[Fixed]: Where is the Desktop Folder in Windows 11, 10?

Where is the Desktop folder in Windows 11 and 10?

The Desktop folder is a key part of your Windows system, providing quick and convenient access to files, folders, and shortcuts you use most frequently. In Windows 10 and 11, the Desktop folder is typically located within your user profile directory. You can easily find it by navigating to C:\Users\[Your Username]\Desktop.

Why can't I find the Desktop folder?

However, many users sometimes cannot find the Desktop folder in Windows 10 and 11. There are several factors that prevent proper access to this folder, including:

► The location of your Desktop folder has been changed.

► The Desktop folder could be hidden.

► A corrupted user profile may cause the folder to disappear.

► System file corruption can result in the folder being lost.

► The Desktop folder may have been accidentally deleted.

Where is the Desktop folder in Windows 11 and 10? Take it easy! This guide will help you quickly locate your Desktop folder in Windows 10 and 11, even if it has been accidentally deleted. Keep reading to ensure you can access your important files without hassle.

How to locate the Desktop folder in Windows 10 and 11?

The Desktop folder may become inaccessible for various reasons, but if it still exists on your PC, you can locate it using the methods outlined below. Explore each method and choose the one that best fits your needs.

Solution 1. Find the Desktop Folder in Windows Search

If you cannot find the Desktop folder in Windows 10/11 from the default path, consider directly searching it in the Windows search box. Here are steps to find this folder on Windows PCs:

Step 1: Press Windows + S to open the Windows search box. 

Step 2: Type Desktop into the search bar.

Step 3: In the search results, look for the Desktop folder under Folders or directly under This PC and then open it by clicking.

Solution 2. Open the Desktop Folder Using the Run Dialog

Alternatively, you can directly open the Desktop folder by using the Run dialog. Please follow the steps below:

Step 1: Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog.

Step 2: Type %userprofile%\Desktop in the box and press the Enter key.

Step 3: The Desktop folder will open directly in File Explorer.

Solution 3. Check Hidden Items

Sometimes, you cannot find the Desktop folder in Windows 10/11 since it has been hidden. While hidden files or folders cannot be viewed by default, you can access them by showing hidden files in File Explorer. To check for hidden items, follow these steps:

Step 1: Press Windows + E to open File Explorer first.

Step 2: Navigate to your C: drive.

Step 3: Click on the View tab at the top bar.

Step 4: Check if the Hidden items box is selected. When it is selected, all the hidden files can be visible, including the Desktop folder.

Solution 4. Create a New User Account

Additionally, your Desktop folder may be missing due to user profile corruption. In Windows, user profiles store settings, files, and folders specific to that user. If it is corrupted, certain files or folders, like the Desktop folder, might not be accessible or could be missing. In this case, you can create a new user account to generate a new Desktop folder:

Step 1: Press Windows + I to open the Setting menu.

Step 2: Navigate to Accounts and select Family & other users from the left pane.

Step 3: Click on Add someone else to this PC under Other users.

Step 4: You can either add a Microsoft account or create a local account.

Step 5: Fill in the username, password, and security questions for the new account.

Step 6: Click Next to complete the setup.

If the new profile works correctly, consider transferring important files from the old profile to the new one and using the new account moving forward.

How to recover deleted Desktop folder?

If you cannot find the Desktop folder in Windows 10/11, it might have been accidentally deleted. Don’t worry; this section will show you how to recover the deleted Desktop folder effectively.

Solution 1. Recover from the Recycle Bin

In most cases, deleted files or folders are temporarily moved to the Recycle Bin, allowing you to recover them if you change your mind or delete something by mistake. You can easily retrieve them with the following steps:

Step 1: Open the Recycle Bin first. Often, accidentally deleted files and folders can be found here.

Step 2: Search your Desktop folder within the search bar.

Step 3: Right-click on the search result and select Restore to return it to its original location.

Solution 2. Use Professional Recovery Software

If your Desktop folder exceeds the Recycle Bin’s size limit or the Recycle Bin has been emptied, the folder is considered permanently deleted. In such cases, recovering it through the Recycle Bin is no longer possible. Fortunately, you can still restore it using professional recovery tools.

We recommend AOMEI FastRecovery, a powerful data recovery software designed to help users quickly locate and recover deleted, corrupted, or lost data on Windows PCs and servers. With its excellent performance, you are able to quickly scan and locate the desired files and recover them to the specific path.

Highlights of AOMEI FastRecovery:
◆ Guide users through a seamless recovery process with a user-friendly interface.
◆ Restore various types of data, including documents, ZIP files, videos, and images.
◆ Recover data from a variety of storage devices, such as internal and external HDDs, SSDs, USB drives, and SD cards.
◆ Save time by selectively choosing which data to recover during the scanning process.
◆ Ensure your data 100% security throughout the recovery process.

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Here’s how to recover the deleted Desktop folder using AOMEI FastRecovery:

Step 1: Install and launch AOMEI FastRecovery on your PC and choose the C drive.

Step 2: Scan your C drive to find the deleted Desktop folder. It will execute the Quick Scan first for finding your deleted data fast, and then execute the Deep Scan for searching other lost data.

Step 3: Once the scan is completed, all missing files will be displayed. Kindly choose the specific folder and then click Recover.

Step 4: Specify a path for it and wait for the process to complete.

Solution 3. Recover Deleted Folder from Backups

In addition to using professional recovery tools, recovering deleted files from backups is another effective option. Backup and Restore is a feature in Windows that allows you to create copies of your important files, settings, and system configurations and recover them when needed. If you had enabled this feature before the Desktop folder was deleted, consider recovering it from backups. Follow these steps to recover your folder:

Step 1: Go to the Control Panel, and select System and Security > Backup and Restore in turn.

Step 2: Click Restore my files.

Step 3: Click Browse for files to choose the folder you want to recover, and then click Next.

Step 4: Specify the saving path for your recovered folder, and click Restore.

Summary

The Desktop folder in Windows is an important system folder that serves as the default location for files, shortcuts, and folders that appear on your desktop. But where is the Desktop folder in Windows 11 and 10? This post will walk you through how to effectively locate the Desktop folder—provided it still exists on your PC. If you’ve accidentally deleted it, don't worry; recover it using the solutions discussed above.