screenshots

Question

screenshot location in properties wont work when manually changing the path

Answer 1

Please type regedit in the search on the taskbar to launch registry editor, and go to this path, then take a screenshot and share in your reply.

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

Answer 2

Changing the default screenshot folder by manually editing the path in Properties can fail if Windows cannot access or validate the folder path. Use these checks and steps:

1. Verify the target folder exists
   • In File Explorer, browse to the folder path intended for screenshots.
   • If it does not exist, create it first, then try setting it as the location.
2. Use the built‑in “Move” button instead of typing the path
   • Right‑click the Screenshots folder (usually under Pictures) and select Properties.
   • Go to the Location tab.
   • Select Move…, browse to the desired folder, and confirm.
   • Click Apply, then OK.
   • Let Windows move existing files when prompted.
3. Avoid network or restricted locations
   • Choose a local path on an internal drive (for example, C:\Users\<user>\Pictures\Screenshots), not a network share or a folder that requires elevated permissions.
4. Check for security or indexing issues
   • If the folder is on a drive that is not indexed or has access restrictions, Windows features that rely on that folder (including some capture tools) may not work correctly.
   • Ensure the drive is online and accessible and that the account has full control of the folder.
5. If captures are not appearing in the new folder
   • Confirm the app doing the capture is still configured to use the default Screenshots folder and has not overridden the location in its own settings.
   • For tools that depend on indexing (for example, galleries that list captures), rebuilding the search index can resolve missing or invisible captures.

If the location still will not change or screenshots do not save correctly after using Move, return to Properties → Location and click Restore Default, then apply and test again.

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References:

• UserDataPaths.Screenshots Property
• Record steps to reproduce a problem
• Save screenshots to OneDrive automatically
• Xbox game bar gallery not showing captures