General Change Default Save Locations for File Explorer Gallery in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to set a folder as the default save location and public save location for the File Explorer Gallery for your account in Windows 11.

Starting with Windows 11 version 22H2 KB5030310 Build 22621.2361, Microsoft is introducing Gallery, a new feature in File Explorer designed to make it easy to access your photo collection. The content in Gallery is the same as what you see in the All Photos view in the Photos app. Your most recently taken photos appear at the top of Gallery. This includes photos from your phone if you have OneDrive Camera Roll Backup set up.

Your Gallery collection is shared between Gallery in File Explorer, Pictures library, and the Photos app.

You can manage your Gallery by adding or removing folders from locations across your PC. Folders added to Gallery will still be stored in their original locations.

The default save location is the folder set to save a file to when you copy, move, or save the file to the Gallery.

The public save location is the folder set to save a file to when users you set to share the Pictures library with copy, move, or save the file to the Gallery.

By default, your account's Pictures folder (ex: "C:\Users\username\Pictures") is both the default save location and public save location.


Here's How:

1 Open File Explorer (Win+E).

2 Click/tap on Gallery in the navigation pane. (see screenshot below step 4)

3 Click/tap on Collection on the command bar, and click/tap on Manage collection. (see screenshot below)


4 Right click on the folder you want to set as the default save location or public save location. (see screenshot below)

5 Click/tap on Set as default save location or Set as public save location for what you want for this folder.

6 Repeat steps 4 and 5 until the default folder(s) are set how you want.

7 When finished, click/tap on OK to apply.




That's it,
Shawn Brink