Where does Word keep where templates are?

The File Locations button is disabled. I cannot click it or open it.

A statement along the following lines in the vb editor immediate window should set this. I do not know that this will override a group policy, nor am I advising you to do so even if it will.

Options.DefaultFilePath(wdUserTemplatesPath)= "d:\ms system files\MyTemplates"

The location is a string with the drive and folder and with no terminating backslash.

Resources:

• Use the Immediate window (VBA) | Microsoft Learn
• VBA Basics by Greg Maxey
• Getting started with VBA in Office

In Windows, the actual location is in the Registry, but I thought you were really asking about the menus and UI access.

The registry key is Data>Settings which contains a lot of user settings.

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word\Data

.

Experienced users who regularly edit the registry tend to avoid touching this because it contains so many settings. When they need to change something in it, they will often simply delete it and let Word recreate it.

The Data settings key is binary. Always backup the registry when making any changes.

Word 2007 & Later Key Data File Locations

The following is a macro that will show file save locations. The macro produces the following Message Box:

It will identify custom locations set by the user. It does not make any changes.

Sub FilePathIs()

    '

    ' Macro written 3 December 2001 by Charles Kyle Kenyon

    '  modified 4 January 2024 to add documents location renamed from TemplatesPathIs

    '  assisted by Hans Vogelar on finding default save location for new templates

    ' Gives folder location for certain files as set by user

    '

    ' I do not know what happens if this runs on a computer that has not had a WorkGroup Templates folder set

    ' This will not run on a Mac - use alternate macro if running on a Mac

    '

    Dim sUserTemplatesLocation As String

    Dim sWorkgroupTemplatesLocation As String

    Dim sStartUpTemplatesLocation As String

    Dim sNewTemplatesLocation As String

    Dim sDocumentsDefaultLocation As String

    Dim sActiveDocumentPath As String

    '

    On Error Resume Next

    '

    sUserTemplatesLocation = Options.DefaultFilePath(wdUserTemplatesPath) & ""

    sWorkgroupTemplatesLocation = Options.DefaultFilePath(wdWorkgroupTemplatesPath) & ""

    sStartUpTemplatesLocation = Options.DefaultFilePath(wdStartupPath) & ""

    sNewTemplatesLocation = CreateObject("WScript.Shell").RegRead _

        ("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office" & Application.Version & "\Word\Options\PersonalTemplates")

    sDocumentsDefaultLocation = Options.DefaultFilePath(wdDocumentsPath) & ""

    If ActiveDocument.Path <> "" Then

        sActiveDocumentPath = "The active document's save path is: " & ActiveDocument.Path & ""

    Else

        sActiveDocumentPath = "This document has never been saved!"

    End If

    '

    MsgBox Prompt:="The user templates are in:" & vbCrLf _

            & vbTab & sUserTemplatesLocation & vbCrLf & vbCrLf _

        & "The Workgroup Templates are in:" & vbCrLf _

            & vbTab & sWorkgroupTemplatesLocation & vbCrLf & vbCrLf _

        & "The Startup (Add-In) Templates are in:" & vbCrLf _

            & vbTab & sStartUpTemplatesLocation & vbCrLf & vbCrLf _

        & "The default save location for new templates is: " & vbCrLf _

            & vbTab & sNewTemplatesLocation & vbCrLf & vbCrLf _

        & "The default save location for documents is: " & vbCrLf _

            & vbTab & sDocumentsDefaultLocation & vbCrLf _

            & vbTab & "Note: this may have been temporarily changed by a save." & vbCrLf & vbCrLf _

                   & sActiveDocumentPath, _

        Buttons:=vbInformation, title:="Default file location settings - Windows Version"

    On Error GoTo -1

End Sub

'

Sub FilePathIsMac()

    '

    ' Macro written 3 December 2001 by Charles Kyle Kenyon

    '  modified 4 January 2024 to add documents location renamed from TemplatesPathIs

    ' Gives folder location for certain files as set by user

    '

    ' I do not know what happens if this runs on a computer that has not had a WorkGroup Templates folder set

    ' This is intended for use on a Mac - does not give Default Save Location for New Templates

    '

    Dim sUserTemplatesLocation As String

    Dim sWorkgroupTemplatesLocation As String

    Dim sStartUpTemplatesLocation As String

    Dim sDocumentsDefaultLocation As String

    Dim sActiveDocumentPath As String

    '

    On Error Resume Next

    '

    sUserTemplatesLocation = Options.DefaultFilePath(wdUserTemplatesPath) & ""

    sWorkgroupTemplatesLocation = Options.DefaultFilePath(wdWorkgroupTemplatesPath) & ""

    sStartUpTemplatesLocation = Options.DefaultFilePath(wdStartupPath) & ""

    sDocumentsDefaultLocation = Options.DefaultFilePath(wdDocumentsPath) & ""

    If ActiveDocument.Path <> "" Then

        sActiveDocumentPath = "The active document's save path is: " & ActiveDocument.Path & ""

    Else

        sActiveDocumentPath = "This document has never been saved!"

    End If

    '

    MsgBox Prompt:="The user templates are in:" & vbCrLf _

            & vbTab & sUserTemplatesLocation & vbCrLf & vbCrLf _

        & "The Workgroup Templates are in:" & vbCrLf _

            & vbTab & sWorkgroupTemplatesLocation & vbCrLf & vbCrLf _

        & "The Startup (Add-In) Templates are in:" & vbCrLf _

            & vbTab & sStartUpTemplatesLocation & vbCrLf & vbCrLf _

        & "The default save location for documents is: " & vbCrLf _

            & vbTab & sDocumentsDefaultLocation & vbCrLf _

            & vbTab & "Note: this may have been temporarily changed by a save." & vbCrLf & vbCrLf _

                   & sActiveDocumentPath, _

        Buttons:=vbInformation, title:="Default file location settings - Mac Version"

    On Error GoTo -1

End Sub

Resources:

• Instructions for Installing Macros from Forums or Websites by Graham Mayor, MVP
• Install/Employ VBA Procedures (Macros) by Greg Maxey