How to Move the Default User Profile Folder to Another Drive

Step-by-Step Guide:

Step 1: Modify the Registry

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

3. On the right-hand side, double-click ProfilesDirectory.
4. Change the value from:

   %SystemDrive%\Users

   
   to:

   D:\Users

   

   (Replace D: with your preferred drive letter.)

5. Click OK and close the Registry Editor.

Note: There’s no need to manually create the Users folder. Windows will create it automatically when a new user logs in for the first time.

Step 2: Create a New User Account

1. Go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users.
2. Click Add someone else to this PC.
3. Follow the on-screen prompts to create a new user account and add them to the Administrators group if required.
4. Sign in with the new account.

Windows will now create the new user’s profile folder under D:\Users.

Important Notes

• This change affects only new user accounts created after modifying the registry.
• Existing profiles under C:\Users will remain where they are and won’t be moved automatically.

Optional: Use a Registry Script

To apply the registry change faster, create a .reg file with the following content:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList]
"ProfilesDirectory"="D:\\Users"
    

Save it as ChangeUserProfilePath.reg, then double-click to apply the change.

Conclusion

Changing the default user profile location is a practical way to keep your system running smoothly, especially on systems with limited space on the C: drive or setups involving multiple users. With a simple registry tweak and a clean account setup, you can ensure all new profiles are stored on a different drive improving performance and organization.