How to change the default folder used for documents scanned with Windows Fax and Scan?

When I scan a document with Windows Fax and Scan on Windows 8.1, the resulting file is automatically saved in the "Scanned Documents" subfolder of the "Documents" folder. How to change this location?

3 Answers

• Backup all the scanned files you need to keep
• Open the automatic Scanned Documents folder and click on the address bar to copy its full location. It should look like C:\Users\BillGates\Documents\Scanned Documents
• Go back to the Documents folder and delete Scanned Documents
• Open a command prompt window. On Windows 8.1, you can do this by using the shortcut keys ⊞ (Windows key) + S and typing cmd. On Windows 7 and Windows 10, type cmd in the start menu search bar

• Enter the following command and press enter, where C:\scans is the directory you want to be used to save new scanned files:

  mklink /d "C:\Users\BillGates\Documents\Scanned Documents" C:\scans

This creates a linked folder (symlink, not a shortcut). It acts like a normal folder but is actually located in a different place. When the scan software saves into its default location, the files will actually be saved into C:\scans.

I had the same problem and found this thread. Creating a hard link is not the best solution for me, so I decided to search in the registry for a string and found these entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Photo Acquisition\DestinationMru

"MruEntry0"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Photo Acquisition\Scanner

"FilenameTemplate"

"VideoFilenameTemplate"

"RootDirectory"

I changed the value of all 4 keys and it worked! It was something like E:\Scans before and R:\M_SCANS after.

If your default directory is somewhere in your documents folder there might be a name like %blahblah%, which is where your variable userpath points to.

I've tested that under Windows 7 64-bit.

In Windows 10, just right-click on the Documents folder in File Explorer and select Move. Move it to the desired location by moving or without moving existing files. Fax & Scanner will now scan to the new location.