WD: Where Word Saves Files

• Microsoft Word for Windows 95, version 7.0
• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, you should first make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat). Both are hidden files in the Windows folder.

SUMMARY

This article describes how Word decides where to save new documents and existing documents, and how you can change the folder that Word displays in the Save dialog box.

MORE INFORMATION

When you click Save on the File menu, Word looks in the following places to decide which folder to display in the Save dialog box:

• Original folder
• Documents setting in the Options dialog box(on the Tools menu, click Options)
• "My Documents" folder

Original Folder

When you save an existing document, Word always saves it in its original location. If you want to change where Word saves an existing file, open the file, click Save As on the File menu, and select a new location.

Documents setting in the Options Dialog Box

When you save a new file, Word proposes that you save the file in the folder specified on the File Locations tab in the Options dialog box.

To change this setting, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.

2. Click the File Locations tab.

3. Click Documents, and click the Modify button.

4. Type the new path that you want Word to use for opening and saving documents.

5. click OK, and then click Close.

Word 95:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Word\7.0\Options

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Word\Options

Once you modify the Documents setting, any changes you make in the File Locations tab in the Options dialog box will be registered here even if the setting is returned to the original location (My Documents). This setting will take precedence over the original "My Documents" folder that was set at installation.

My Documents

If the Documents field in the File Locations tab is blank, Word displays the "My Documents" folder in the Save dialog box.

This folder is created during Microsoft Word and Office for Windows setup, and it is registered in the Windows 95 registry. All Office programs save files in this location.

To change where Office applications store their files, you must edit the Windows registry.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall Windows 95. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the Changing Keys And Values online Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe). Note that you should make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat) before you edit the registry.

To edit the Windows registry:

1. On the Start menu, click Run.

2. Type REGEDIT, and click OK.

3. Step down through the registry as follows:

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

4. Select Personal. On the Edit menu, click Modify, and type the Value Data to the desired path.

5. Exit the Registry.