Windows 10 Tutorial: Change Microsoft Edge Download Folder

When it made its debut, Edge certainly did things its own way. For example, the Windows 10 web browser saved every file to the Downloads folder the user profile.

Microsoft did not even provide a way for users to save their downloaded files to a different folder, or say, the desktop. At the start, that is. Subsequent updates for Windows 10 and the Edge web browser brought this useful option in settings.

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However, if, for some reason, you are still running an older version, you will not have access to it.

Luckily, tinkering with the registry soon does provide a way to change the downloads folder, even if the browser does not have any such option in the settings menu.

To get started, open the Registry Editor by hitting the Win + R keys and typing regedit into the Run menu that pops up.

Oh, and hit Enter.

In the left pane, navigate to the following location by clicking through the various entries until you reach HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders.

Like so:

Here you will find a registry key with a Data setting of %USERPROFILE%\Downloads.

Open it by double-clicking, and set the Value data to the new file path. You can choose any folder on your computer, or alternatively enter %USERPROFILE%\Desktop to set it to your desktop.

Close the Registry Editor, and Edge will now save all your files to the folder you have just specified.

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