Windows 10: Restoring Default User Folder Locations

Hello. A couple weeks ago I did a fresh install of Windows and all my folders are in particular locations across multiple drives. Now, while I was configuring the location of my Downloads folder while formatting my backup/downloads HDD (Seagate BarraCuda), I had temporarily re-routed it to the Desktop. Now, the problem is that I set the location to the Desktop folder itself, so Downloads and Desktop become the same things. And as you can see, they're both named the same.


I've tried going into the location settings and restoring them to default values, but regardless of whether I do that to the Desktop or Downloads shortcut (which have become the same names, just different icons), it only allows me to restore them to C:/users/USERNAME/Desktop


I currently have my Downloads folder located on the Seagate BarraCuda, and the link under Quick Access works just fine but lower down under This PC (in the left pane) it's identical to the folders on the left of my screenshot; they both lead to Desktop.


What I'm looking for is a method to restore the original folders and their locations; essentially like a factory reset to these folders. I know I screwed something up when I relocated the Downloads into Desktop originally, and would like to know of a method to restore those to where they were before I did that. My PC is configured very specifically and re-installing and re-configuring Windows would take me an entire day, so I'd like to avoid that at all costs!


Any help would be greatly appreciated!




:)

 

Vista Ultimate - 'User' Folder Location

No tried that.

Can copy the entire folder to D; but Windows still points to C as the location. Can change personal folders location to a folder on D;, but this still leaves hidden files etc on C;. Thus meaning there are 2 Users folders. Have managed to change the Public folder location to D;, with some registry tweaks, but this doesnt seem to work for the entire folder.

any more suggestions

 

Cannot restore default location of Documents folder


Hello MurakamiFan, and welcome to Ten Forums. *Smile

If you like, you can download and merge the .reg file in step 5 of Option Two in the tutorial below to automatically restore the default location of your Documents folder.

*Arrow Restore Default Location of Personal Folders in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

 

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.