how to move Personal folders such as "Music" to another drive such as D:\

Question

how to move Personal folders such as "Music" to another drive such as D:\

Andy 5

I am moving my Windows 11 operating system from My C:\drive to a SSD 1 TB drive. I have tried to migrate to the new SSD. Which turns out to just a bit too big fit on the SSD.

So Found out I can move Music, Downloads, Pictures, Videos & Documents to what will be my D:\ drive. From my exisisting C:\ If I can do this the movement, I will be able to migrate my O/S to my SSD drive, with lots of space to do that.

However I have One Drive and Google drive installed which are stopping the above personal folders to be moved. So. how do I tell my computer to move said personal folders to my (already installed D:\ drive.

I would be using either Acronis (which came with the new Crucial SSD) or Macrium Reflect (full home version) which I have installed to migrate the O/S to the SSD

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Answer 3

EmilyS726 205.7K Independent Advisor

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

Andy 5 Reputation points

2026-02-03T11:17:32.7766667+00:00

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
Andy 5 Reputation points

2026-02-03T11:23:04.1333333+00:00

Thanks Elsie, I have included the screen shot of the command you offered me to try. Hope that helps (the screenshot), as it didn't look to help you. Very much appreciate your help. Andy
EmilyS726 205.7K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-02-03T13:10:13.9433333+00:00

Andy you launched the wrong thing. If you type regedit in the search, it should launch Registry Editor, not Command Prompt. Do you mind redoing it. Thanks!!
Andy 5 Reputation points

2026-02-03T13:32:30.89+00:00

Thanks, EmilyS726, Thanks for thecorrection. Have now done it correctly and shoe below th screenshot.

Hope this helps, Andy
EmilyS726 205.7K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-02-03T13:53:22.3566667+00:00

Thank you.

Can you head over to D drive, then in Personal Files folder, create a folder called "Music".

Then here in Registry, can you right click on My Music > Modify, then change the value data to:

D:\Personal Files\Music

Restart the computer after that.

Are you planning on moving "My Pictures", "Desktop" and the "Documents" folders too? Those are currently in OneDrive right now. please do NOT change those yet. I need to know, are you running OneDrive right now?
Andy 5 Reputation points

2026-02-03T15:42:30.0333333+00:00

Thanks for your response, EmilyS725.

Yes I'm wanting to move "Documents" and also "Pictures" as these 2 total approx 200Gb, so that with these two folders moved, I'll be able to install or clone Win 11 O/S over to the SSD with space to spare. These 2 folders are in One Drive, as I wanted to keep copies of both on my HDD as well. Actually the "Download" Folder on C:\ could do with moving as well. please. Thanks again for your very welcome help. Andy
Andy 5 Reputation points

2026-02-03T15:57:51.8466667+00:00

To EmilyS725

You asked if I was running One Drive at the moment, the answer is , yes.
EmilyS726 205.7K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-02-03T15:59:00.1666667+00:00
Got it.

Ok, for Downloads folder, first, make sure you create a Downloads folder in D:\Personal Files. Then change the highlighted BLUE's value data to:

D:\Personal Files\Downloads

===========

For the yellow ones, don't rush to change anything yet. First of all, you need to click on the OneDrive icon on your taskbar, go to Settngs > Sync and backup tab > Manage backup, turn off all folders first. Then restart the computer. Then create Desktop, Pictures and Documents folders in D:\Personal Files

Then change the yellow highlighted items in registry

Desktop's value data should become:
D:\Personal Files\Desktop

My Pictures: D:\Personal Files\Pictures

Personal: D:\Personal Files\Documents

==================

If you want OneDrive to backup files in Personal Files folder, you can create a symbolic link.

To do so, make sure OneDrive is currently NOT running.

Then go to this folder: C:\Users\Andrew & Ann Desktop\OneDrive, Create a new folder here called "Personal Files".

Next, Please type cmd in the search on the taskbar. Don't press enter key yet. Instead, choose "run as administrator" to launch Command Prompt.

Run this command:

mklink /D "C:\Users\Andrew & Ann Desktop\OneDrive\Personal Files" "D:\Personal Files"

Then you can run OneDrive again. This will allow your files to stay in D:\personal files folder, while syncing copies to OneDrive as well, and none of that takes up your C drive storage because this is a symbolic link in C drive only, kind of like a redirect from C to D.

Last but not least, do not clone your Windows to D drive. Your OS needs to stay in the current C drive.
Andy 5 Reputation points

2026-02-03T16:16:34.09+00:00

To EmilyS725

Thank you, I will get to work. I'll print off your comments, so I don't make a mistake.

First - I will take images (copies) of the folders to be moved using Macrium onto an external drive. Again, thank you for your help and it will be tomorrow afternoon when I can - next - get back to you. Andy
EmilyS726 205.7K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-02-03T16:18:11.6666667+00:00

No problem. I will be notified when you reply.
Andy 5 Reputation points

2026-02-03T16:46:18.32+00:00

Again, Thank you, Andy.
Andy 5 Reputation points

2026-02-09T14:45:22.6233333+00:00

To EmilyS726

I have got as far as I can with moving Documents & Pictures folders from C:\ to E:\ drive (I don't have a D:\ drive). When I try to move them from C:\C:\Users\Andrew & Ann Desktop\OneDrive\Documents to E:\Personal Data Files\Documents. I get the following message in a combo box :-

"The Folder can't be moved here"

"Can't move the folder here because there is a folder in the same locationthat can't be redirected. Access denied."

I've tried everything I know and can't get passed this "Box".

I do need to move these two folders which are quite large (totalling well over 500gb).

Andy
Andy 5 Reputation points

2026-02-09T14:47:51.74+00:00

To Emily S726

I show a screenshot of the Registry as of right now
EmilyS_726 14,450 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-02-09T16:36:56.7033333+00:00

Can you go to E drive, then go to the Personal Data File folder, is there a Documents folder there currently?

If not, please create one, if yes, please do this - Make sure OneDrive is NOT running.

In registry, right click on Personal > modify > change value data to:

E:\Personal Data Files\Documents

Answer 4

Andy 5

I am doing exactly as above response, but the folders do not move.

Example

I've opened a Folder on D:\ drive - D;\Personal Files

I click on the "Move" it to move the folder from C:\ drive to D:\Personal Files and nothing happens, sadly.

Andy

Answer 5

To move your personal folders such as "Music", "Downloads", "Pictures", "Videos", and "Documents" to another drive (like D:) in Windows 11, you can follow these steps:

Open File Explorer: Navigate to your current personal folders, typically found in C:\Users\YourUsername\.
Right-click on the folder you want to move (e.g., "Music") and select Properties.
Go to the Location tab: In the Properties window, switch to the Location tab.
Click on Move: Click the Move... button to select a new location.
Select the new location: Browse to your D:\ drive and choose the folder where you want to move the personal folder. You can create a new folder on D:\ if needed.
Confirm the move: After selecting the new location, click OK. You may be prompted to move all files from the old location to the new one; confirm this.
Repeat for other folders: Follow the same steps for any other personal folders you wish to move.

If OneDrive or Google Drive is interfering with the move, you may need to temporarily pause or unlink them from your folders. After moving the folders, you can reconfigure OneDrive or Google Drive to sync the new locations if needed.

After moving the folders, you can proceed with your OS migration using Acronis or Macrium Reflect as planned.

References:

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how to move Personal folders such as "Music" to another drive such as D:\

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