Easier Ways to Change the Location of Desktop Folder in Windows 11/10 in 2022

Get all the info on changing the location of your Desktop folder:

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In this article, we offer you two solutions to change the desktop folder in Windows 11/10: PC data migration software and File Explorer. If you also have a Mac device, you're lucky enough to get the tip on how to move the user folder on Mac.

Where is the Desktop location in Windows 11/10?

Your Windows 11 or Windows 10 desktop displays default programs, downloaded apps, files, folders, shortcuts, and images by default. You can arrange the contents of your desktop however you like. Desktop files usually start out on the C drive.

Default path: C:\Users\Public\Desktop or C:\Users\admin\Desktop

How to Change the Location of the Desktop Folder in Windows 11/10?

Moving your desktop folder to a new location is easy, and we'll guide you through the process.

Option 1: Move Desktop Folder Using PC Data Migration Software

With the help of a tool like Todo PCTrans, you can change the location of folders, such as Desktop, Downloads, Documents, and more, from the C drive to another spot without losing data. It emphasizes the function of migrating a large amount of data with one click and saving time – that's why we introduced a third-party app first.

Download the software and enjoy a fast migration:

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How to Move a Desktop Folder:

Step 1: Click on "Large File Cleaner" on the left, and then click the "Start" button.

Step 2: Click the “Folders” tab and check the box of the folder you want to move. Select the target disk, and then click the “Move” button.

Step 3: Wait for the process to finish, then click “Finish”.

Note: You can click Restore to move the folder back to its default location.

Related article:

Option 2: Manually Change the Desktop Folder Location in Windows 11/10

Windows 11 and the Windows operating system have several unique features that let you customize your device to your liking. Of course, you can use the built-in tool File Explorer to move your desktop folder to a different location.

With File Explorer, your “Desktop” folder can quickly get a new location. However, sometimes the “Change Location” feature might not show up there. In this section, we'll show you how to click the “Move” button and explain the solutions to the “Can't change Desktop folder location” issue.

Step 1: Find the location of your Desktop folder using either of these two methods:

1. Open File Explorer from the Taskbar > Navigate to the "This PC" section > Click on Drive C (typical path: This PC > Local Disk (C:) > Users > Administrator) > Locate a folder named "Desktop."

2. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box > Type ".", then click OK.

Step 2: Right-click the Desktop folder and select Properties from the menu.

Step 3: Click on the “Location” tab in the Desktop window. Under “Current Location,” click the “Move…” button.

< strong > Step 4 This will open a window allowing you to choose where to save your desktop folder. If no options are available, create a new folder and move the target folder into it.

Can't Change the Desktop Folder in Windows 11/10? What Can You Do?

If the Location tab is missing, it may be because you have changed the default location of your personal folders. You can use the Registry to restore the default location by following these steps.

Step 1: Open the Registry Editor (there are two ways to do this).

1. Click the search icon, type "regedit," and press ⊞ Win+X.

2. Press the Windows key + R to open the "Run" box. Type "regedit" and press Enter.

Step 2. Navigate to the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

Step 3. Right-click on "Desktop" on the right and select "Modify."

Step 4. Change the value to %USERPROFILE%\Desktop (it's best to copy and paste this in case of typos). Save the changes and exit the Registry Editor.

Step 5: Restart your Windows 11 or Windows 10 computer.

Now, go to the C drive, click on the 'Desktop' folder, and the 'Location' option in the Properties should be back. If this method doesn't work, you can try using a PC data migration tool.

More tips: How to change the location of your user folder on a Mac

Important: Back up your data first, then proceed to move the Home folder to your Mac.

Step 1: Launch Finder.

1. Hold down the Option, Command, and Space keys to open a "Spotlight" search window.

2. Press Command + N to open a Finder window.

Step 2: Navigate to the "Users" folder.

Search along the path /Macintosh HD/Users.

Step 3: Select the “Home” folder, and drag it directly into your new drive.

Step 4: Click on the Apple logo and select “System Preferences” from the menu.

Step 5: Click on “Users and Groups.”

Step 6: Click the yellow lock icon and enter your administrator password.

Step 7: Right-click the account with the “Home” folder you just moved, and select “Advanced options.”

Step 8. Click the “Select” button in the menu. Navigate to the destination folder where you want the files to be moved > select the newly created folder, then click on “Open” in the bottom-right corner.

Step 9: Click “OK” to close the sheet in the Advanced Options panel, then quit System Preferences.

Step 10: Now you can restart your Mac, and the folder will appear in its new location.

Conclusions

There are two ways to set up a folder on a Windows computer:

• Quick Migration - Todo PCTrans Tool (Recommended)
• Manual Migration - File Explorer

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