Changing the Default File Location in Excel 2007

When you first start using Microsoft Office Excel 2007, Excel wants to save files in the My Documents (Windows XP) or the Documents (Windows Vista) folder under your user name on your hard drive. So, for example, the directory path of the default folder where Excel 2007 automatically saves new workbook files on a computer running Windows XP is

C:Documents and Settings<i>user</i><i>name</i>My Documents

However, the directory path of the default folder where Excel 2007 automatically saves new workbook files on a computer running Windows Vista is

C:Users<i>use</i><i>rname</i>Documents

The generic My Documents or Documents folders may not be where you want new workbooks you create to be automatically saved.

To change the default file location to another folder on your computer, follow these steps:

1. Click the Office button and then click the Excel Options button.

   The Excel Options dialog box appears.

2. Click the Save tab.

   The Save options appear in the right pane.

3. Click in the Default File Location text box.

   

   Change the default Save folder in the Excel Options dialog box.

4. Edit the existing path or replace it with the path to another existing folder in which you want all future workbooks to be saved.

5. Click OK.

   The Excel Options dialog box closes. The next time you save a new workbook file, it will be saved to the default file location you specified — unless you change the folder location in the Save As dialog box.