How to move Download folder to another drive on Windows 11

C drive capacity is usually lower than other partitions in your computer, however, this is the most important drive, and sometimes you will not be able to install important software to other drives because doing so will cause them to not work.

And the C drive capacity will usually have to have some extra capacity, so that your computer can operate more smoothly. So users will often move the Download folder to other drives with larger capacity.

This is to help reduce the burden on the C drive and help your computer run more smoothly. If you want to move the Download folder or folders like Documents, Desktop to another drive on Windows 11, follow the instructions below.

See more: Move Download folder from drive C to another drive on Windows 10

How to move Download folder from drive C to another drive on Windows 11

IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not use this guide if your hard drive is encrypted.

Step 1: Select the folder you want to move to another drive by right-clicking on that folder and selecting Properties >

Step 2: In the Properties of the folder you just selected, select the Location tab, here you will see the folder save path below. There are 3 options that you can choose below, select Move to change the location of the Download folder.

Step 3: Next, switch to drive D or drive E to free up the folder for drive C. After selecting the drive to contain the Download folder, select Select Folder below to complete the folder selection.

Step 4: After selecting the area to contain the Download folder , select Apply and OK to complete the folder change.

A warning will appear asking if you want to move the Download folder from the default location of drive C to a new location. All data in the Download folder will be moved to the new location. Select Yes to agree to move the Downloads folder.

All you have to do now is wait for the Download folder to be moved to the new partition you selected. The entire folder will also be moved to this new partition.

In Quick Access, you will still see this Downloads folder visible if you have activity related to this folder.

Reset the moved folder to its original location

To move the Download folder and the folders you moved from drive C back to their original location. Just right-click on the Download folder and select Properties > Location again and select Restore Default.

There will be a similar notification as when you move this folder from drive C to another drive, and all data in this drive will also be moved to the new area you choose. Note that when moving back to drive C, you must ensure that your C drive has enough space to be able to move that folder back.

Advantages and disadvantages when you move the Download folder to another drive

Advantage

• Free up space on drive C: Drive C usually contains the operating system and important programs, so moving the Download folder to another drive can help free up space on drive C, helping your computer run more smoothly.
• Increase data access speed: Drive If you are using drive C as HDD, you can move the Download folder to SSD. SSD drives usually have faster data access speed than HDD drives, moving the Download folder to SSD can help increase download speed and file access.
• Organize data more efficiently: Moving the Download folder to another drive helps you divide data more clearly, easily manage and search for files you have downloaded.

Disadvantages

• Certain software impacts: Some software/applications may be configured to save files to the default Download folder. Moving the Download folder may cause these applications to not work properly. For example, if you use Capcut , get files in the Download folder and when you move the Download folder to another drive, Capcut may lose data when you reopen the video editor.
• Update Links: If there are links to files in the Downloads folder, you need to update the links after moving the folder.

In summary, when moving the Download folder from drive C to other drives, you need to pay attention to some of the above changes. You should consider your own needs before deciding to move the folder.

Some tips before moving the Download folder or other folders from drive C to another drive:

• It is recommended to back up data in the Download folder before moving.
• After moving the Download folder, you need to update the new location in the applications that use this folder.
• You can use specialized folder moving software to move the Download folder.