Word default file location

[DanL]

I realize that this may not be the best place to ask, but I've been having trouble getting satisfaction in the Microsoft forums.

My Word 2018 (using El Capitan) insists on saving documents in the last folder I saved to. This is inconvenient. I'd like to specify the default file location. Now, it's supposed to be my Documents file, but it sure isn't doing that. I understand that one can set the default document file in Preferences/File Locations/Documents, but I don't seem to have Documents listed as a file type there. What are my options? How do I get Preferences/File Locations to list Documents as a valid file type?

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hi,

If you open a Word document, edit it, then use Save, it will save to the same file and location.

-Are you using iCloud > iCloud Drive > Desktop & Documents?
-Do you have Microsoft OneSync setup?
-Can you upload a screenshot of Word > Preferences > File Locations screens?

C

 

[DanL]

My question was whether one can SPECIFY a default file location. As in, I don't care where it came from, this is where I always want to put it.

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hi,

Yes, you can specify that in Word preferences. The Word > Preferences > File Locations setting is the folder that will open by default in Open and Save dialog boxes in Word. But, if you open a document in another folder and then save it again, it will default to where it was opened from. The cannot be changed permanently - you would need to use the Save As command to save to another location.

I don't have any Microsoft or Adobe products on any of my personal Macs, so I can't test it out currently. I can look at it on my work Mac this week.

C

 

[DanL]

As I send in my original post, I KNOW about File Locations in Word. You go there, and select "Documents" as a "File Type", and then tell it where you want to put that file type. But my Word doesn't offer "Documents" as a valid file type. That's the problem. How do I get "Documents" as an accepted file type?

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hi,

I understand the issue. I am flying blind, since I don't have Word installed here, and I am trying to remember the preferences from memory.

It sounds like you can't see the Documents folder to be able to select it, or another location that you want to set as the default. It may have to do with iCloud Drive or OneSync.

A few screenshots may help, so I can see what you are/aren't seeing.

C

 

[DanL]

Well, with my Finder, I can see my Documents folder. But we're talking about file Document TYPE, not Document FOLDER. Microsoft Word is not offering me "Document" as a file type to shunt to a particular folder.

Here is what my File Locations pane looks like

According to everything that I see online, I am *supposed to* be seeing "Documents" offered
as a File Type. I am not. Why?

 

[Cory Cooper]

Ahhh, I see now.

I did a quick Internet search, and it looks like those are the only options in the 2016 version (there wasn't a 2018 version of Word, just 2016 and 2019). I don't see any way to set the Documents file location in that version, and 2019 seems to be the same: Word for Mac 2019 AutoRecovery File Locations cannot be set. It now seems to be a feature that Microsoft removed.

I don't have any way to test it out as I mentioned, and my work Mac has the latest version. I can check it tomorrow and let you know.

Sorry,

C

 

[DanL]

OK, thanks. I think that's the answer. Microsoft just removed that option in my 2016 version. Kinda bizarre.

 

[Cory Cooper]

Yes, agreed.

Now that I think about it more, I do remember dealing with this issue previously. Probably another reason I stopped using their products on my personal Macs. I do have to use Microsoft Office at work occasionally, but the majority of what we use is Google Drive/Docs, because of the ease of sharing and collaboration.

C

 

[TonyAguila]

I think what you need to accomplish this is Default Folder X. As the name implies, you can define a default folder for documents created in any particular application. I think you can download a trial file before buying, at https://www.stclairsoft.com/DefaultFolderX/