I need to move the location where Windows Fax and Scan saves documents. Same computer, different drive.

Hi Lynn,

Thank you very much for your reply.

I had found this suggestion and followed it exactly. This resulted in the application being unable to save the file anywhere after scanning it, so even the scan was unsuccessful. I managed to fix the issue and restored the original behaviour. So at least the application works again. I checked my steps a few times by trying it again fresh assuming I had made a mistake.

I haven't had the time to find and install another application to replace the built in one. But to my way of thinking, this is entirely too much trouble to go through for a simple change of an option that should be a simple user setting.

All I can say it that it is very typical of trying to use Win10 and I can only assume later releases of the Windows platform will continue the trend of removing user control over their machine. To a person such as myself, it is completely unacceptable.

So, this is really been the final straw for me on the Windows platform. I have been able to correct most other issues on my own, often by editing the registry. The OS is there to facilitate the use of the computer and looking back at the amount of time invested in figuring out how to force the machine to operate in ways that used to be simple user changes in easy to find menus has increased the cost of ownership beyond what is reasonable. My feeling, right or wrong, is that the computer is being locked into operating in one specific, unified way that doesn't suit any but the most basic user. This computer runs a number of electronic instruments and other specific tasks and it is important that it doesn't fight me. I was forced to upgrade to Win10 from Win7 (pro releases) and the user experience going to Win10 is about as negative as it can be. Networking is still an issue.

I really do appreciate the efforts you put in trying to assist and have zero complaint with that. Support through this channel gets top marks. I think it is clear that the Windows platform is no longer suitable for people engaged in work beyond word processing, internet, and other simple tasks. I cannot afford to fight my tools.

Hello,

Thank you very much, your time is appreciated.

Okay, the application is the Microsoft application "Windows Fax and Scan" included with the OS. It has absolutely no useful user settings beyond customizing a scan. Most well written applications do allow the user to assign target directories, this does not. It will not even allow me to select a batch of scans to move, each one has to be done individually, and each time the default target directory starts at the same place. It is extremely inconvenient. I can move batches if I allow it to save where it wants, but then again this involves extra operations. Earlier in time this application did allow the target location to be changed, or at least it would offer to save the file in the last directory you navigated to. This functionality was removed in this release.

At this point it is pretty clear to me that in the short term, I will be forced to use a different program. At least I know now.

I know you are part of the Windows community and pretty invested in the brand. But from a user standpoint, the progression of Windows has been to force people to do things in the same way without the ability to easily change behaviour. More and more I have to edit the registry to change things that ought to be straight forward. The last straw were changes "due to security" that basically trashed my network that was operating well for decades. This was the final straw for me as it is clear that Windows is not an effective tool for business, but rather trying to be something onto itself.

My last comment is this, I am trained in real networking and computer maintenance (not the Microsoft centric view). This is my hardware, security is my problem, not the OS's responsibility. Secure machines are not connected to the internet anyway. I can't allow the OS to block me from accomplishing normal tasks, Linux does this with the superuser account, but the admin account in Windows does not allow full access. This was my final attempt to see if Microsoft could assist with anything.

You can only advise me with the tools you have, and I thank you personally for that. It is very clear that the Windows platform with Win10 (pro in my case) actively blocks me from administering my own hardware. This is unfortunate, but the development team has lost touch with the needs of the user. Therefore all our hardware will be changed to run a different OS. I think this example really was the final nail in the coffin.

Please forward my comments to whoever might consider what I have to say. There isn't any chance w will migrate to Win11, especially with the security chip demand. If you consider what the added chip does, it does not enhance security, but it does make data recovery from a downed machine impossible if you have a motherboard fault. It only hurts the user without enhancing security one little bit. The development team has to begin considering the user instead of corporate goals.

-Chris

Hello Lynn,

Your suggestion sounded very straight forward, so thank you. I bet it is really easy for someone well versed in Win10, but not for me at all. This is where the files are actually stored on this machine. I call them subdirectories because I'm old and this is historically correct.

C:\Users\Chris\Documents\Scanned Documents

I did search for the subdirectory following your guide and ended up here

C:\Users\Chris\Documents - so good so far. However a right click on the folder does not present a location tab I can recognise, so the move option is not available, What am I not seeing?

Just so you know, I have used GEM and every version of Windows since. I also used OS/2 up to Advanced Server 5 and many releases of Linux, mostly Fedora. So that is the world I am used to dealing with. That might give you some insight as to how I view things. I am very comfortable with CLI work as I was in the telecommunications field, programming phone switches. Computers are tools, not the focus.

I find the constant shuffling around of features, commands and locations frustrating to an extreme. If there was one thing I would say to the staff at Microsoft - stop doing that, it is a massive waste of everyone's time. We have work to do.

Anyway, I do appreciate your time and the fact you are assisting people.

-Chris

Hi ChrisBridge2,

Welcome to the Microsoft Community.

It sounds like you'd like to move the location where Windows Fax and Scan saves documents. If you encounter any difficulties in this process, I regret it. I understand the frustration when the thing won’t work the way we want.

The easiest way is to achieve it through the following settings.

Open the File Explorer and locate the path: Libraries/Documents/Scanned Documents > Right-click on the Scanned Documents folder > Switch to the Location tab > Click on the Move button > Click the Select Folder button to choose to save it in another drive location > Click the Apply > Yes. This will move the Scanned Documents folder to the new location.

Should you have any confusion during the operation of the above method, please feel free to reach back.

Thank you for your continued support of Windows. Each version of the update is based on the previous version to improve or optimize certain designs to provide users with a more user-friendly and efficient operating environment.

If you encounter any problems in use, you can post a post to communicate with us at any time or if you have any ideas or comments to make Windows better, we're more than welcome if you share your concern on our Feedback Hub (Press Windows + F key to launch it). Your feedback will be heard by our Windows team, and we will consider improving our Windows.

Best regards

| Lynn Sun Microsoft Community Support Specialist

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After right-clicking on the folder, you'll see Properties on the menu options, click it to open the Properties window, and then you are able to switch to the Location tab.

If you'd like to change the default location of the saving path of your scanned documents, the following method can be tried.

1. Find the real location of Libraries/Documents/Scanned Documents, in your case, I think it's C:\Users\Chris\Documents.
2. Press Windows logo key + R key at the same time, enter: cmd and click OK > Copy and paste the following command to the Command Prompt windows popped up, and then hit Enter key to run the command:

mklink /d "C:\Users\Chris\Documents" "X:\Scanned Documents"

(Note: X:\Scanned Documents is the target location for saving your scanned documents. Replace this path with what you prefer.)