If you cannot change where new Windows 11/10 apps will save, and it is showing an error message saying We couldn’t set your default save location, then this tutorial will help you fix that. Although it is an unusual error, it appears when specific terms do not comply with the required settings.
The entire error message says something like this-
We couldn’t set your default save location.
The operation did not complete successfully. Try again in a bit.
The error code is 0x80070005, in case you need it.
This error code 0x80070005 or 0x80070539 for default save location can occur when you try to change the storage drive for new apps, photos & videos, etc. Windows 11/10 allows users to install apps to another partition or external drive. You can access the Where new content is saved section in the Settings app, and select E, F, or some other drive using the drop-down menu. However, the required option grays out or doesn’t work at times and this error message is displayed. If Windows Settings lets you select a different drive, but you cannot save the change, these troubleshooting tips will help you.
We couldn’t set your default save location, Error 0x80070005 or 0x80070539
To fix error 0x80070005 or 0x80070539, follow these suggestions:
- Log in to an Administrator account.
- Rename WindowsApps folder
- Take full control over the WindowsApps folder
To know more about these steps, keep reading.
1] Log in to an Administrator account
Changing the default save location of apps is a task for administrators. In other words, it is required to have an administrator account to make the change. In case you have a Standard user account on your computer, there is a chance to see this error message while changing the partition.
It implies that you will have to follow one of these steps- you can enable the built-in Administrator account and make the change from it, or you can change a Standard user to an Administrator account. If you do not want to create a new account on your computer, it is better to opt for the second solution as mentioned above.
2] Rename WindowsApps folder
Whenever you install software, irrespective of the category, it stores some files in your computer, whether downloaded from Microsoft Store or other third-party sites. WindowsAppsfolder is such a folder where Windows Store apps are installed, and it is hidden unless you use the Show hidden files, folders, and drives option.
If there is an internal conflict with this folder, you won’t be able to change the default save location on your computer. As you are already getting this error message, it is better to rename the folder first and try again to change the location accordingly.
For that, unhide all hidden files and folders on your computer and go to C:\Program Files. Here you will see a folder named WindowsApps.
Right-click on it, select the Rename option and enter a name like WindowsAppsOld. When you do this, Windows OS will automatically recreate a new WindowsApps folder
In most cases, the operation will result in an error message while renaming. If you see You don’t currently have permission to access this folder, you will have to follow the next solution.
3] Get full control over the WindowsApps folder
As mentioned earlier, you will get an Access Denied message while renaming the WindowsApps folder. It is because Windows doesn’t allow users to access this folder. However, if you can change the permission and get full control, you will access it from your administrator account. But we have to state that this is not good from a security point of view. So in case you decide to do so, do remember to reverse the changes made later on.
By default, Full control access is given to TrustedInstaller only. However, if you follow this detailed guide, you can take full ownership of files and folders. After that, you can change the default save location of apps.
Other things you should know are:
- If you are trying to select an external drive, make sure that it is in working condition.
- If Windows doesn’t recognize the external drive, it won’t allow you to choose.
Hope it helps.
How do I fix no permission to save location?
The error message You don’t have permission to save in this location can occur when you try to save Microsoft Office documents in Windows 11/10. To solve this, you need to open the User Accounts window and select the user account for which you face this error. Access the Properties of that user account and change the level of access for your user account from Standard user to Administrator.
Error 0x80070005 is rather ubiquitous and this code is also displayed in the following scenarios:
