How To Change the Save Location for Scanned Documents in Windows 10/11

By default, when using the Windows Fax and Scan app, scanned documents end up in the Scanned Documents folder inside your Documents directory. It’s kind of weird, but this is baked into Windows—no matter if you choose Save As afterward, it’ll still auto-save there. If you’re a heavy scanner, that can quickly fill up your system drive, especially if you’re scanning a ton of stuff regularly. Moving that folder somewhere else is a smart move, because the system drive is usually wiped or reinstalled at some point, and losing all your scanned files would be annoying.

So, the goal here is to change the default save location — basically telling Windows to save those scans somewhere else. There are a couple of ways to do this, depending on whether you want to move just the Scanned Documents folder or the whole Documents folder that it’s part of. The simpler way involves just moving the entire Documents folder, but if you only want to relocate the scans, the second method with symbolic links might be better. Honestly, on one setup it worked pretty straightforward, on another…not so much. Windows can be weird with this stuff.

How to Change the Default Scanned Documents Folder in Windows 10/11

Method 1: Moving the Entire Documents Folder (Includes Scanned Documents)

This is the easiest if you’re cool with moving everything inside Documents. Since Scanned Documents is nested here, moving the whole thing effectively changes where scans go. Just be aware that it’ll move everything under Documents, not just scans. For most, that’s fine, but if you want to keep your downloads and other stuff in the original location, skip to Method 2.

When you change the Documents folder location, all contents get moved automatically. Here’s how to do it:

Open File Explorer and navigate to This PC or Computer.
Right-click on the Documents folder in the navigation pane and choose Properties.
Switch to the Location tab. Click on Move, then pick your new storage location—maybe an external drive or another partition.
Hit Select Folder, then click Apply. Confirm any prompts with Yes. Windows will move all your current files there, including the Scanned Documents.

This method is kind of crude but effective. Remember, it moves the entire Documents folder and all its subfolders. So, if you want only the scans moved, go to Method 2.

Method 2: Using Symbolic Links to Keep the Documents Folder but Change Scanned Docs Location

This one’s a bit sneaky but pretty elegant. Instead of moving the whole Documents folder, you can create a symbolic link—basically a shortcut—redirecting only the Scanned Documents folder to a new location. It’s handy if you want to keep your main folder where it is but save scans elsewhere. Word of caution: on some machines, this might throw errors about permissions or access. Not sure why it works sometimes and not others, but it’s worth trying.

Before you do anything, you have to take ownership of the folder—Windows can be picky with permissions here. Then, you’ll need a tool called Symbolic Link Creator. There’s a portable version, so no install fuss.

Here’s what’s involved:

First, take control of the Scanned Documents folder. In File Explorer, right-click it, select Properties, then go to the Security tab. Click Advanced and then Change the owner to your user account. Apply and close.
Next, download the Symbolic Link Creator. Run it with admin rights — right-click and choose Run as administrator.
Select the option for Folder symbolic link. Then, pick your current Scanned Documents folder as the source, and choose your desired new location. This could be an external drive or a different partition.
Press Create Link. The tool will set up a symlink pointing from the original location to the new one, so Windows thinks it’s still working in the original spot but really saves scans elsewhere.

It sounds a little complicated, but if you mess up permissions or skip ownership, you’ll get “Access Denied” errors. That’s why taking ownership first helps. Also, on some setups, it might require a reboot or re-login after creating the link to stabilize.

And hey, if you want tips on saving scanned docs directly as PDFs or automating file organization, check out the other guides in this series. Because of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary.