How to deploy Folder Redirection in Windows

In this article, I will show you how to deploy folder redirection in Windows. We will create a shared network folder on a file server, grant permissions, and Configure Folder Redirection options with Group Policy. Please see How to Disable Internet Explorer with Group Policy & Registry, How to Enable or Disable Inherited Permissions for Files and Folders in Windows, Reset folder view settings on File Explorer for Windows 11 and 10, Create Folders and Enable File sharing on Windows.

Folder Redirection can help to store user profile folders like Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Downloads, and many more in a shared network folder on your file server. This approach helps users to access their profile files over the network on the file server. This can help configure a centralized data backup system on the file server instead of setting up a backup system on each workstation.  

User profiles are usually stored in a local profile which could be difficult to access when you access a different computer but if you redirect a folder you will be able to access your files no matter on which computer you are currently login.

I will be using Server (Windows Server 2016) and a Workstation (Windows 11) for this setup. We shall be creating a Shared Folder and GPO for the Folder Redirection.

Creating a Shared Folder on the Server

1: Create a Folder and give it a name. Right-click on the SharedFolder, click Share with, and click Specific people from the drop-down.

2. In the File Sharing dialog box, Select Everyone from the drop-down and then click Add.

3. Select Everyone, under the Permission Level drop-down select Read/Write.

4. Click Share, and click Done.

Please see Configure new GPO settings and Security baseline for Windows, and How to Manage User Permission on Synology with Active Directory [Part 1].

Create a GPO for Folder (Document) Redirection

5. Open the Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Group Policy Management.

6. In the Group Policy Management, right-click the domain, and then from the drop-down click Create a GPO in this domain and Link it here.

7. In the New GPO text box, type the name of the GPO, and then click OK.

These are other interesting articles you can read on user profiles: Import a user profile in Windows to another PC, How to delete User Profile in Windows, How to export and import User Profile – FrontFace Lockdown Tool

Edit Policy

8. Click on the GPO and click on Edit. Here is how to automatically reopen Windows Apps and Folders upon Startup.

9. In the Group Policy Management Editor window, navigate to User Configuration > Policies > Windows Settings > Folder Redirection.

10. Right-click Documents, and then click Properties. Please, also see how to hide Folders and Files from Search Results in Windows.

11. In the Document Properties dialog box, on the Target tab, click the Setting drop-down and select Basic-Redirect everyone’s folder to the same location.

Create Folder

12. In the Document Properties dialog box, on the Target tab, select Create a folder for each user under the root path from the Target folder location drop-down.

13. In the Root Path text box, copy or type the root path of the shared folder created earlier \WIN-1QP54L12OSS\SharedFolder, and then click OK.

Close the Group Policy Management Editor and test the Folder Redirection Configuration. To make sure the Policy quickly propagated we will run the following command:

Gpupdate /force

14. In the command prompt window enter Y and press Enter. Restart the Computer so that the Folder Redirection setup will be complete.

15. Inside the File Explorer you will notice a sync sign on the Documents Folder which shows that all files inside the Folder are syncing to another location.

16. Right-click on the Document Folder and click Properties. Click on the Location tab, you will notice that the location has changed to the External Folder on the server.

Below is a YouTube video discussing this topic.

I hope you found this blog post on How to Deploy Folder Redirection in Windows Interesting and helpful. If you have any questions do not hesitate to ask in the comment section.