How to Change Default Hard Drive in Windows 11

Need to change default hard drive in Windows 11

Windows 11 has introduced a host of new features, providing users with a modern and user-friendly interface. While the default settings work well for many, some users may find the need to customize their system further. One common customization is changing the default hard drive to better suit individual requirements.

The default hard drive is the disk where the operating system is installed, and Windows 11 uses it for various system operations. It plays a crucial role in the overall performance and functionality of your computer.

Reasons to change default hard drive

▶ Hard disk running out of space As you accumulate files and applications, your default hard drive might run out of space, affecting your computer's speed and efficiency.

▶ Device performance improvements Upgrading to a faster or larger-capacity hard drive can significantly improve your system's overall performance.

▶ Organizing disk data effectively Changing the default hard drive allows you to better organize your data, making it easier to manage and access.

A step-by-step guide to change default hard drive for Windows 11

Windows 11 offers a sleek and efficient operating system, but sometimes the default hard drive may not suit your needs. In this part, we will guide you through the process of changing the default hard drive to optimize your system's performance and storage capacity. Following the 3 methods, you can learn to change the default location of installation.

▶ Method 1. Change default install location via Settings

First, to change default install location via Settings, you can refer to the following steps.

Step 1. Click the "Windows" button and then click "Settings". In the new window, click "System", "Storage" and "Where new content is saved" in turn.

Step 2. Click the drop-down menu, choose another drive to save the new downloaded and installed application.

▶ Method 2. Change default install location using Registry Editor

Registry Editor is a Windows tool, that stores many system-related files. You can not only view and maintain the registry with it but also change the default install location. The detailed steps are as follows.

Step 1. Press "Windows + R" to open the Run program, input "regedit.exe" and press "Enter".

Step 2. Next, click on the path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders.

Step 3. Find out the file called "%USERPROFILE%\Downloads", then click it.

Step 4. In the "Edit String" window, change the current value data to another and click "OK".

▶ Method 3. Change default install path with File Explorer

File Explorer is another tool in the Windows system that is mostly used to view files and directories. This utility offers users a simple graphical interface via which they may view the target files. Surprisingly, it also can modify the default installation location on Windows 11/10.

Step 1. Press "Windows" and type "file explorer" in the search bar, then click "Open". In this tool, right-click on the "Downloads" folder, and click "Properties".

Step 2. In the "Documents Properties" window, click "Location".

Step 3. When you have set all, click "Move" to start this install path-changing task, then click "Apply".

Step 4. There will be a warning "Do you want to move all the files from the old location to the new location" popped out, click "Yes".

▶ Method 4. Change default install location on Windows 11 via disk manager

If you wish to move the installed applications from the C drive after successfully changing the default install location on Windows 11, you may use AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional, which is a superb hard disk management expert. It can not only help you migrate installed applications without losing data, but it can also transfer various directories to another disk with easy actions. It is compatible with the vast majority of Windows computers and includes the specific Server Edition for Windows Server users.

You may also take use of more complex capabilities such as Allocate free space to C drive, Migrate OS to SSD, Delete big files, and so on.

Step 1. Download and run this reliable disk manager, click "Free up" and "App Mover" in the top interface.

Step 2. You can choose "App Mover" or "Move Folders", here we click "App Move".

Step 3. In the new window, choose the C drive and click "Next".

Step 4. Choose the installed programs to move and click the destination drive, then click "Move".

Step 5. Click "OK" to start move the target programs to another drive.

Verdict

How can I change default hard drive in Windows 11? This article will teach you three ways to deal with it: Windows Settings, Registry Editor, and File Explorer. In addition, we provided AOMEI Partition Assistant to let you move installed apps to another disk. If you wish to completely free up the C drive, AOMEI may assist you with a variety of services, including PC Cleaner, Disk Clone Wizard (to relocate the C drive to a larger disk), Resize Partition, and so on.