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User folders - Locate or redirect the download, desktop, This PC folder

2 min read

User-Specific Folders

List all locations

Get-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders" | select * -Exclude "PS*"

Resolve one location

  • return the location as a string
$env:Pictures = (New-Object -ComObject Shell.Application).NameSpace('shell:My Pictures').Self.Path
$env:Downloads = (New-Object -ComObject Shell.Application).NameSpace('shell:::{374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}').Self.Path
  • $env:Pictures = (Get-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders")."My Pictures"

Default locations

  • Value type: REG_EXPAND_SZ
Shell Folder Name - DescriptionDefault location
AppData%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming
Cache
Internet Explorer Cache		%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache
Cookies
Internet Explorer Cookies		%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCookies
Desktop%USERPROFILE%\Desktop
Favorites%USERPROFILE%\Favorites
History%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\History
Local AppData%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local
My Music%USERPROFILE%\Music
My Pictures%USERPROFILE%\Pictures
My Video%USERPROFILE%\Videos
NetHood
Network Shortcuts		%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Network Shortcuts
Personal
Documents		%USERPROFILE%\Documents
PrintHood%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Printer Shortcuts
Programs%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
Recent%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent
SendTo%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo
Start Menu%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
Startup%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
Templates%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Templates
{374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}
Downloads		%USERPROFILE%\Downloads

If cloud synchronization enabled

The following items do not exist in a clean install of Windows 10 and Windows 11. They’re created only if you redirect those folders to Microsoft OneDrive or DropBox. If the following values exist, the location defined in the following values takes precedence. In case of any conflict, the following values can be deleted so that the defaults (above) are used.

Shell Folder NameDescription
{A52BBA46-E9E1-435F-B3D9-28DAA648C0F6}Cloud Root
{3B193882-D3AD-4EAB-965A-69829D1FB59F}Saved Pictures
{AB5FB87B-7CE2-4F83-915D-550846C9537B}Camera Roll
{B7BEDE81-DF94-4682-A7D8-57A52620B86F}Screenshots
{F42EE2D3-909F-4907-8871-4C22FC0BF756}Local Documents
{7D83EE9B-2244-4E70-B1F5-5393042AF1E4}Local Downloads
{A0C69A99-21C8-4671-8703-7934162FCF1D}Local Music
{0DDD015D-B06C-45D5-8C4C-F59713854639}Local Pictures
{35286A68-3C57-41A1-BBB1-0EAE73D76C95}Local Videos

Common-User Folders

List all locations

Get-ItemProperty "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders" | select * -Exclude "PS*"

Resolve one location

  • return the location as a string:
$env:CommonStartMenu = (New-Object -ComObject Shell.Application).NameSpace('shell:Common Start Menu').Self.Path
$env:CommonDownloads = (New-Object -ComObject Shell.Application).NameSpace('shell:::{3D644C9B-1FB8-4f30-9B45-F670235F79C0}').Self.Path
  • $env:CommonStartMenu = (Get-ItemProperty "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders")."Common Start Menu"

Default locations

  • Value type: REG_EXPAND_SZ
Shell Folder Name - DescriptionDefault location
{3D644C9B-1FB8-4f30-9B45-F670235F79C0}
Common Downloads		%PUBLIC%\Downloads
Common AppData%ProgramData%
Common Desktop%PUBLIC%\Desktop
Common Documents%PUBLIC%\Documents
Common Programs%ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
Common Start Menu%ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
Common Startup%ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
Common Templates%ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Templates
CommonMusic%PUBLIC%\Music
CommonPictures%PUBLIC%\Pictures
CommonVideo%PUBLIC%\Videos

Sources:

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Tags:
Known folders - Access the recycle bin, desktop, downloads folder

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