How to Change Screenshot Location in Windows 11

How to Change the Default Screenshots Folder

The Screenshots folder is a regular user folder, so you can move it like Documents or Downloads. Open File Explorer, go to Pictures, right-click the Screenshots folder, and use the Location tab in its Properties window. This works the same on Windows 11 Home and Pro and needs no admin rights.

If you can’t find it, take a screenshot and check again. Pressing Print Screen alone only copies the image to the clipboard and doesn’t save a file.

1. Open File Explorer 📁 and navigate to your Pictures library. You should see the folders and images stored there.
2. Locate the Screenshots folder.
3. Right-click the folder and select Properties. On Windows 11 the item may be under Show more options on older builds, but it normally appears in the first menu. The Screenshots Properties window opens.
4. Click the Location tab. It shows the current path of the folder.
5. Click the Move button. A folder picker opens.
6. Select your new desired folder or drive and click Select Folder. Create the destination folder first if it doesn’t exist yet. The new path now appears in the Location box.
7. Click Apply and then OK. A prompt asks about your existing files.
8. Windows will ask if you want to move all existing files to the new location. Click Yes to keep your files together. Depending on how many screenshots you have, the move can take a moment.

If you click No, your old screenshots stay in the original folder and only new ones go to the new location. To undo the change, open the same Properties window, go to the Location tab, and click Restore Default.

If you chose an external drive, keep it connected. When the drive is missing, Windows has nowhere to save the file and the capture can fail.

How to Change Your Game Captures Location

Xbox Game Bar screenshots and clips are stored separately from regular screenshots, in a captures folder under Videos. You manage this from the Settings app under Gaming. Open Settings, go to Gaming, then Captures, and use the Captures location section.

1. Press Windows key + I to open Settings.
2. Click Gaming on the left sidebar. The Gaming page lists Xbox Game Bar, Captures, and related options.
3. Select Captures.

   

4. Find the Captures location section.

   

5. Click the Open folder button.

   

6. Select your preferred folder and click Select Folder.

   

Settings layouts change between Windows 11 builds. If on your version the Open folder button only opens the current folder and never offers a choice of new location, move the folder the same way as in the first section. Right-click the Captures folder in File Explorer, choose Properties, open the Location tab, and click Move.

Registry Editor Method (Advanced)

The Registry Editor lets you force Windows 11 to use a custom folder path for screenshots when the standard menu options fail. Open regedit, go to 🗝️HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folderscopy, and update the string value for your saved pictures.

Before you start, create the destination folder, and consider exporting the User Shell Folders key (File › Export in Registry Editor) so you can restore it. Registry Editor works on both Home and Pro.

1. Press Windows key + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Click Yes if User Account Control asks for permission. Registry Editor opens.
2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders. You can paste the path into the address bar at the top of Registry Editor. The values for your user folders appear in the right pane.
3. Look for the entry named {B7BEDE81-DF94-4825-B262-63462985392D}.
4. Double-click it and enter your new file path. Type the full path of an existing folder, then click OK.
5. Restart your 🔄 computer for changes to take effect.

Changing this value only redirects where new files are saved. It does not move screenshots you already have, so copy those to the new folder yourself. To undo the change, enter the original path again, or import the backup you exported, and restart.

Summary

Changing your screenshot location in Windows 11 helps you manage storage space and keep your files tidy. The Properties method covers most people, whether you're moving the default Screenshots folder or your game captures. Use the registry only if that method doesn't work.