How to Move Downloads Folder to Another Drive on Windows 10 or Windows 11
As a regular internet user, you likely download various files to your computer, including game files, software programs, media files, documents, and more. These downloads are automatically stored in the Downloads folder on your Windows device.
The Downloads folder is a convenient location for downloaded files, eliminating the need to search through multiple folders. It's a default folder created by Windows, where downloaded files are automatically saved, and is typically located in the home directory of the C drive. This makes it easy to find and access downloaded files without having to navigate through multiple program-specific folders.
To locate the downloads folder, follow the C:\Users\UserName\Downloads\ location, but you can also move it to another drive on Windows 11/10. In this post, you'll learn some easy ways to move the Downloads folder to another drive on Windows 10 and above.
Why Move Downloads Folder to Another Drive
The downloads folder on your PC can become cluttered and take up a lot of space on the C drive, potentially limiting the number of applications you can install and causing low disk space warnings.
Also, if you happen to re-To prevent losing files in the Downloads folder when installing Windows or experiencing boot issues, consider moving the folder from the C drive to the D drive. This will keep your downloads separate from your operating system and ensure you don't accumulate clutter on your C drive.
If you change the Downloads location to a different drive on your PC, it will be a safe action. This allows you to free up space on your main drive, and also helps to keep your downloads organized and separate from your main files.
- When downloaded files are stored on a different drive or partition, it can help free up space on the C drive.
- When you're dual booting, you'll be able to access the downloaded files.
- The downloaded files will remain secure when you reinstall Windows
- You'll be able to access the downloaded files when you can't boot into Windows.
Move Downloads Folder to Another Drive Manually in 2 Ways
If you're considering changing the location of your Downloads folder, you may want to know how to move it to another drive in Windows 10. Fortunately, there are two ways to manually relocate your Downloads folder from the C drive to the D drive or any other drive. You can either use the Settings app to change the default download location, or you can manually move the folder by copying and pasting it to the new location and then updating the system to point to the new location.
1. Set and Change the Default Location in Settings
To change the download folder save location, follow these steps:
Step 1. To free up storage on your PC, open the Settings option and click on System, then select Storage.
Step 2. To change where new content is saved, tap on the "Change where new content is saved" option.
Step 3. Here, set the desired download location for each category.
To change the location of downloaded files, you can modify the default download directory in your browser settings or use a download manager that allows you to specify a custom download location. Some browsers also offer the option to save files to a specific folder or drive.
2. Use the Move Feature in Properties
To change the Downloads location in Windows 10, you can use the move feature. Follow these steps to move the Downloads folder to another drive:
Step 1. To open the File Explorer on your PC, press the keyboard shortcut "Win + E".
Step 2. To move the downloads folder, go to the drive where you want to relocate it, right-click, select "New," and then "Folder." Name the new folder "Downloads."
Step 3. Right-click on the "Downloads Folder" in the Quick Access bar and select "Properties" from the context menu.
Step 4. To move a location, tap on the "Location" tab and click on the "Move" option in the properties window.
Step 5. To select the folder, go back to the "Select a Destination" window and tap on the folder you created previously. Select the folder and tap on the "Select Folder" option.
Step 6. The new location will be added to the properties window. Tap "Apply" and "OK" to save the changes.
Step 7.Tap on the "Yes" option when prompted to move all files from the old location to the new location.
To move the Downloads folder to another drive on Windows 11/10, you can follow these steps. This will change the default Download folder to be located on the new drive. The process involves creating a new folder on the desired drive, copying the contents of the original Downloads folder to the new one, and then setting the new folder as the default Download location.
Move Downloads Folder to Another Drive Using a Free PC Data Transfer Tool
If you find all the above-To move the Downloads folder to another drive, you can use a PC data transfer tool like Qiling Disk Master Free. This tool allows you to transfer applications, user accounts, files, and settings between computers, making it a convenient option for relocating your Downloads folder.
To move the Downloads folder from the C drive to the D drive or any other partition, you can use a PC data transfer software that has a large file/folder move feature, such as Qiling Disk Master Free. This allows for a hassle-free and quick transfer of the Downloads location. Additionally, Qiling Disk Master Free can be used to restore and back up files, move programs or applications from one computer to another or from one drive to another.
Here are some other features of this tool:
Qiling Disk Master allows you to transfer everything from an old PC to a new one with ease, including applications, files, programs, and folders, making it a safe and efficient way to move important data.
- Fast and automatic
Qiling Disk Master is a fast tool that saves you time, eliminating the need to spend long hours transferring files and folders between PCs. Unlike manual transfer, it uses an auto-transfer feature to make the process efficient.
- Ready to use programs
After copying installed programs and other data to the new computer, you can instantly use them without needing to re-install, but if not, you may need to download and install all the transferred applications on your PC.
- Free Assistance:
Qiling offers spot-The technical experts will assist you 24/7 with data transfer, providing help whenever you need it.
Here are the steps to move the large Downloader folder from one drive to another with this simple PC file transfer program.
Step 1. Open Qiling Disk Master on your computer and click "Large File Cleanup" to start the process. This feature allows you to transfer files from one drive to another or move data from one disk to another.
Step 2. Choose the hard drive or disk you want to scan for files.
Step 3. After the scan is complete, files larger than 20M will be listed. You can then select the target files to transfer and set the target location as needed, before clicking the "Move" button to proceed.
Step 4. To complete the transfer, confirm the operation again and click the "Move" button to initiate the process. Once the file transfer is finished, you will have enough free space on the source drive/disk.
Conclusion
Moving the downloads folder to another drive on Windows 10 can be a simple task. You can use any of the methods mentioned above to achieve this, but we suggest trying Qiling Disk Master, a reliable and efficient tool that will make the process smooth and hassle-free.
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