Change default path for saving original images in Windows Photo Gallery

Question

I have installed the Windows Photo Gallery recently. I would like to know how can I change the path where the original pictures are saved. Now the default path is
C:\Users\____\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Photo Gallery\Original Images I want to change them to somewhere in D or E partition, because there is little space left and as a precaution if I want to format the C partition.
Any Idea?

Solution 1

If Windows Photo Gallery does not have an option to set the default save path then you can create a directory symbolic link or junction point instead:

1. Close Photo Gallery

2. Delete C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Photo Gallery\Original Images

3. At an admin (elevated) command prompt run:

   mklink /d "C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Photo Gallery\Original Images" "D:\Original Images"

   or if that doesn't work then:

   mklink /j "C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Photo Gallery\Original Images" "D:\Original Images"

(Obviously edit all paths as required.)

Solution 2

Changing the path within Windows Photo Gallery is not possible. But you can change it.
Here is how to change it:

1. Open the folder where Photot Gallery stores the original images(Usualy, it is located here, C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Photo Gallery\Original Images
2. Open the properties of the folder Original Images.
3. Click the Location tab
4. Here, you shall change the default path(sorry, the path given in the picture is not the default path).
5. You may type in the path manually, or browse to it by clicking Move button.
6. Press "Select Folder".
7. Done!

Note: Although the original files will be moved to this folder, if you click the Go to Original Photos Folder, it would not open the new location.

Comments

[Tom Ruh]

With Window Live Photo Gallery, which is a little bit older version. From inside the program File/Options/Import

[Karan]

Oh, if the Location tab is present in the folder properties then that's the simplest way of doing this. I don't have WPG installed so I didn't know.

[RogUE]

After going through your steps, would "Go to Original Photos Folder" in "Options" of Photo Gallery lead to the new folder?

[Karan]

I think it would since you're essentially fooling the program into thinking the folder is located at the location it expects, but you'll have to try it since I can't. Just create a backup of the folder, do what I said (try with both symlink and junction if one fails) and see if it works. If not just restore your backup.

[RogUE]

The first command worked for me. I had to run it in cmd window as admin.

[Karan]

Yeah, mklink requires admin access; edited that in.