Move Your Documents, Music, and More: How to Change Default Folder Locations in Windows 11

So, Windows 11 comes with default folders like Documents, Music, Pictures, and Videos for every user account. It’s nice and all, but there are times when it makes perfect sense to move these folders to another drive. This can help free up some precious space on the main drive and just makes it easier to manage everything. Here’s how to change those default folder locations using the Settings app. It’s not rocket science, but it can feel like it—especially if you’re new to this.

Changing Default Locations of User Profile Folders in Windows 11

Moving User Folders Using Settings

First off, to get to the Settings, just hit Windows key + I to pull that up. Once you’re there, head over to the System section on the left. Then, scroll down (yeah, it’s down there) and click on Storage.

It can be kind of annoying how deep you have to go to change simple things, right?

Now, find the storage settings:

• Scroll down in the Storage section until you hit Storage management.
• Click on Advanced storage settings, and then choose Where new content is saved.

Once you’re in there, you’ll see options to change where stuff goes:

• Click on the drop-down next to folders like Documents, Music, Pictures, and Videos to see where you can move them.
• Select the drive you want to use, switching from the C drive to the D drive or whatever suits your fancy.

This kind of switch is especially handy if you’re running low on space on your main drive or just want to keep your OS files nice and separate from personal data. Makes sense, right?

Instructions for Relocating Files

Say you want to move the Documents folder from C to D. Just:

• Click the arrow next to the Documents option.
• Pick the drive you want from the list.
• Save your changes.

Rinse and repeat for any other folders you feel like relocating. After switching, files should save automatically in those new spots. Pretty neat!

Using Command Line for Advanced Users

If diving into the menus isn’t your thing, there’s always the Command Line. For the brave souls out there, you can tweak folder locations using PowerShell or cmd. The command looks like this:

New-Item -ItemType Junction -Path "D:\Documents" -Target "C:\Users\YourUserName\Documents"

Here’s the breakdown of that command:

• -Path is where you want the new folder (like D:\Documents).
• -Target is where the original folder is sitting (that would be C:\Users\YourUserName\Documents).

Don’t forget to swap “YourUserName” with your actual Windows account name. And yeah, running PowerShell as Admin is pretty much a must to get that to work.

Just a heads up – check that the old folder isn’t cluttered with leftover files, or you’ll lose track of what’s what.

It can be a little messy, but once everything’s set, it’s much easier to keep things organized. Managing storage in Windows is always a wild ride, but it’s nice to make it work for you, even if it takes a few tries.