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Default Image save folder in IE

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7 replies

by thechas

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Is there any way to change the default folder that IE uses when you save an image from a web page?

When you go to save an image from a web page in IE, the default folder the first time you save in each new IE session is the My Documents folder.
After you save an image to a different folder, that folder remains the default until you either save to a different folder, or close IE.

I use a separate logical drive for storing images. Where in the registry, or system files can you change the default folder?

For my system, the desired default folder would be
H:\Images

IE holds the last folder used for saving downloads and web pages. So, why not images?

Mozilla uses the last folder saved to for any save function.

This is not a major issue, it just bugs me.

Chas

7 replies

by pctech

Hi Chas,

Yes, I have suffered as you are when it comes to the default folder locations. This is what I have done and since you do not mention IE or Win versions, probably the easiest way to do it.

With XP Pro and IE 6, the default image folderis C:\Documents and Settings\%userprofile%\My Documnets\My Pictures. This is where IE wants to save image files, by default. I wished for this not to be the default folder for it is much easier to do backups outside of user profiles. I set the My Documents to C:\My Documents by editing the registry. All the subfolders remained with it, until I also edited the registry to the new locations I wanted.

Start regedit and search for "Shell Folders". The right pane will have "Pictures" and the default path for them. Modify the path to point to the directory you want. As always, back up the registry first and, as you know, do not include the quotations marks in your search. I would list the keys used under XP Pro, but there are several keys that need editing and I am allowed only so much space here.

I hope this helps

by pctech

Ah yes! You have asked this question under the XP section and you are surely using IE 6. If you need more help, email me and I can go key by key with you.

by thechas

This sort of did what I wanted.

Unfortunately, I lost the ability to change the view from thumbnails to list.
With this change made throughout the registry, I have to change the view to list each time I want to view a list instead of thumbnails in the file window.

Chas

by the young one

Your very right, but the registry can be a little messy and time consuming. If you right click on the My Doc's icon on the desktop, retype where you want the My Doc's to point to, and it will move all your doc's to that location, and after a logoff it will fix all the other shell folders (ie. My Music, My Pictures, My Videos etc).

by thechas

This brought me close to what I want.

What I ended up doing, was moving the My Pictures folder to the drive I use for images.

Not quite perfect, but much easier than having to change drives every time I opened IE and want to save an image.

Chas

by thechas

Yes, the primary system is Windows XP with IE 6.
I figured that any registry edit would be similar for all versions of Windows.

As a side question, what key controls the default view of the image save dialog?

Chas

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