How to Access the Videos Folder in Windows 11
- 17 steps
- Includes a restart or sign-out
The Videos folder is a default user folder at 📁C:\
To open the Videos folder in Windows 11, open File Explorer (press Win+E), then click Videos under Quick Access in the left sidebar. If it isn’t there, click This PC and double-click Videos. You can also type 📂%USERPROFILE%\
What Is the Videos Folder?
The Videos folder is the default place Windows keeps your video files, so you don’t have to search the whole drive for a clip. Windows creates it for every user account, next to Documents, Pictures, Music, and Downloads. Each user gets their own copy, so another person’s clips don’t appear in yours.
Many recording tools and video apps save here by default. For example, game clips recorded with the Xbox Game Bar go into a Captures subfolder inside Videos. Your browser saves downloads to the Downloads folder instead, unless you changed its download location.
Because your clips sit in one folder, backups are easier. Copy that one folder to protect them. Older versions of Windows called this folder “My Videos”.
Where Is the Videos Folder Located?
By default, the folder is at this path:C:\Users\genericuser\Videos
Replace “genericuser” with your Windows username. For a faster route, type %USERPROFILE%\Videos into the File Explorer address bar and press Enter. File Explorer opens your Videos folder.
If you moved the folder to another drive, your files are no longer at the default path. The address bar shortcut still works, because Windows redirects it to the new location.
How to Find the Videos Folder Using File Explorer
File Explorer is the quickest way to reach the folder. The steps below work the same on Home and Pro editions of a currently supported Windows 11 version (25H2 or 26H2).
- Open File Explorer. Click the yellow folder icon on the taskbar, or press Win+E if the icon isn’t there.
File Explorer - Check the navigation pane (the sidebar on the left). It lists entries such as Home, Gallery, and your pinned folders. If the pane is hidden, click View Show Navigation pane.
Windows 11 File Explorer showing Dropbox folder in sidebar. - Click Videos under Quick Access. The folder opens and shows its contents. If Videos isn’t pinned there, click This PC in the sidebar and double-click Videos in the Folders list.
File Explorer
If the folder looks empty, you haven’t saved anything there yet, or your clips are stored somewhere else.
How to Add Videos to Your Start Menu
A Videos shortcut next to the power button opens your media folder in one click, without going through File Explorer. You turn it on in Settings.
- Press Win+I to open Settings.
Windows 11 Start menu search panel for opening OpenSSH Client settings - Go to Personalization Start.
Windows 11 Settings Personalization Start menu options for recent files - Scroll down and click Folders. A list of folders appears, each with a toggle.
- Turn the Videos toggle On. The change applies immediately, so you don’t need to restart.
Open the Start menu to check. A small film-style icon appears beside the power icon, and clicking it opens your Videos folder.
To undo this, go back to Personalization Start Folders and turn the Videos toggle Off. This removes only the shortcut. Your files stay where they are.
Managing Storage and Moving the Videos Folder
When your C drive runs low on space, you can move the Videos folder to another drive from its Properties window. Apps keep saving to “Videos”, and Windows sends the files to the new location.
Before you start, connect the destination drive and make sure it has enough free space. If you use an external drive, keep it plugged in whenever you want to reach your videos.
- Open File Explorer and find Videos in the sidebar.
File Explorer - Right-click Videos and choose Properties.
- Select the Location tab. It shows the folder’s current path.
- Click Move, then browse to the drive and folder you want. You can create a new folder here.
- Click Select Folder, then click Apply.
- When Windows asks whether to move all files from the old location to the new one, click Yes. If you click No, your existing files stay on the old drive and only new files go to the new location.
Large libraries take a while to copy, so wait for the progress window to finish. To undo the move, open the same Location tab and click Restore Default. Apply the change, and move the files back when Windows asks.
If the Location tab is missing, OneDrive backup or a policy on a work or school PC may manage the folder. Change the OneDrive backup settings first (see the OneDrive Integration section below), or ask your administrator.
Advanced Automation and Registry Management
If you are comfortable with system changes, you can also change the folder path in Registry Editor (a database of low-level Windows settings). Most people don’t need this. The Properties method above changes the same setting more safely and can move your files too. This guide doesn’t list a specific registry key for the change.
OneDrive Integration
Windows 11 often syncs your personal folders to OneDrive (Microsoft’s cloud storage service). In File Explorer, a blue cloud icon next to a file means it is stored online only. Circling arrows mean it is syncing now. Large video files can use a lot of cloud storage and upload bandwidth, so check what OneDrive is syncing. To review it:
- Click the OneDrive cloud icon in the notification area at the right end of the taskbar. You may need to click the up arrow to show hidden icons.
- Click the Settings gear icon, then choose Settings.
- Open Sync and backup and click Manage backup. This shows which folders OneDrive backs up.
- Turn off any folder you don’t want in the cloud. Windows may ask you to confirm. Files already uploaded may stay in OneDrive, so check your OneDrive folder afterwards.
What to do next
If your videos aren’t where you expect after a move, open the Location tab in the Videos Properties window to see the current path. Click Restore Default there to go back to the original location. If the Location tab is missing or your files keep syncing to the cloud, check Manage backup in the OneDrive settings next. [YourUsername]
Frequently asked questions
Where do my clips go?
Most clips land in your Videos folder at 📁C:\
Where do I find my videos?
Open File Explorer and click Videos in the left pane. Your clips appear there, and game recordings are inside the Captures subfolder. To pin Videos for faster access, right-click it and choose Pin to Quick access.
Where are my videos?
Your videos are in the Videos folder at 📁C:\
Where are my saved videos?
Saved videos usually sit in your Videos folder, with game clips in its Captures subfolder. Some apps save to their own folder or ask where to save, so check the app's settings. Clips downloaded from a browser go to Downloads. To find any file by name, type in the search box in File Explorer.
Where do I find my videos if not the files app?
Windows has no app called Files, so use File Explorer instead. Press Win+E to open it, then click Videos in the left pane. You can also click the Start button, type Videos, and press Enter. The Photos app shows only the folders you have added to it, so it may miss some clips.
Where are my videos stored?
Videos are stored on your C drive in the Videos 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.
Perhaps you can help me. When I download videos in windows 11 they end up in the pictures folder as though they are images. I try to drag and drop them to “videos” but that does not work. It’s so frustrating because I have images and videos in my pictures folder and can’t separate them. What am I doing wrong? Thanks.