root of a drive.
2. Open File Explorer, right-click Pictures in the navigation pane or your user folder, and choose Properties.
3. Open the Location tab and select Move.
4. Choose the folder you created and select Select Folder, then Apply.
5. When Windows asks whether to move all files from the old location to the new one, select Yes.
6. Wait for the move to finish, then select OK. Repeat for Documents, Videos, Music, Downloads and Desktop as needed.

After the move, the folder still appears as Pictures, Documents and so on in File Explorer and in apps, but its contents live on the new drive. To undo it, open the same Location tab and select Restore Default, then move the files back.

Moving Downloads is often the quickest win, since it fills up silently. Moving Desktop works too, but be aware that desktop shortcuts and files then live on the other drive, and if that drive is ever missing, the desktop appears empty. Ethan moved Pictures, Videos and Documents, which held over 90 GB between them.

Common mistakes when moving folders

A few mistakes cause most of the trouble people have with moving folders. Pointing a folder at the root of a drive, such as choosing D:\ itself as the new location for Documents, mixes your files with everything else on the drive and makes Restore Default messy; always create a dedicated folder first. Pointing two folders at the same place, such as Documents and Pictures both at D:\Files, merges them and confuses Windows; give each its own folder.

Moving files by dragging instead of using the Location tab moves the files but leaves Windows pointing at the old, now empty, folder, so apps keep saving to C:. Using a drive that is sometimes disconnected, such as an external USB drive, leaves folders missing whenever it is unplugged. And forgetting backups, as covered above, leaves everything on one drive with no copy.

If something has gone wrong, the Location tab's Restore Default button is the way back: it points the folder at its original place on C: and offers to move the files back.

What to move and what to leave on C:

The rule of thumb: move your files and your apps, through the methods Windows provides, and leave Windows' own folders alone.

Storage Sense: free space automatically

Changing save locations decides where new things go; Storage Sense keeps C: tidy by removing things you no longer need. Turn it on in Settings, System, Storage, Storage Sense. It can delete temporary files automatically, empty the Recycle Bin of files older than a set number of days, clean out the Downloads folder of files you have not opened for a while, and turn OneDrive files you have not used recently back into online-only files.

Be careful with the Downloads cleanup option: if you keep important files in Downloads, set it to Never, or move them somewhere permanent first. The other options are safe for almost everyone. Storage Sense runs when space is low or on a schedule you choose, such as weekly.

Combined with a second drive for personal files, Storage Sense keeps C: in good shape with no effort. The Cleanup recommendations page in Storage also suggests large or unused files and apps you might remove. Our guide to a C: drive full for no reason covers hidden space users such as restore points and the hibernation file.

For Ethan's family, Storage Sense was set to run weekly, empty the Recycle Bin of files older than 30 days, and leave Downloads alone, since his daughter keeps school files there. In the first month, it quietly recovered several gigabytes of temporary files without anyone noticing anything except more free space.

Move installed apps and games to another drive

Many Microsoft Store apps and games can be moved to another drive without reinstalling. Open Settings, Apps, Installed apps, select the three dots next to an app, and choose Move if it is offered; pick the drive and select Move. In Windows 10, select the app in Apps & features and choose Move. If there is no Move option, the app cannot be moved, often because it is a desktop program or part of Windows.

Games from the Xbox app have their own setting: open the Xbox app, go to Settings, Installation options, and choose the default drive and folder for new games; installed games can be moved from the game's management page. Other game launchers have similar options, usually called library folders or storage locations, which let you add a folder on another drive and move installed games there without downloading them again.

Traditional desktop programs, installed with a setup file, generally cannot be moved after installation. Uninstall them, then reinstall, choosing a folder on the other drive in the installer's custom or advanced options, such as D:\Programs. Many installers offer this choice; some, especially small utilities, always install to C:.

Stop Office saving to OneDrive by default

Microsoft 365 apps such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint often suggest OneDrive when you save a new file, which surprises people who expect files to go to Documents on their PC. You can change that in the app's options, and it is worth checking in each Office app you use.

1. Open Word, Excel or PowerPoint and select File, then Options.
2. Select Save.
3. Check Save to Computer by default.
4. In Default local file location, enter or browse to the folder you want, such as D:\Ethan\Documents.
5. Select OK.

