To change where screenshots are saved in Windows 10, open File Explorer > Pictures, right-click the Screenshots folder, and select Properties. On the Location tab, select Move, choose the new folder, and select OK. Screenshots you take with Windows logo key + Print Screen then go to the new place.
Applies to: Windows 10. Microsoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025, so a PC without Extended Security Updates no longer receives security fixes; that program runs until October 12, 2027.
This only changes where Windows logo key + Print Screen saves files. Other shortcuts, like Print Screen and Windows logo key + Shift + S, copy to the clipboard, and you choose where to save when you paste.
Move the Screenshots folder
- Take one screenshot with Windows logo key + Print Screen if you haven’t yet. This creates the Screenshots folder.
- Open File Explorer (Windows logo key + E) and select Pictures.
- Right-click Screenshots and select Properties.
- Select the Location tab.
- Type the new folder path, or select Move and choose a folder.
- Select OK.
- When Windows asks, select Yes to move your existing screenshots too.
Pick an empty folder of its own, such as D:\Screenshots. Don’t choose the root of a drive or a folder that already holds other files, because resetting later moves everything in it.
Save Snip & Sketch screenshots to a folder
Windows logo key + Shift + S only copies the picture. To save it as a file:
- Take the screenshot, then select the notice that pops up in the corner. Snip & Sketch opens.
- Select Save (the disk icon), or press Ctrl + S.
- Choose your folder, type a name, and select Save.
Restore the default location
Open the Screenshots folder’s Properties again, select the Location tab, and select Restore Default > OK. The default is C:\Users\YourName\Pictures\Screenshots.
If screenshots don’t go where you expect
- There’s no Location tab. You’re looking at a regular folder, not Windows’ Screenshots folder. Take one screenshot with Windows logo key + Print Screen so Windows creates the real one, then try again.
- Screenshots end up in OneDrive. OneDrive may be backing up your Pictures folder or saving screenshots itself. Check OneDrive settings under Sync and backup or Backup.
- Nothing is saved. If the screen doesn’t dim when you press Windows logo key + Print Screen, your laptop may need Fn + Windows logo key + Print Screen.
- Windows tells you that you don’t have permission. Pick a folder inside your user folder or on another drive, not a system folder like C:\Windows.
Frequently asked questions
Can I save screenshots to OneDrive?
Yes. Move the folder into your OneDrive folder, or in OneDrive’s settings turn on Automatically save screenshots I capture to OneDrive.
Where do Game Bar captures go?
To Videos > Captures. You can move that folder the same way. Game Bar is also how you record your screen in Windows 10.
What are all the screenshot shortcuts?
Every method, with what each one captures, is in taking a screenshot on Windows 10.
Can I change the file name or type?
No. Windows always saves these as PNG files named Screenshot with a number, such as Screenshot (12).png. Rename them afterward, or save from Snip & Sketch to pick a name and type.
Can I save screenshots to a USB drive?
Yes, but it’s risky. If the drive is unplugged, Windows can’t save there and may go back to the default folder. A folder on an internal drive or in OneDrive is more reliable.
Does moving the folder change it for other users?
No. Each account has its own Screenshots folder, so the change only applies to you.
How do I find a screenshot I just took?
Open File Explorer and go to Pictures > Screenshots, or your new folder. Select View > Details and sort by Date modified to put the newest one at the top.
Will my old screenshots move automatically?
Only if you select Yes when Windows asks. If you select No, the old ones stay in the previous folder, and you can move them yourself later.
Want to add arrows or notes first? You can draw on your screen in Windows 10 before saving. On Windows 11, screenshots go through Snipping Tool instead.
The full set of screenshot shortcuts is on Microsoft’s Keyboard shortcuts in Windows page.
Matt Jacobs writes and maintains the guides on Support Your Tech, which he started in 2017. He spent most of his career keeping small-business PCs running and still takes the occasional consulting job, so the steps here come from fixing the same problems on other people’s computers. Every guide is checked on his own Windows 11, Windows 10, Mac, iPhone and iPad before it goes up.