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To change the default drive for new apps in Windows 11, go to Settings > System > Storage > Advanced storage settings > Where new content is saved, then choose a drive under New apps will save to. The same page lets you set separate default drives for new documents, music, pictures, and videos. This changes the destination for supported new content; it does not move apps or files already on your PC.
Change the default drive for new apps and content
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Open Start > Settings.
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Select System > Storage.
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Open Advanced storage settings > Where new content is saved.
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Under New apps will save to, select the drive you want to use. Choose destinations separately for any other content types you want to redirect: new documents, music, pictures, or videos.
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Select Apply if the button appears.
Microsoft describes these controls as defaults for different content types and says you can select different drives for each. The exact labels can change with Windows updates; this navigation path was verified on October 7, 2026. See Microsoft’s Storage settings in Windows.
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What the setting changes—and what it does not
New apps and personal content
The New apps will save to option sets a default destination for supported new app installations. The other choices apply to new documents, music, pictures, and videos. These are Windows defaults, not a universal override for every setup program: Microsoft’s guidance does not guarantee that every third-party installer, updater, or app will follow the selection. If an installer offers its own destination choice, check that option during installation.
Apps and files already on the PC
Changing a default does not relocate existing apps or personal files. To move files already stored on the PC, select them in File Explorer and use Move to to choose a connected destination. Microsoft’s instructions for freeing space explain moving files to external storage: Free up drive space in Windows.
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Files saved from an app or synced with OneDrive
An app’s Save or Save As location is a separate choice from Windows’ default-drive preference. OneDrive is different again: it synchronizes files between your computer and OneDrive, and a file-saving flow may offer OneDrive or This PC. See Microsoft’s OneDrive instructions.
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Choose a suitable destination drive
Before changing the preference, consider the content you plan to save and how you use the drive:
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Available capacity: Choose a drive with enough free space for the apps or files you expect to add. Microsoft does not state a minimum capacity or speed requirement for this setting.
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Internal or removable: A second internal drive can remain available whenever the PC is on. An external USB drive or SD card can also be useful when internal storage is limited, but it must be connected to appear as a choice and to access content stored on it.
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Where the content is actually saved: Use the Windows setting for supported new content. Use an app’s own save controls or OneDrive settings when you want to change a particular app’s or cloud-synced files’ destination.
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If you do not see the drive you want, check that it is connected to the PC. Microsoft gives the same advice for a missing destination in its drive-space guidance.
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If the new-app option is unavailable or does not do what you expect
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The drive is missing from the list: Connect it and reopen the storage settings. If it remains absent, Windows is not offering it as an available destination in that list.
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A third-party installer still uses the system drive: Look for a location or custom-install option in that installer. The Windows preference is not documented as controlling every third-party installation.
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You want to free space already in use: Changing the default alone will not move existing files. Move those files separately in File Explorer; for installed apps, use the app’s available Windows or vendor-supported move or uninstall-and-reinstall options rather than assuming the default change relocates them.
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You are trying to change where a file is saved or synced: Use that app’s save settings or OneDrive choices instead of treating the new-content drive preference as a per-file setting.
Microsoft also documents a distinct Windows control for choosing where to get apps; it is separate from the default storage destination. See Change your app recommendation settings in Windows.
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