How to Move the Windows 10 Update Download Folder to Another Drive

Moving the Windows 10 update download folder to another drive can free up space on your primary drive and improve system performance. Follow these simple steps to relocate the SoftwareDistribution folder, which stores temporary update files, to a different drive.

Step 1: Stop the Windows Update Service

First, you need to temporarily disable the Windows Update service:

  1. Press Win + R to open the "Run" dialog.
  2. Type services.msc and press Enter.
  3. In the list of services, find Windows Update, right-click on it, and select Stop.

Step 2: Rename or Move the Current SoftwareDistribution Folder

The SoftwareDistribution folder is usually located in C:\Windows. Rename or move it so the system can create a new folder in your desired location:

  1. Go to C:\Windows and find the SoftwareDistribution folder.
  2. Rename the folder, for example, to SoftwareDistribution_old (administrator permissions may be required).
  3. Create a new folder on the target drive where you want to store the updates, for example, D:\SoftwareDistribution.

Step 3: Create a Symbolic Link to the New Folder

A symbolic link will allow Windows to access the new folder as if it were still located at C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution:

  1. Open the Command Prompt as Administrator (press Win + X and choose Command Prompt (Admin)).
  2. Type the following command and press Enter: 
    mklink /J C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution D:\SoftwareDistribution

Now, the SoftwareDistribution folder on drive D will be used for update downloads.

Step 4: Restart the Windows Update Service

To apply the changes, restart the Windows Update service:

  1. Open services.msc as described in Step 1.
  2. Find Windows Update and select Start.