How to Find and Use the AppData Folder in Windows

Jordan Baranowski is a former Lifewire writer and educator with experience writing for SVG, The Nerd Stash, and Feast Magazine.

What to Know

• Open the Run dialog box and enter appdata to open the AppData directory in seconds.
• Alternatively, go directly to C:\Users\[your username]\AppData.
• Don't move or delete files from the AppData folder unless you know what you're doing.

This article explains how to find the AppData folder in Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7. It also describes the kind of apps found in this folder.

How to Find the AppData Folder

The fastest way to open the AppData directory in any version of Windows is through the Run dialog box. Press Win+R to open it, then enter appdata and press Enter.

You can also search Windows for the folder, although that's not always a reliable way to open it. Instead, follow these steps to show hidden folders, which is necessary to see this folder, and locate the AppData directory:

Every Windows computer contains a hidden folder called AppData. Most users never need to access this folder, and messing around with it can cause problems on your computer if you don't know what you're doing.

1. Open Control Panel. If you like Run commands, you can enter control in the Run box to launch this utility, otherwise, that link provides some alternative routes.

Select File Explorer Options.

Don't see that option? Next to View by at the top right of Control Panel is a menu. Select it and change the view option to Large icons to make it appear.

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Select the View tab of the File Explorer Options window.

Choose Show hidden files, folders, and drives. Press Apply to save any changes and then select OK.

C:\Users\yourname\AppData 

What Is the AppData Folder?

The AppData folder contains all the data specific to your Windows user profile. This means that your data can be transferred from one device to another as long as you sign in with the same profile.

Several apps use the AppData folder so it's easy to keep data synced between devices. Internet browsers like Firefox store your profiles and bookmarks in the AppData folder. Email programs, like Thunderbird or Outlook, also store data in this folder. Many computer games' Save files wind up in the AppData folder.

You'll notice the AppData directory has a few subfolders. The Local and LocalLow folders store application data specific to your computer. The Roaming folder is used in domain environments when the data should follow the user even if they log in to a different computer; it's synced with the server and often includes things like browser bookmarks.

What Can I Do With the AppData Files?

You never want to move or delete files from the AppData folder; doing so can break whatever program those files are connected to. If you want to back up data or transfer certain things from one device to another, copy the files to cloud storage or a flash drive so that you can keep the folder intact on your current device.

Copying this data elsewhere can be useful if you want to transfer saved files or games to a different device or if you want to keep backups of your options and data.

Again, the AppData folder is something that most people never need to poke around in. That said, it's useful to know how to access the folder and what you can find there, in case you ever need to do so.