How to Find the Pictures Folder in Windows 11
- 2 ways to do it
- Includes a restart or sign-out
The Pictures folder is at 📁C:\
Windows saves your photos and screenshots there by default, and many apps start in this folder when you open or save an image. Older versions of Windows called it My Pictures. Windows 11 calls it Pictures.
Every account on the PC gets its own Pictures folder, created when Windows sets up the account. Screenshots you take with Windows + Print Screen go into a Screenshots subfolder inside it.
To open the Pictures folder in Windows 11, press Win+E and click Pictures in the left sidebar of File Explorer. The full path is 📁C:\
Where is the Pictures Folder Located?
The folder sits inside your user profile on the main drive, which is normally C:. Your profile is a folder that holds your desktop, documents, downloads and pictures. The path follows the pattern below, with your own account name after Users.
C:\Users\YourUsername\PicturesReplace “genericuser” with your Windows account name. If you are not sure what it is, look at the folder names under 📁C:\
The quickest route is the navigation pane (the left sidebar in File Explorer), where you click Pictures. You can also open your account folder under 📁C:\
What File Explorer shows first depends on your version. Windows 11 version 22H2 and later opens to Home, which contains the Quick access section (a list of pinned and frequently used folders). The first release, version 21H2, opens to Quick access directly.
Other people who use the PC have their own Pictures folders under their own profiles. You cannot see their photos from your folder, and they cannot see yours.
How to Open the Pictures Folder
Method 1Using File Explorer
This is the fastest way to reach your photos. When you finish, File Explorer shows your Pictures folder, with subfolders listed first and then your image files.
- Click the File Explorer icon on your taskbar.
File Explorer - Find Pictures in the left sidebar under Quick access.
File Explorer - Click Pictures to open it.
If Pictures is missing from the navigation pane, it was probably unpinned. Pinning attaches a folder to the pane or to Quick access so it is always one click away. Open the folder with Method 2 below, then right-click Pictures and pin it to Quick access again.
Method 2Using the Profile Directory
This route opens Pictures through your user profile folder. Use it when the navigation pane shortcut is missing, or when you know a file is saved under your profile.
- Press Win+E to open File Explorer.
File Explorer - Click the address bar. The current path becomes editable text.
- Type or paste
This PC > Local Disk (C:) > Users > YourUsernameinto the address bar. If the text includes a sample account name, replace it with yours. - Press Enter. Your personal folders, such as Desktop, Documents, Downloads and Pictures, appear.
- Double-click Pictures. Your photos and the Screenshots subfolder are inside.
Managing OneDrive Path Conflicts
If your Pictures folder lives inside your OneDrive folder instead of directly under your user name, Windows is backing it up to the cloud. These steps stop OneDrive from backing up Pictures.
- Click the OneDrive cloud icon in the taskbar notification area. If you don’t see it, click the small up arrow to show hidden icons. The OneDrive window opens.
- Click the Settings gear icon in the OneDrive window. A small menu drops down.
- Click Settings in that menu. The OneDrive settings window opens.
- Open the Sync and backup tab. The backup options for your folders appear.
- Click Manage backup. A window lists the folders being backed up.
- Turn off the switch for Pictures. OneDrive asks you to confirm.
- Confirm the change. Pictures no longer shows as backed up.
How do I stop Windows from automatically backing up my photos?
Use the steps above. Click the OneDrive cloud icon in your taskbar, go to Settings, and manage your backup preferences under the Sync and backup tab.
How to Move the Pictures Folder Location
Moving Pictures to a different drive frees up space on your main drive. Connect the second drive and check that it has enough free room for your photos before you start. The change takes effect straight away and does not need a restart.
- Right-click the Pictures folder and select Properties.
- Go to the Location tab.
- Click Move and select a new folder on another drive.
- Click Apply, then OK.
Windows then asks whether to move all the files from the old location to the new one. Click Yes to bring your existing photos along. If you click No, the old files stay where they are and only new files go to the new place.
Pick a folder on the other drive, not the root of the drive itself. To undo the move, open the same Location tab and click Restore Default.
You can add folders from external drives or other locations so all your images appear in one library view without moving the files. The Photos app now has a Gallery that combines images from your PC and connected libraries, plus a new Editor and a redesigned Viewer.
Advanced Troubleshooting: Registry Paths
If your Pictures folder is missing or behaves oddly, you can check its path in Registry Editor. The registry is the database where Windows stores its settings. Administrator access (elevated permissions) is required to view and change specific values here. Registry Editor is included in every edition of Windows 11, Home as well as Pro.
Back up the registry or create a restore point before you edit anything, because a wrong value can break other folders too. After you correct a value, sign out and sign back in, or restart the PC, so File Explorer picks up the new path. If you are not comfortable in Registry Editor, click Restore Default on the folder’s Location tab first.
If the folder is still missing
Check the navigation pane first, then your user profile folder, then OneDrive, in that order. Look at the registry only after those three, and back it up before you change anything. If you moved the folder earlier, click Restore Default on its Location tab to return it to the standard path.
Frequently asked questions
Where is my photos folder?
Your photos are in the Pictures folder, which sits in your user profile at 📁C:\
Where are my photos on this computer?
Your photos are stored in the Pictures folder inside your user profile, usually on drive C:. Open File Explorer with Win+E, then click Pictures in the left sidebar. Screenshots taken with Windows + Print Screen land in a Screenshots subfolder there. Most apps save images there too by default.
Where is my pictures folder?
Your Pictures folder is at 📁C:\
Where are my photos stored?
Your photos are stored in the Pictures folder in your user profile on drive C:, at 📁C:\
Where are my pictures stored?
Your pictures are stored in the Pictures folder, which lives in your user profile on drive C:. The full path is 📁C:\
Where are my pictures folder?
You can find the Pictures folder at 📁C:\
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About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard is a writer at Geek Rewind who turns complex IT tasks into clear, step-by-step guides. He draws on years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, focusing on Windows, Linux and WordPress: the problems people actually run into, and the fixes that work. His server and WordPress guides come from systems he runs himself. Richard builds and maintains the platform behind Geek Rewind, from its Ubuntu servers and Nginx configuration to its custom WordPress plugins. Many new tutorials start with readers' questions, and he's always glad to answer them in the comments.
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