how do i make a new desktop/documents/downloads folder?

Question

how do i make a new desktop/documents/downloads folder?

joedied joedied 20

hello! i used to keep my desktop, documents and downloads folders on my external hdd, but recently it broke so i no longer have an access to them. is there a way to create new ones? Screenshot 2026-07-17 153853

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Answer accepted by question author

DaveM121 933.1K Independent Advisor

You would need to manually create those inside your user folder that is inside the C:\Users on your C drive.

Then you would need to re-register those folders in Windows in their original locations.

To do that:

After you create the new folders, in the left pane of File Explorer, right click the Desktop folder and select Properties.

Then on the properties dialog, select the Location tab, and click the 'Restore Default' button.
That process will link the new Desktop folder to the references Windows uses for that folder.
Then do the exact same for the Documents and Downloads folders.

joedied joedied 20 Reputation points

2026-07-17T14:11:58.18+00:00

i don't have the

location tab
DaveM121 933.1K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-07-17T14:16:27.9333333+00:00

1

Your screenshot indicates you have created the new Desktop folder inside the C:\Users folder, that is the wrong location, you need to create it inside your user folder that is inside the C:\Users folder.

2

The Location tab will not be on the new folder you have created it will be on the generic Desktop icon in the left pane in File Explorer.
joedied joedied 20 Reputation points

2026-07-17T14:44:16.38+00:00

it doesn't appear in the left pane in file explorer even after creating it inside my user folder
DaveM121 933.1K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-07-17T14:46:15.6033333+00:00

Click the Home link at the top of the left pane, is the original blue Desktop folder visible in there.
joedied joedied 20 Reputation points

2026-07-17T14:55:30.9+00:00

it worked with downloads folder but not with desktop or documents
Deleted

This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.
DaveM121 933.1K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-07-17T15:16:40.1833333+00:00

Click your Start Button, type regedit and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.

Click View and make sure 'Address Bar' is turned on.

Paste this into the Address Bar at the top and hit Enter.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

Please provide a screenshot of that Registry Editor page.
joedied joedied 20 Reputation points

2026-07-17T15:25:47.7966667+00:00
DaveM121 933.1K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-07-17T15:53:30.8033333+00:00

Thank you for the screenshot.

You will need to edit the registry, please follow these steps carefully.

Open the Registry Editor again, it will still be in the same location.

You need to double click the entries I indicate below one at a time.

Then, for 1 and 2, the Value Data needs to be set to the exact location of the new Documents folder you have created, then click OK

Then, for 3 and 4, the Value Data needs to be set to the exact location of the new Desktop folder you have created, then click OK.

Then, close the registry editor and restart (not shut down) your PC to apply the changes
joedied joedied 20 Reputation points

2026-07-17T17:11:44.3633333+00:00

thank you a lot! it fixed everything

1 additional answer

Your answer

joedied joedied 20 Reputation points

2026-07-17T14:11:58.18+00:00

i don't have the

location tab
DaveM121 933.1K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-07-17T14:16:27.9333333+00:00

1

Your screenshot indicates you have created the new Desktop folder inside the C:\Users folder, that is the wrong location, you need to create it inside your user folder that is inside the C:\Users folder.

2

The Location tab will not be on the new folder you have created it will be on the generic Desktop icon in the left pane in File Explorer.
joedied joedied 20 Reputation points

2026-07-17T14:44:16.38+00:00

it doesn't appear in the left pane in file explorer even after creating it inside my user folder
DaveM121 933.1K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-07-17T14:46:15.6033333+00:00

Click the Home link at the top of the left pane, is the original blue Desktop folder visible in there.
joedied joedied 20 Reputation points

2026-07-17T14:55:30.9+00:00

it worked with downloads folder but not with desktop or documents
Deleted

This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.
DaveM121 933.1K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-07-17T15:16:40.1833333+00:00

Click your Start Button, type regedit and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.

Click View and make sure 'Address Bar' is turned on.

Paste this into the Address Bar at the top and hit Enter.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

Please provide a screenshot of that Registry Editor page.
joedied joedied 20 Reputation points

2026-07-17T15:25:47.7966667+00:00
DaveM121 933.1K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-07-17T15:53:30.8033333+00:00

Thank you for the screenshot.

You will need to edit the registry, please follow these steps carefully.

Open the Registry Editor again, it will still be in the same location.

You need to double click the entries I indicate below one at a time.

Then, for 1 and 2, the Value Data needs to be set to the exact location of the new Documents folder you have created, then click OK

Then, for 3 and 4, the Value Data needs to be set to the exact location of the new Desktop folder you have created, then click OK.

Then, close the registry editor and restart (not shut down) your PC to apply the changes
joedied joedied 20 Reputation points

2026-07-17T17:11:44.3633333+00:00

thank you a lot! it fixed everything

Answer 1

To resolve this issue, you need to manually recreate the folders in your user directory on your C drive and then point Windows back to them. Here is the step-by-step process based on the advice provided in the Microsoft Q&A discussion:

1. Recreate the Folders

Navigate to your user folder located at C:\Users[YourUsername] in File Explorer and manually create new folders named "Desktop," "Documents," and "Downloads" (if they are missing).

2. Re-register the Folders in Windows

Once the folders are created, you need to tell Windows to use these new locations instead of the broken paths:

Open File Explorer.

In the left-hand navigation pane, find the Desktop folder.

Right-click it and select Properties.

Go to the Location tab.

Click the Restore Default button.

Click Apply or OK.

Repeat this exact process for both the Documents and Downloads folders. This will re-link Windows to the new folders you created, resolving the "Location is not available" error.

joedied joedied 20 Reputation points

2026-07-17T15:12:35.8466667+00:00

it did not work

with the desktop and documents folders