How to Change Windows Explorer Default Folder
Whenever users run and launch Windows Explorer, the GUI shell for Windows operating system, the Windows Explorer will open in default folder which is current user’s “My Documents” (in Windows XP or earlier) or “Documents” (in Windows Vista) in the logged on user home directory. The Windows Explorer default folder is user’s My Documents folder is the default setting in Windows that assumes most users will make use of the folder to manage their documents and files, thus having Windows Explorer opening in My Documents by default is convenient for most users.
If you’re using another folder as the working folder and need to access different folder which saves most of your files more often than My Documents using Windows Explorer, it’s possible to change Windows Explorer default folder setting and assign another folder as the default folder so that whenever Windows Explorer is started, it will display the contents of another different folder instead of My Documents folder.
How to Change Default Folder of Windows Explorer
- Click on Start button, then go to All Programs, and finally Accessories. If you’re using Windows Explorer shortcut at other location, such as Quick Launch bar or Desktop, skip this step.
- Right-click on Windows Explorer (or its shortcut) and then click Properties.
- In Windows Explorer Properties, click on Shortcut tab if you’re not already there.
- The text box after “Target” by default will shown the value as below:
%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe
Change the Target text box parameter to the following:
%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /n, /e, <New Path>
where <New Path> represents the full path to the new different folder that you want Windows Explorer to open as default folder on launch. The spaces must not be omitted.
For example, if you want Windows Explorer to run and show C:\ folder, the Target path should be like this:
%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /n, /e, C:\
Or you if you want Windows Explorer to go directly to C:\MyFolder\ directory, the line should read as below:
%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /n, /e, C:\MyFolder\
A special case is to change the default setting so that all top–level drives and folders are shown. To show this folder view, use the following as Target shortcut so that when Windows Explorer is opened, you can choose from all the folders and drives, not just My Documents:
%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /n, /e, /select, C:\
The above syntax for the Target with “/select” to open parent folder of the destination folder so that you can “select” from all folders (or drives) that are available on the same level of directory structures.
- Click OK.
The trick works on most Windows operating system, including Windows XP and Windows Vista.
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Entries (RSS)
May 9th, 2009 00:23
followed your instructions but not working
%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /n, /e, C:\
February 7th, 2009 03:45
[...] It’s also possible to directly specify the folder or directory for Windows Explorer to show and display when ran, using the same trick to change and set Windows Explorer default folder. [...]
January 27th, 2009 05:02
Iyalla
You the best!
Thank you
January 2nd, 2009 21:57
Hi there, just wanted to say THANKS for your tips and tricks, I’m new to Vista and you’ve helped me out big style (changing the default folder view of explorer and changing the documents folder location to another hard drive).
Cheers
Philip
September 5th, 2008 17:31
Thank you so much lyalla, you have saved much frustration
August 22nd, 2008 18:46
Great thak you so much for this…
May 21st, 2008 01:55
If you want the “Explore” in the right-click start to default to the directory you set above, go into the registery and look for HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\explore\ddeexec and delete the value for default. Leave it blank. (Save the old value in a txt file if you ever want to revert back).
Then go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\explore\command and make sure the directory there is set as explained in the article above.
Now “Explore” in the right-click start menu will default to that directory.
I just figured this out and thought I would share it
March 31st, 2008 23:26
Great! thanks. How do you change the default “views” in vista windows explores. I hate to keep changing the default, especially for video files each time I reopen a folder.
jim miller
March 11th, 2008 17:22
[...] found this advice here. And if you’re wondering why I’d want this – I have a laptop for business stuff, and a [...]
February 26th, 2008 02:30
Thanks for this – this was one of my biggest peeves with XP/Vista. You have changed my life.
November 25th, 2007 08:09
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