You can easily change the default drive where new apps and other content are installed or saved in Windows settings, allowing you to direct installations to a drive other than your main system drive.
Many users find it beneficial to change the default save location for new apps, especially those obtained from the Microsoft Store. According to the reference, changing "apps from the app store" to a separate "data drive" is a common practice and considered "really nice" as it helps manage space on your primary drive and organize your files.
Why Change the Default Installation Drive?
Changing the default installation drive for new apps offers several advantages:
- Save Space on Primary Drive: Keep your main system drive (usually C:) cleaner and with more free space by directing new app installations to a different drive.
- Better Organization: Separate your operating system and program files from your apps and personal data.
- Potential Performance: If you have a faster secondary drive (like an SSD), installing frequently used apps there might offer slightly faster loading times compared to a slower HDD.
How to Change the Default Save Location for New Apps
Windows provides a straightforward setting to control where new apps, documents, music, pictures, and videos are saved by default.
Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these steps to change the default installation drive for new apps:
- Open Settings: Press the
Windows Key + Isimultaneously to open the Windows Settings application. - Navigate to System: Click on the "System" category.
- Go to Storage: In the left-hand menu, select "Storage."
- Find Save Locations: Scroll down the Storage settings page until you find the section titled "Change where new content is saved."
- Select Drive for New Apps: Click the dropdown menu under "New apps will save to:".
- Choose Your Drive: Select the desired drive from the list (e.g., your data drive).
- Apply Settings: Windows typically applies this change automatically after selection, or you may see an "Apply" button to confirm.
You can also use this section to change the default save locations for new documents, music, photos, videos, and offline maps to your preferred drives.
What Happens After Changing?
Once you change the default save location for new apps, Windows will create specific folders on the selected drive to manage these installations. As noted in the reference, this process "usually puts a folder" on the target drive where the app files will reside.
Important Considerations
Keep the following points in mind when changing default installation drives:
- New Installations Only: This setting only affects new apps downloaded from the Microsoft Store after you make the change.
- Traditional Programs: Programs installed using traditional
.exeor.msiinstallers are not managed by this setting. Their installation location is determined during their setup process. - Moving Existing Apps: Moving existing apps installed from the Microsoft Store requires a different method (usually through the app's Advanced Options in Settings > Apps) and is not controlled by the default save location setting. Moving traditionally installed programs manually can cause them to stop working correctly.
