How to Change File Explorer Default Start Folder in Windows 10

The Windows 10 File Explorer opens to Quick access by default. Quick access is a section where you can place shortcuts to your favorite folders. It also displays recently viewed files and frequently used folders. If you’re not a fan of the Quick access feature and want File Explorer to default to “This PC”, Downloads or any other custom folder by default, this post tells you how to do it.

Open File Explorer to This PC or Quick access

  1. Start File Explorer, and click the File menu.
  2. Click Folder and search options
  3. In the Folder Options dialog that opens, select This PC from the drop-down box, and click OK.
    open file explorer to downloads folder

There is also another choice (“Downloads”) you can make which Microsoft doesn’t tell you. But it requires editing the registry.


Open File Explorer to the Downloads folder by default

Here is how to set File Explorer to open the “Downloads” folder every time you press WinKey + E or click the File Explorer Taskbar shortcut.

The Folder Options setting “Open File Explorer to:” is saved in the following registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

Value name: LaunchTo

Data: 1, 2 or 3

  • 1 – File Explorer opens to “This PC”
  • 2 – File Explorer opens to Quick access
  • 3 – This is undocumented. If the value data is set to 3 (not configurable via Folder Options dialog), File Explorer opens to the Downloads folder.
RELATED: Want to choose a custom default folder other than the three options above? Use the registry edit and script method here: How to Change WinKey + E and File Explorer Shortcut Target

Launch the Registry Editor (regedit.exe) and go to the above key:

open file explorer to downloads folder



Set the LaunchTo value data to 3 and exit the Registry Editor.

Note that after setting the value data to 3, the drop-down box in the Folder Options dialog would appear like this.

open file explorer to downloads folder

One of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update insider preview builds included “Downloads” in the drop-down list, and Microsoft removed the option in the subsequent releases. However, the registry edit still works in version 1903 through 20H2.


Open File Explorer to Any folder of your choice

To make File Explorer start to a custom folder location other than the three options, use the registry edit and script method described in the article How to Change WinKey + E and File Explorer Shortcut Target in Windows 10


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Ramesh Srinivasan is passionate about Microsoft technologies and he has been a consecutive ten-time recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional award in the Windows Shell/Desktop Experience category, from 2003 to 2012. He loves to troubleshoot and write about Windows. Ramesh founded Winhelponline.com in 2005.

4 thoughts on “How to Change File Explorer Default Start Folder in Windows 10”

  1. Is there a tweak to have Explorer open with the highlighted folder at the top of the left panel list instead of near the bottom.

    Reply

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