How to change apps installation location in Windows 10

This brief tutorial shows students and new users how to change the default app installation location in Windows 10.

All Windows applications are installed by default on the Local Disk C: (This PC) drive. This has been the default location since the beginning of the modern Windows OS.

Advanced users may install new applications at a different location, but that process isn’t automatic. You must manually select the location to install a program during the program installation.

With the introduction of Windows 10, you can now configure your systems to always install new programs and applications at a location specified by default.

Nowadays, some PCs are sold with two hard drives. One hard drive might be an SSD with a smaller storage size, the other a regular SATA drive but much bigger in storage size.

In this scenario, you can install Windows OS on the SSD drive to speed up your computer and configure the larger drive as the default installation location for apps, music, and other data.

Change app installation location in Windows

To change the default app location, click Start and select Settings, as shown in the image below.

When the Windows Settings page opens, click Systems, as shown below.

On the next page, choose Storage on the left, then select the drive with the bigger Storage to install all new apps or save new music, videos, and photos.

Remember to click Apply to make it the default location.

These are the things to remember about selecting where apps, documents, music, pictures, and videos are saved by default.

• You can only select one location at a time for each item.
• You cannot install apps or programs on a network location
• Only new apps will be installed after the change. Existing programs do not get moved to the new location.
• You can install apps on external or thumb drives. These portable drives must always be attached to the computer for your programs installed on them to function.
• When the drives are removed, your programs will not function

That’s it! Thanks, and we hope you return soon.

Enjoy!