How to Stop Programs Installing on C Drive? Here’s Full Guide

My apps keep installing to C: Drive. When I try to download a game or app is downloads onto the C: drive. I changed the where new content is saved to D: drive but still It doesn't work. Please help.https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/my-apps-keep-installing-to-c-drive

This is a true example from the answers.microsoft forum. He explained his apps keep installing to C drive. If you are also experiencing the same issue, you can keep an eye on this post.

Apps Keep Installing to C Drive

C drive is the boot disk for the operating system and stores a lot of information when the machine is running. If the computer is filled with installed applications or large files, your PC will soon fall into poor performance, lag response, or even a blue screen. Choosing to stop installing the program on the C drive can be helpful.

Normally, the C drive is the default storage location for Windows. If you want to stop programs installing on C drive, you should change some default settings.

How to stop programs installing on C drive? In the following part, we provide two methods for you.

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How to Stop Programs Installing on C Drive

Now, I will introduce how to stop programs installing on C drive step by step.

Method 1. Via File Explorer

You can stop programs installing on C drive by visiting the Properties of Downloads in Files Explorer. Here is the guide:

Step 1: Press the Win + E key to open File Explorer quickly.

Step 2: In the File Explorer window, right-click Downloads and select Properties in the pop-up menu.

Step 3: In the pop-up Downloads Properties window, switch to the Location tab and click Move.

Step 4: Select a folder on another drive like D drive to save downloaded apps. Then click Apply > OK.

Step 5: In the warning box, click Yes.

Method 2. Via Registry Editor

You can also stop programs installing on C drive via Registry Editor. You should back up all registry files before starting with the steps. It will help restore the registry if something goes wrong. Here is how to do that:

Step 1: Press the Win + R key to open the Run dialog box. Type regedit.exe in it and press Enter to open Registry Editor.

Step 2: Go to the following path:

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

Step 3: In the right pane, find the data named %USERPROFILE%\Downloads and double-click it.

Step 4: Under Value data, change the default download location or path, and click OK.

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How to Move Installed Programs to Another Drive

Now you have blocked programs from being installed on drive C. But what about programs that have already been installed on drive C? To move a program that is installed on C drive or on the wrong drive to another drive like D drive, follow these steps:

1. Press the Win + I key to open Settings.
2. Navigate to Apps to enter the Apps & features window.
3. Scroll down, select an app that you need to move, and click the Move button.
4. Choose a destination drive like D and perform the operation by clicking Move.

Not all apps have this option. If you cannot see it, read this post to try another method to move installed programs to another drive.

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Bottom Line

How to stop programs installing on C drive? This post has provided 2 methods to help you do that. It also gives a guide to moving installed programs to another drive. MiniTool Partition Wizard is a great partition manager. If you need to manage your disks/partitions, it is a great choice.