Now the Save dialog starts on your PC rather than OneDrive. You can still save to OneDrive whenever you choose. Note that if OneDrive is backing up your Documents folder, as described next, "your PC" and "OneDrive" may be the same folder, so files saved to Documents are synced anyway.

The same Save options page has two related settings worth knowing. Don't show the Backstage when opening or saving files with keyboard shortcuts makes Ctrl + S on a new file open the classic Save As window directly, which many people find quicker. And AutoRecover file location shows where Office keeps recovery copies of unsaved work; it lives in AppData and should be left there. Check the same page in Excel and PowerPoint too, so every app you use starts in the folder you expect.

OneDrive and your folders

OneDrive's folder backup, also called Known Folder Move, can redirect your Desktop, Documents and Pictures folders into the OneDrive folder, so they sync to the cloud. Many new PCs turn this on during setup. When it is on, the folders' locations are inside OneDrive, usually C:\Users\YourName\OneDrive\Documents, and the Location tab shows that path.

To change where those files live, you have two choices. Keep backup on, and move the entire OneDrive folder to another drive: in OneDrive settings, unlink the PC from your account, then link it again and choose a folder on the other drive as the OneDrive location. Or turn off folder backup in OneDrive's settings, under Sync and back up, Manage back up, and then move the folders with their Location tabs as described above.

OneDrive's Files On-Demand also saves a lot of space without moving anything: files stay in the cloud and appear in File Explorer, downloading only when you open them. Right-click a folder and choose Free up space to turn downloaded files back into online-only ones. Our guide to stopping or pausing OneDrive sync covers the related settings.

Browser downloads, screenshots and other app locations

Some apps keep their own save locations, independent of Windows' settings. Browsers save downloads to the Downloads folder by default, so moving Downloads moves them, but you can also change the browser's download folder directly: in Edge, Settings, Downloads, Location, and in Chrome, Settings, Downloads, Location. Our guide to the Edge download location walks through it.

Screenshots taken with Windows + Print Screen go to Pictures\Screenshots, and Snipping Tool saves to the same folder by default when automatic saving is on, so moving Pictures moves them too. The Camera app saves to Pictures\Camera Roll. Screen recordings may go to Videos\Screen Recordings or Videos\Captures depending on the tool. Our guide to screenshots covers where each one lands.

Creative apps, such as photo and video editors, often have their own project and cache folders in their preferences, and caches can be large. Pointing an editor's cache or scratch folder to the second drive frees space on C: and is safe, since caches can always be rebuilt.

Developers and power users: caches, VMs and WSL

On developers' and power users' PCs, the biggest space users are often invisible in the Documents and Pictures categories: package manager caches, build output, container images, virtual machines and WSL distributions. Many of these can live on a second drive. Keep project folders and virtual machine files on the larger drive from the start, point package and build caches to it through each tool's configuration where supported, and store container and VM images there through the tools' storage settings.

WSL distributions are stored as virtual disk files under your user folder by default. Recent versions of WSL can move a distribution to another drive with wsl --manage DistroName --move D:\WSL\DistroName, replacing the names; on older versions, exporting the distribution with wsl --export and importing it to the new location does the same. Shut the distribution down first with wsl --shutdown.

These moves are safe because the tools are designed to have their storage locations changed, unlike Windows' own folders. Check each tool's documentation for the supported way, and avoid moving their folders by hand.

Music and video apps

Media apps keep their own lists of folders to watch. The Media Player app in Windows 11 builds its library from the Music and Videos libraries by default; if you moved those folders with the Location tab, it follows automatically. If your music is in a different folder, open Media Player's settings and add the folder under Music library locations or Video library locations.

The Photos app similarly shows pictures from the Pictures library and any folders you add in its settings or through the Pictures library. Streaming apps with offline downloads, such as music and video services, usually have their own download location in their settings, which can be pointed at the second drive to save a lot of space on C:, since offline video in particular is large.

Libraries: one view of folders on several drives

Windows libraries gather folders from different locations into one view: the Pictures library, for example, can show both C:\Users\YourName\Pictures and D:\Photos together. Libraries are hidden in Windows 11's File Explorer by default; show them by right-clicking an empty area of the navigation pane and choosing Show libraries.

