Windows 10: downloads folder is missing and I can't access it

My downloads folder is not working, my son was on my computer and I think he deleted it or did something to it. My downloads folder is missing from my quick access and my onedrive but still shows under my computer but I can not open it. When I click on it I get the error message - see below. Please help? I am working on Windows 10 on my PC.Thank you.

:)

 

Cannot unping wrong Download Folder from Quick Access

Hi Luca,

Thank you for posting your query on Microsoft Community.

I understand your inconvenience. We will assist you with it.

I suggest you follow the instruction provided below and check if it helps.

To unpin the download folder from Quick access.

• Right click on download folder.
• Select unpin from Quick access.

To unpin the download folder from Quick access.

• Right click on download folder.
• Select pin from Quick access.

If the issue still persist, I suggest you to follow the steps provided below and check if it helps.

Method 1:

• Press the Windows logo key + E key, to open File Explorer.
• Click on View tab.
• Click on Options button, located in top right corner of the window.
• Select the General tab.
• Click on Restore to default button.
• Click OK.

Hope it helps. Do let us know if your issue is resolved. For any further query, feel free to contact us.

Thank you.

 

Downloads folder is the Documents folder

Hi Chris,

Thank you for posting your query on Microsoft Community.

I suggest you to Restore to Default the folders and document settings and see if it helps.

Step 1:

Please follow below steps and check if it helps.

• Go to Download folder.
• Right click on the Download Folder and go to Properties.
• In Properties go to Location tab.
• In location Tab Click on Restore Default.

Step 2:

Please follow below steps and check if it helps.

• Go to Documents folder.
• Right click on the Document folder and go to Properties.
• In Properties go to Location tab.
• In location Tab Click on Restore Default.

After performing above steps change the settings as you required and check if it helps.

Hope these information helps, please get back to us for future support, we’ll be glad to assist you further.

Thank you.

 

Quick Access not searching Pictures folder

Summary, that last suggestion didn't work.

• I moved the pictures to another folder temporarily.

• Then I tried to remove the Pictures folder with option one at Add or Remove Folders from This PC in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials. Even after rebooting, the Pictures folder remained.
• So I tried using option two. Same thing: reboot >> Pictures folder still there.

• Since there were no troubleshooting steps for this scenario, just for the heck of it, I ran through the restore steps. Copied some pictures into the Pictures folder, ran a Quick Access search and initial problem remains: Searching all of QA doesn't find any files in Pictures folder, running search on just the Pictures folder does. I want to run a global search and find matching files in any/all of the Documents, Music, Videos, and Pictures folders.

That article dates from 2015 and I'm guessing is out of date. I hope it didn't create potential future problems in my registry.

Bottom line: I'm still looking for a fix.