Windows Tip: Change the location of personal folders

You must be familiar with the personal folders in Windows (for example: Documents, Downloads Pictures, Music, etc). You can add many folders to these libraries. For example, if you have many videos you can store them in any folder on some other hard-drive and include that folder in the Videos library to access those as well as any other videos you have included in the library at one place.

You can also change the location of these folders easily by redirecting them to some other location. For example, if you have large number of downloads (or anything else for that matter), you may want to store them in any other hard-drive or even on a network to free up space on your primary hard-drive and also keep the files safe. Redirecting a such folder changes where the folder(s) as well as the files inside it are stored but you’ll be able to access it just the same way as you did before.

Now, to redirect a folder to a new location:

• First browse to the folder you want to redirect. You can do that in many ways, for example, for Windows 7 and earlier, it is rather easy.
  • Click on start and the click on your user name (Windows 7 and earlier).
  • For Windows 8 and later, open Windows Explorer (many ways to do this)
    • Now under the Favorites section in the upper left, click Desktop.
    • Now open the folder with your user name on it.
• Now select and right click on your desired folder and click properties.
• Click on Location tab.
• Click on Move.
• New windows explorer window should open up. Browse to the new location. The location can be anywhere on you same hard-drive, different local disk, different hard-drive, or even any network location.
• Click and select the desired folder you want the files to be stored in and hit OK.
• In the confirmation dialog that pops up, click Yes to move all your files of the original folder to the new folder.

Now your folder is linked to a new location!

If you ever want to restore the folder(s) to it’s original location:

• Browse to the folder you want to redirect.
• Click on start and the click on your user name (Windows 7 and earlier).
• For Windows 8 and later, open Windows Explorer (many ways to do this)
  • Now under the Favorites section in the upper left, click Desktop.
  • Now open the folder with your user name on it.

• • Now select and right click on your desired folder and click properties.
  • Click on Location tab.
  • Click on Restore Default.
  • Hit OK.
  • Now again click Yes to recreate the original folder, and then once more click Yes on the dialog box to move all the files back to the original folder.

If your folder doesn’t have the Location tab it can’t be moved or if the path is grayed out, you don’t have the required permission to change it.

Have any doubts or a tip to share? Hit them in the comments section below!  :-)

Ishaan Farooq

Hi, I am Ishaan Farooq, let me introduce myself. I am a Tech Blogger from Lucknow, India and am a big Techo Freak who loves to Surf Internet the whole day and is a Modding, Programming and Customization Enthusiast.