To add a folder to a library, right-click the library, choose Properties, select Add, and pick the folder. The library's properties also let you choose the default save location for that library, which is where apps that save to the library put new files. Photos and media apps often read libraries to find your pictures and music, so adding a folder on D: to the Pictures library makes those photos appear in the Photos app.

Libraries are an alternative to moving folders when you want to keep some content on C: and some on another drive, or when an old drive already has a photo collection that you want to appear alongside your current pictures without copying.

What not to move, and why

Some guides suggest moving Program Files, the whole user folder, or AppData to another drive with registry edits or symbolic links. These tricks can appear to work and then break things later: Windows updates may fail, feature updates may refuse to install, apps may lose their settings, and reinstalling Windows becomes complicated. Microsoft does not support moving these folders after setup.

Program Files and Program Files (x86) should stay on C:. Install new programs to another drive through their installers if you want, but do not change the system's default Program Files location in the registry. ProgramData and Windows must stay where they are. AppData holds app settings and must stay inside your user folder. Our guide to Program Files and ProgramData explains what these folders do.

The page file can be moved through Virtual memory settings, but on a PC whose C: drive is an SSD, the page file is fastest there, and moving it to a hard drive slows the PC when memory is tight. Leave it alone unless you have a specific reason.

Keep a data drive backed up

Moving personal files to a second drive puts all your important data on one drive, which makes backups more important, not less. A second internal drive does not protect against a drive failure, theft, ransomware or accidental deletion. Back up the data drive regularly to an external drive or the cloud.

Windows offers several options: File History, in Control Panel, backs up folders to an external drive on a schedule; Windows Backup and OneDrive back up Documents, Pictures and Desktop to the cloud; and many external drives include their own backup software. Whichever you choose, check that it includes the new locations of your folders. Folders moved with the Location tab are usually followed automatically by Windows' own backup tools, but third-party tools may need their source folders updated.

A good habit after moving folders is to open your backup tool and confirm the next backup includes the moved files, then restore one test file. Ethan did this with File History and an external drive the same afternoon.

Family PCs with several accounts

Each Windows account has its own personal folders and its own Location settings, so moving Documents in your account does not move anyone else's. On a family PC with one small C: drive, repeat the folder moves in each person's account, choosing separate folders on the second drive, such as D:\Ethan and D:\Maya. Check Where new content is saved in each account too, since people may want different choices for their own content.

Keeping each person's files in their own folder on the second drive preserves privacy between accounts, since Windows applies the same permissions to moved folders as to the originals: standard users cannot open other users' moved folders. Avoid pointing several people's libraries at one shared folder unless you want them to share files.

"Can't change where new content is saved" and other errors

The drive does not appear in the list. It may not be formatted with NTFS, may be a removable drive, or may not have a drive letter. Check in Disk Management, opened by right-clicking Start, and format or assign a letter as needed, after backing up any data on it.

Applying the setting fails with an error, such as 0x80070005. That is an access denied error, usually caused by an existing WindowsApps folder on the target drive left from a previous Windows installation or a different PC, with permissions Windows cannot use. Choosing a different drive confirms it. The cleanest fix is to move any files you need off that drive and format it; removing an old WindowsApps folder requires taking ownership, which is fiddly, so formatting is often quicker for a mostly empty drive.

Apps will not install on the new drive. Some apps can only be installed on the system drive; the Store installs them on C: regardless. That is normal. If no app installs on the other drive, check the drive for errors with chkdsk D: /scan.

Moving a folder fails partway. A file may be open or in use. Close apps, especially OneDrive and photo apps, and try again, or restart and move before opening anything.

The Location tab is missing. It appears only for Windows' personal folders, such as Documents and Pictures, not for ordinary folders. If it is missing for those, a policy may control folder redirection, which is common on work PCs.

Put everything back on C:

If you remove the second drive, sell the PC, or simply change your mind, reversing the moves is straightforward if you do it in order. First, set Where new content is saved back to C: for every content type. Then, for each moved personal folder, open its Properties, Location tab, select Restore Default, then Apply, and choose Yes when Windows offers to move the files back. Make sure C: has enough free space for everything first.

