Default Local File Location

Question

I've just loaded Office 365 to replace Office 2013 on my computer. I keep having a problem with Excel not opening the correct directory. I have my Default Local File Location set to the directory/folder that I use the most which is C:\Users<username>\Documents<username>. The Auto Recovery File Location is set at C:\Users<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel. When I go to open a file, it brings me up a list of recent files. But if I click either the "This PC" or "Browse" button, it takes me to the folder under C:\Users<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART and then I have to change the path. What else do I need to change besides the Default Local File Location to get Excel to point to the path that I want it to go to.

Crazy thing is if I have two copies of Excel running, the first copy behaves in the manner I described above and the second copy points to the path that I want it to point to at C:\Users<username>\Documents<username>. This is a single user machine. I am beyond baffled why one copy takes me to a path where I don't want to be and another copy takes me exactly where I want to be. Word and Publisher are working file, why not Excel? Help!

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Answer 1

PS: I have no idea why you are comparing>"File Location is set at C:\Users<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel" with

"C:\Users<username>\Documents<username>"

The Excel .exe file can be found by typing in the Windows search box>Excel>This will bring up the Excel App>Right click>Choose>Open file location>This will take you to the shortcut to excel file>Right click>choose open file location>This will take you to the excel.exe

Answer 2

I don't type anything into the Windows search. I have my most commonly used applications; Edge, Word, Excel, Calculator, File Explorer pinned to the task bar. Much simpler than typing to just click on the icon to start the application.

Why I'm comparing C:\Users\Eric\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\ to C:\Users\Eric\Documents\Eric\ is because where I have my default file location set, isn't where the application is taking me when I click on "Open File". My default file location is C:\Users\Eric\Documents\Eric. My AutoRecover File Location is C:\Users\Eric\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel. When I go to open a file, if the file isn't listed as a "recent" and I click on "This PC", it takes me to the C:\Users\Eric\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\ directory, not the directory listed in the default file location. Yes, I can click a few times and get to where I want to go, but it should function as intended by taking me into the default file location directory. I don't understand why it isn't doing that. Word takes me to the proper default file location and so does Publisher. It only Excel that isn't working correctly. It's really beginning to piss me off. I've searched all over on the internet and seen many posts/examples of defining the default file location. It should work, but it doesn't and it worked fine in Office 2013. It's like there is some other option box that needs to be checked or something and I just don't know what it is. See picture below. Excel should be taking me to C:\Users\Eric\Documents\Eric\ not to the C:\Users\Eric\AppData directory.

Anyway I think I figured it out. I restored my computer using a recover point prior to when I installed Microsoft 365 which deleted/uninstalled Microsoft 365 and restored Office 2013 on my computer. I uninstalled Office 2013 and insured all traces of the application were gone. Then I reinstalled Microsoft 365. Everything seems to be working now and the default file location is actually what I want it to be in C:\Users\Eric\Documents\Eric\ so all is good now. Crazy stuff.

Answer 3

I don't type anything into the Windows search. I have my most commonly used applications; Edge, Word, Excel, Calculator, File Explorer pinned to the task bar. Much simpler than typing to just click on the icon to start the application.

Why I'm comparing C:\Users\Eric\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\ to C:\Users\Eric\Documents\Eric\ is because where I have my default file location set, isn't where the application is taking me when I click on "Open File". My default file location is C:\Users\Eric\Documents\Eric. My AutoRecover File Location is C:\Users\Eric\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel. When I go to open a file, if the file isn't listed as a "recent" and I click on "This PC", it takes me to the C:\Users\Eric\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\ directory, not the directory listed in the default file location. Yes, I can click a few times and get to where I want to go, but it should function as intended by taking me into the default file location directory. I don't understand why it isn't doing that. Word takes me to the proper default file location and so does Publisher. It only Excel that isn't working correctly. It's really beginning to piss me off. I've searched all over on the internet and seen many posts/examples of defining the default file location. It should work, but it doesn't and it worked fine in Office 2013. It's like there is some other option box that needs to be checked or something and I just don't know what it is. See picture below. Excel should be taking me to C:\Users\Eric\Documents\Eric\ not to the C:\Users\Eric\AppData directory.

Anyway I think I figured it out. I restored my computer using a recover point prior to when I installed Microsoft 365 which deleted/uninstalled Microsoft 365 and restored Office 2013 on my computer. I uninstalled Office 2013 and insured all traces of the application were gone. Then I reinstalled Microsoft 365. Everything seems to be working now and the default file location is actually what I want it to be in C:\Users\Eric\Documents\Eric\ so all is good now. Crazy stuff.

Answer 4

Eric, thank you for the feedback. Glad you are up and running. Restore point has saved me in the past.