Windows 10: New Win10 install; files not appearing in search in 'Desktop' or 'Documents' [folder] location

On my previous install of Windows 10, in my 'Documents' folder - so C:\Users\[username]\Documents - I had a folder called 'Utilities' in which I stuffed things like autohotkey scripts and shortcuts to portable apps, so they'd be indexed / searchable. I could just hit the windows key, type the name of the .lnk or .ahk and it'd come up. I copied the entire contents of my Documents folder, copied them elsewhere, set up Win10 on a new SSD, and copied all those contents into Documents - same path, C:\Users\[username]\Documents.Now, however, searching for any contents of Documents, whether in the ex

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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.

 

Can't open folder location via windows search and "open file location"

I also can do a Search for a particular file in a folder such as Documents with *.doc then I get this list on the right-click of a file found, the choice is at the bottom of the list:

 

Can word processor documents be sent to desktop vs Documents folder

That's a different question.
You want to know how to change the default.
Only by 'relocating' your user Documents folder to your Desktop. Move Location of Documents Folder - TenForumsTutorials but it seems a very big step to take just to satisfy WordPad.
I would not be at all surprised to find that somebody has discovered a Registry hack to do what you want more directly & without relocating the Documents folder.

Denis