For apps and games moved to the second drive, use Installed apps, Move, to bring them back, or the game launcher's move option. Desktop programs installed on the second drive need to be uninstalled and reinstalled to C:. Finally, check that OneDrive's folder location and your backup tool point at the right places. Doing it in this order avoids the situation where Windows points at folders on a drive that is no longer there.

Work and school PCs

On managed PCs, IT often controls where files are saved, through folder redirection policies or OneDrive folder backup enforced for work accounts. In those cases, the Location tab may be missing or the change reverts, and Where new content is saved may be locked. That is intentional: it keeps work files backed up and available on other devices.

If your work PC is running out of space, ask IT before moving folders; they may enable OneDrive Files On-Demand, clean up caches, or provide more storage. Moving work files to an unmanaged second drive may also break data protection rules.

Small laptops: using an SD card or USB drive

Budget laptops and tablets with small built-in storage, such as 64 or 128 GB, are where save locations matter most. A microSD card left permanently in the card slot can serve as a second drive for documents, music, photos and videos: set Where new content is saved to the card for those types, and move the personal folders to it with their Location tabs.

Keep apps on the internal drive, since cards are slower and apps on a removed card will not start. Choose a reputable card rated for continuous use and good speed, and format it with NTFS or exFAT as Windows suggests. Remember to back up the card, which is easy to lose. A small USB drive that stays plugged in can play the same role, though it sticks out and is more easily knocked.

Combined with OneDrive Files On-Demand and Storage Sense, this setup keeps even a 64 GB laptop usable for years.

Setting up a new PC with two drives

If you have a new PC with a small SSD and a larger second drive, setting things up right from the start avoids the slow fill-up Ethan experienced. Before copying any files onto the PC, set Where new content is saved to the large drive for documents, music, photos, videos and apps. Move Documents, Pictures, Videos, Music and Downloads to the large drive with their Location tabs while they are still nearly empty, which takes seconds. Set game launchers' default library to the large drive. Then copy your old files into the new folders.

Keep Windows, Program Files and the apps you use constantly on the SSD for speed. Our guide to optimizing drives explains why hard drives benefit from occasional defragmentation while SSDs do not, which matters if your second drive is a hard drive.

A one-page checklist

For anyone in a hurry, here is the whole page in order. Check Storage to see what is using space. Set Where new content is saved to the larger drive. Move Documents, Pictures, Videos, Music and Downloads with their Location tabs, each to its own folder. Move Store apps and games with Installed apps, Move, and set game launchers' default libraries. Set Office's Save to Computer by default and its default folder. Decide how OneDrive should handle your folders. Turn on Storage Sense. Confirm your backups include the new locations. Leave Program Files, Windows and AppData alone.

That is about half an hour of work on a typical family PC, and it was exactly what Jake did on Ethan's laptop, in that order.

When a bigger SSD is the better answer

Moving content to a second drive works well, but on a laptop with one small SSD and no second drive, the best long-term fix may be a larger SSD. Many laptops have a replaceable M.2 SSD, and a 1 TB or 2 TB model costs far less than it once did. Cloning software, often provided free by SSD makers, copies Windows, apps and files to the new drive, so the PC works exactly as before, with much more space.

Check your laptop's manual or the maker's support site for the SSD type and size it accepts, and whether the drive is soldered, which some thin laptops use. For desktops, adding a second SSD or hard drive is usually straightforward. Either way, more space on C: removes the need for most of the moves on this page, though keeping personal files on a separate drive remains a good habit for easy reinstalls.

Frequently asked questions

Changing where Windows saves things takes three moves: set Where new content is saved for new apps and files, move existing personal folders with their Location tabs, and move or reinstall apps and games to the larger drive. Office, OneDrive, browsers and game launchers each have their own setting, and Windows' own folders stay on C:. Done once, it keeps C: comfortable for years. Ethan's laptop has had over 100 GB free on C: ever since.

Revision note. Written October 3, 2026, expanding our 2015 guide to changing the default save location for apps into a complete guide for Windows 11 and 10. It covers Where new content is saved, moving personal folders, what to move and what to leave, moving apps and games, Office and OneDrive, browser and screenshot locations, what not to move, errors and setting up a new PC with two drives. May your C: drive always have room to breathe.