How to Change the Default Location of the My Documents Folder

This article describes how to change the default location of the My Documents folder in Microsoft Windows XP.

The My Documents folder is your own personal folder in which you can store your documents, graphics, and other personal files. When there is more that one person using the computer, Windows creates a My Documents folder for each user on the computer.

By default, the target or actual location of the My Documents folder is C:\Documents and Settings\user name\My Documents, where C is the drive in which Windows is installed, and user name is the currently logged-on user. You can change the target if you want My Documents to point to a different folder location.

Change the Default Location of the My Documents Folder

To change the default location of the My Documents folder, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then point to My Documents.
2. Right-click My Documents, and then click Properties.
3. Click the Target tab.
4. In the Target box, do one of the following:
   • Type the path to the folder location that you want, and then click OK. For example, D:\My Stuff.
     
     If the folder does not exist, the Create Message dialog box is displayed. Click Yes to create the folder, and then click OK.
     
     -or-
   • Click Move, click the folder in which to store your documents, and then click OK twice.
     
     If you need to create a new folder, click Make New Folder. Type a name for the folder, and then click OK twice.
5. In the Move Documents box, click Yes to move your documents to the new location, or click No to leave your documents in the original location.

Restore the My Documents Folder to Its Default Location

To restore the My Documents folder to its default location, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then point to My Documents.
2. Right-click My Documents, and then click Properties.
3. Click Restore Default, and then click OK.
4. In the Move Documents box, click Yes to move your documents to the new location, or click No to leave your documents in the original location.

Remove the My Documents Folder from the Start menu

If you do not want to display My Documents on the Start menu, follow these steps:

1. Right-click Start, and then click Properties. Or, if the Start menu is already displayed, right-click an empty area of the Start menu, and then click Properties.
2. Click Customize.
3. Click the Advanced tab.
4. In the Start menu items list, under My Documents, click Don't display this item, and then click OK twice.
   
   The next time you click Start, the My Documents folder is no longer displayed on the Start menu.

NOTE: Removing the My Documents folder from the Start menu does not remove the files stored in the target location of the My Documents folder.

Display the My Documents Folder on the Start menu

To display My Documents on the Start menu, follow these steps:

1. Right-click Start, and then click Properties. Or, if the Start menu is already displayed, right-click an empty area of the Start menu, and then click Properties.
2. Click Customize.
3. Click the Advanced tab.
4. In the Start menu items list, under My Documents, click Display as a link or Display as a menu, and then click OK twice.
   
   The next time you click Start, the My Documents folder is displayed on the Start menu.

For additional information about working with the My Documents Folder, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For additional information about the Start menu in Windows XP, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: