Question Desktop folder is called Downloads

[kanishknishar]

My Desktop folder is shown as Downloads in File Explorer even if the filepath is %USERPROFILE%/Desktop. I have made some regedit suggested on Microsoft forum but that didn't help either:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

1
Double click {374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}, set its Value Data to this and click OK

%USERPROFILE%\Downloads

2
Double click {7D83EE9B-2244-4E70-B1F5-5393042AF1E4}, set its Value Data to this and click OK

%USERPROFILE%\Downloads

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders

3
Open the Registry Editor again, it will still be on the same location.

Double click {374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}, set its Value Data to this and click OK

%USERPROFILE%\Downloads

This is what my Explorer looks like:

These are what my the two registry locations look like at the moment:

Can someone help me change the folder name to Desktop from Download?

 

[Lutfij]

You've posted a couple of threads already relating to minor hiccups in your OS, I think it's best that you recreate your bootable USB installer for Windows 10, backup your mission critical data and then proceed to format and reinstall the OS.

The moment you start tinkering under the hood of the OS, is when you're inviting trouble, editing registry is one such instance.

 

[Ralston18]

Stop!

What is the end requirement or objective?

Each user has his or her own desktop and their own download folder.

I believe that you can change your account's target folder from Download to Desktop if desired - not recommended. Microsoft may have other ideas and thus prevent doing so.

Stay out of the registry. Registry edits are a last resort and should only be attempted after a full system backup that also includes the Registry itself.

Even if you manage to make some such change the next Windows update may completely undo it.

Or result in system errors and crashes.

Open the Disk Management window and expand so all can be seen.

Take a screenshot and post the screenshot here via imgur (www.imgur.com).

And add more explanation about what and why the change is needed.

 

[kanishknishar]

Stop!

What is the end requirement or objective?

Each user has his or her own desktop and their own download folder.

I believe that you can change your account's target folder from Download to Desktop if desired - not recommended. Microsoft may have other ideas and thus prevent doing so.

Stay out of the registry. Registry edits are a last resort and should only be attempted after a full system backup that also includes the Registry itself.

Even if you manage to make some such change the next Windows update may completely undo it.

Or result in system errors and crashes.

Open the Disk Management window and expand so all can be seen.

Take a screenshot and post the screenshot here via imgur (www.imgur.com).

And add more explanation about what and why the change is needed.

Yes, each user has their own Desktop and Download folder. In my case, both folders are called Download even if the icons are correct. I want to change my Download folder (which is really my Desktop folder) to Desktop.

I am not sure why you asked for a picture of my Disk Management screen.

 

[USAFRet]

I have made some regedit suggested

STOP screwing with the Registry, unless you know exactly what you are doing, and have made a fall back copy of the Reg.
Stop.

 

[kanishknishar]

STOP screwing with the Registry, unless you know exactly what you are doing, and have made a fall back copy of the Reg.
Stop.

Even if the regedits were told as a way to fix my problem on a support forum?

 

[USAFRet]

I want to change my Download folder (which is really my Desktop folder) to Desktop.

It doesn't work like that.

What did you do to make the OS think that the Download 'folder' and Desktop 'folder' are the same thing?

 

[USAFRet]

Even if the regedits were told as a way to fix my problem on a support forum?

Improperly formatted questions often lead to improper suggestions and procedures.

 

[kanishknishar]

Improperly formatted questions often lead to improper suggestions and procedures.

Improperly formatted how?

It doesn't work like that.

What did you do to make the OS think that the Download 'folder' and Desktop 'folder' are the same thing?

Nothing AFAIK. I didn't do regedits for Download/Desktop. It was after I ran the Windows Media Installation Tool as away to fix my OneDrive context menu having discovered that this happened. I did get my OneDrive context menu options back.

 

[USAFRet]

Even if the regedits were told as a way to fix my problem on a support forum?

What was the original "problem"?
Before ANY regedits or folder manipulation.

What did you have, and what were you wanting to do?

 

[kanishknishar]

What was the original "problem"?
Before ANY regedits or folder manipulation.

What did you have, and what were you wanting to do?

I removed the OneDrive context menu after installing the OS because the context menu is so horribly bloated in Windows which I was OK with except that even within the OneDrive folder, I lost those options. After some troubleshooting which failed, I ran the media installation tool. I regained the context menu options but now the Desktop/Download folder issue as seen in the image in the first post.

BTW, I am probably going to reinstall my OS just for a fresh start but I will still need to do the regedits to get rid of the filler context menu options, no? What do yall suggest? Is there a way to do it without using regedits?

 

[USAFRet]

BTW, I am probably going to reinstall my OS just for a fresh start but I will still need to do the regedits to get rid of the filler context menu options, no? What do yall suggest? Is there a way to do it without using regedits?

What is this regedit supposed to do, that is not in the original OS config?

 

[Ralston18]

I suggest absolutely no registry edits until there is a specific problem with a specific solution that involves or requires a Registry edit.

I do not understand "get rid of filler context menu options," etc....

Please explain.

 

[kanishknishar]

What is this regedit supposed to do, that is not in the original OS config?

Remove these options that I believe one can't directly in the OS:
Remove Cast to device Context Menu.bat
Remove_Give_access_to_from_context_menu.reg
Remove_Include_in_library_from_context_menu.reg
Remove_Move_t😵neDrive_context_menu_for_all_users.reg
Remove_Pin_to_Taskbar_context_menu.reg
Remove_Pin-to-Start_context_menu.reg
Remove_Previous_Versions_from_Properties_and_context_menu.reg
Remove_Send-To_context_menu.reg
Remove_Share_from_context_menu.reg
Remove_Troubleshoot_Compatibility_context_menu.reg

Example: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/143383-add-remove-items-send-context-menu-windows.html

All of these were from the ten forums. Filler because I have no use for them and make the context menu unnecessarily cluttered.

 

[USAFRet]

All of these were from the ten forums. Filler because I have no use for them and make the context menu unnecessarily cluttered.

So...much more than the original question of Desktop <-> Downloads folders.

Sorry, but I have no off the cuff suggestions for this.
Anything more, and I;d need to do a LOT of research.

 

[kanishknishar]

So...much more than the original question of Desktop <-> Downloads folders.

Sorry, but I have no off the cuff suggestions for this.
Anything more, and I;d need to do a LOT of research.

Well in this case, I wasn't asking about Desktop/Download. I was asking how would I remove these context menu options without having to resort to regedit since you said they are to be avoided. I concatenated the code if that makes it easier for you:

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Sharing]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Sharing]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Sharing]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Sharing]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\LibraryFolder\background\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Sharing]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\UserLibraryFolder\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Sharing]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\ShellEx\ContextMenuHandlers\Library Location]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Folder\ShellEx\ContextMenuHandlers\Library Location]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Blocked]
"{CB3D0F55-BC2C-4C1A-85ED-23ED75B5106B}"=""
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\{90AA3A4E-1CBA-4233-B8BB-535773D48449}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\PintoStartScreen]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\PintoStartScreen]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Microsoft.Website\ShellEx\ContextMenuHandlers\PintoStartScreen]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mscfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\PintoStartScreen]
; Removed from Properties tab
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\PropertySheetHandlers\{596AB062-B4D2-4215-9F74-E9109B0A8153}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103}\shellex\PropertySheetHandlers\{596AB062-B4D2-4215-9F74-E9109B0A8153}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shellex\PropertySheetHandlers\{596AB062-B4D2-4215-9F74-E9109B0A8153}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shellex\PropertySheetHandlers\{596AB062-B4D2-4215-9F74-E9109B0A8153}]
; Remove from context menu
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\{596AB062-B4D2-4215-9F74-E9109B0A8153}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103}\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\{596AB062-B4D2-4215-9F74-E9109B0A8153}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\{596AB062-B4D2-4215-9F74-E9109B0A8153}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\{596AB062-B4D2-4215-9F74-E9109B0A8153}]
; To clear any policies
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer]
"NoPreviousVersionsPage"=-
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer]
"NoPreviousVersionsPage"=-
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\PreviousVersions]
"DisableLocalPage"=-
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer]
"NoPreviousVersionsPage"=-
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\PreviousVersions]
"DisableLocalPage"=-
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\SendTo]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\UserLibraryFolder\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\SendTo]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\ModernSharing]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Blocked]
"{1d27f844-3a1f-4410-85ac-14651078412d}"=""

 

[Ralston18]

Not sure about the details but some of what is being attempted or required may be addressable via Group Policy.

If you edit the registry and then some Windows update does not find what is expected then any number of things may or may not happen. Overall the end results likely to be bad.

= = = =

However, if you really believe that you must tinker with such things then use Powershell.

And do some coding using cmdlets such as Get-Item, New-Item, Remove-Item. There are more....

FYI:

https://woshub.com/how-to-access-and-manage-windows-registry-with-powershell/#google_vignette

There are other similar links and tutorials available. Research and read carefully. There are often typos and errors.

And even if not, something may go astray because of some other action that was taken with respect to the registry or system configuration.

You will need full system admin rights and likely need to write some scripts using the necessary Powershell cmdlets.

There may be different ways or methods to accomplish some things.

Have a specific requirement in mind, have a way to test if the change actually worked or not (without breaking something else), and plan out the required cmdlets in detail beforehand. Leave nothing to chance.

Try one edit at a time and allow time between edits. Start with single targeted cmdlets and learn to use the editor as you become more familar with PS and the cmdlets to be used. Then combine the individual cmdlets into scripts.

Just ensure that all is backed up and that you can easily restore and rebuild everything.

And be ready for future Windows updates, etc. to undo or otherwise break things.

Also remember that there will be some things that simply cannot be changed.

 

[EggShell]

Can someone help me change the folder name to Desktop from Download?

Your screenshots aren't very clear, please enter the following commands from command prompt and then post the output in your next post:

reg query "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders" /v {374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}
reg query "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders" /v Desktop
reg query "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders" /v {374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}
reg query "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders" /v Desktop