How to Change Default User Profile Location to Another Drive

Last updated: 19-12-2025

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.