Windows 11 lets you change the physical location of six personal folders: Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, and Videos. Use each folder’s Properties > Location > Move… controls so Windows updates the known-folder path; do not rely on cutting and pasting the folder.
This is useful when your system drive is running out of space, when you want personal files on another internal drive, or when you need to restore a folder that was redirected incorrectly.
Which Windows 11 folders can be relocated?
The Location tab supports these six standard personal folders:
| Folder | Default path |
|---|---|
| Desktop | %USERPROFILE%\Desktop |
| Documents | %USERPROFILE%\Documents |
| Downloads | %USERPROFILE%\Downloads |
| Music | %USERPROFILE%\Music |
| Pictures | %USERPROFILE%\Pictures |
| Videos | %USERPROFILE%\Videos |
Windows also has a Favorites personal-folder registry value, but it is not one of the six standard known folders normally shown with a Location tab in current Windows 11 File Explorer. Microsoft documents the supported folders and default paths.
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Find the folder in Windows 11 File Explorer
In Windows 11 version 22H2 and later, these folders are normally shown in Home and the left navigation pane. They are not necessarily listed under This PC as they were in older Windows layouts.
- Open File Explorer.
- Select Home in the navigation pane.
- Select the Up arrow beside the address bar. This displays the personal folders.
- Right-click the folder you want to relocate and select Properties.
If the folder is not visible because it was removed from Home or the navigation pane, right-click it when you locate it and choose Pin to Quick access. Microsoft still uses that label even though the File Explorer landing page is called Home. See Microsoft’s File Explorer guidance.
Change a default folder’s location
Before starting, create or choose a destination folder on the target drive. For example, you might create D:\Documents for Documents or D:\Downloads for Downloads. Avoid redirecting one personal folder into another personal folder, such as setting Documents to the Videos folder.
- In File Explorer, right-click Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, or Videos.
- Select Properties.
- Open the Location tab.
- Select Move….
- Browse to, or create, the destination folder.
- Select the destination and then select OK.
Windows may then ask how to handle files that are already in the old location. The exact wording can vary between Windows builds. Read the prompt carefully before accepting it, especially if the old folder contains a large amount of data or files that are already backed up elsewhere.
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After the change, the folder’s known location points to the new path. This is different from selecting files in File Explorer and using Cut, navigating to another folder, and selecting Paste. Cut and Paste moves files or an ordinary folder; the Location tab changes the Windows-known-folder mapping. Microsoft’s documented procedure uses the Location tab and Move button.
Examples of useful destination paths
If your second drive is D:, separate destination folders are safer than placing everything directly in the drive root:
D:\DesktopD:\DocumentsD:\DownloadsD:\MusicD:\PicturesD:\Videos
Using separate folders makes it easier to identify which location belongs to which Windows known folder and reduces the risk of accidentally mapping two personal folders to the same directory.
What changing the location does—and does not do
- It changes the Windows-known-folder path. Windows and compatible applications can use the new path when referring to Documents, Downloads, or another redirected folder.
- It is not a universal save-location switch. An application can still offer its own folder choice when you use Save or Save As.
- It is not the same as moving OneDrive. Changing whether Windows defaults to OneDrive or This PC affects save behavior; it does not move the entire OneDrive folder or automatically redirect every Windows personal folder. See Microsoft’s explanation of OneDrive save locations.
- It does not guarantee that every program follows the new path. Some applications retain their own settings or previously selected folders.
Fix “Access is denied” when moving a folder
One documented cause of the error “Can’t move the folder because there is a folder in the same location that can’t be redirected. Access is denied.” is a personal folder that has been mapped to another personal folder inside OneDrive.
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Check that the destination is a dedicated folder and not another redirected personal folder. Do not set Documents to the existing Videos directory, or place two known folders in the same OneDrive subfolder. If the mapping is already damaged, restore the affected folder’s default registry value as described below, then try the graphical procedure again. Microsoft’s troubleshooting article also documents cases where mapping one local personal folder to another leaves them linked without an error.
Repair a broken folder mapping in the Registry
Use this procedure only if the Location-tab method fails or two personal folders have become linked. Registry mistakes can cause serious Windows problems, so back up the registry before editing it, as Microsoft recommends.
- Right-click the Windows logo on the lower-left corner of the taskbar and select Run.
- Enter
regedit.exeand select OK. - If User Account Control appears, select Yes.
- In Registry Editor, open:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders - Find the value for the affected folder and set its data to the correct default shown below.
- Restart Explorer.exe, sign out and sign in again, or restart Windows.
| Folder | Registry value | Default data |
|---|---|---|
| Downloads | {374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B} |
%USERPROFILE%\Downloads |
| Desktop | Desktop |
%USERPROFILE%\Desktop |
| Favorites | Favorites |
%USERPROFILE%\Favorites |
| Music | My Music |
%USERPROFILE%\Music |
| Pictures | My Pictures |
%USERPROFILE%\Pictures |
| Videos | My Video |
%USERPROFILE%\Videos |
| Documents | Personal |
%USERPROFILE%\Documents |
To restart only Explorer, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, find Windows Explorer, right-click it, and select Restart. If the folder still behaves incorrectly, sign out and sign in again before repeating the Location procedure.
Common problems after changing a folder location
The folder is missing from This PC
This may be normal in current Windows 11. Starting with version 22H2, the standard personal folders are pinned by default in Home and the left navigation pane rather than being displayed under This PC. Use File Explorer > Home > Up arrow to locate them.
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The folder disappeared after being unpinned
Unpinning a folder changes how it is presented in File Explorer; it does not normally change its physical location. Locate it through Home and the Up arrow, right-click it, and select Pin to Quick access.
Two folders remain linked
Windows can sometimes accept a mapping such as Documents to Videos without showing an immediate error. The two locations may then behave as though they are inseparable. Restore the affected values under User Shell Folders to their defaults, restart Explorer, and redirect each folder to its own destination.
Check the result
- Right-click the relocated folder and open Properties > Location.
- Confirm that the path points to the intended drive and folder.
- Create a small test file in the folder.
- Open the destination in File Explorer and confirm that the file appears there.
- Check an application that uses the folder, but remember that programs may maintain separate save-location settings.
Keep the destination drive connected and available. If it is removed or unavailable, Windows and applications may not be able to access files through the redirected path.
FAQ
Can I move the Windows 11 Downloads folder to another drive?
Yes. Right-click Downloads, select Properties, open Location, select Move…, choose a folder on the other drive, and select OK. Use a dedicated destination such as D:\Downloads rather than another personal folder.
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Why can’t I find Documents under This PC?
Windows 11 version 22H2 and later normally shows Documents and the other known folders in Home and the left navigation pane instead of under This PC. In File Explorer, select Home, select the Up arrow beside the address bar, and locate Documents there.
Does cutting and pasting Documents change its Windows location?
No. Cut and Paste moves files or an ordinary folder. To change a Windows personal-folder location, use Properties, the Location tab, and Move….
Does changing OneDrive’s default save option move my Windows folders?
No. Choosing OneDrive or This PC as a default save preference changes save behavior. It is separate from changing a known-folder path or moving the entire OneDrive folder.
What should I do if two personal folders became linked?
Restore the affected values in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders to their default paths, restart Explorer or sign out and in, then redirect each folder to a separate destination. Back up the registry before editing it.
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For Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, or Videos, use Properties > Location > Move…. Choose a separate destination for each folder and verify the resulting path. Do not rely on Cut and Paste, and do not confuse OneDrive’s save preference with moving a Windows known folder. Reserve Registry edits for failed or damaged mappings, and back up the registry first.
