Last Updated on August 17, 2026
Even though hard drives are getting larger while getting cheaper at the same time, many people still find themselves running out of room as they save more files and install more software on their computer. And if your computer gets too low on space, you will not be able to install any additional apps and even risk having performance issues and crashes.
If you happen to have a secondary hard drive in your computer, you would think you could simply move your programs over to the other drive but most of the time this will not work since Windows has a record of where your applications are installed and if you move them, they will most likely stop functioning properly and give you error messages.
Moving Applications with FolderMove
1. Download the FolderMove Utility
This process can be done manually via the command line if you know how to type the exact syntax. It can also be done much faster using a free portable app called FolderMove which can be downloaded here. For our specific example, we will be moving a program called Notepad++ from its original location at C:\Program Files\Notepad++ to a different hard drive under E:\Programs.
2. Configure the Move Paths
To move this program to a different hard drive, we will simply open the FolderMove app. Browse directly to the location of the Notepad++ program folder in the Move From section. For the Move To section, we will type in or browse to the new destination location which will be E:\Programs.
3. Execute the Symbolic Link Creation
We do not need to make a brand new folder for the program manually. It will be moved there automatically with its original folder structure fully intact. Once we have everything set, we can just click on the Move and set Symbolic link button to have the app moved to its new destination safely.
Verifying the Symbolic Links
1. Check the Original Folder Location
Once the program is completely moved to the other hard drive, you can go back to the original C drive location. You will still see the Notepad++ folder sitting there. It will have a small shortcut arrow icon telling you that the files are not actually located there but rather act as a shortcut or link to the files in the new destination.
2. Inspect the Folder Properties
If you right click the folder in the original location and choose Properties, you can see the local system details. The location path is still listed on the C drive in the original folder hierarchy. Windows is completely tricked into thinking the files never moved.
3. Verify the Shortcut Target
If you go to the Shortcut tab at the top of the properties window, you will see the real truth. It shows that it is pointing directly to the new location where the files were actually moved to. The target path now clearly displays your secondary storage drive.
Hiding Original Folders and Troubleshooting
1. Hide the Original Source Folder
For our next example, we will move the Adobe Reader app to the exact same Programs folder on the E drive. This time we will check the box that says Set original folder to hidden before starting. We will not see the junction folder cluttering up the original location anymore.
2. Adjust Windows View Settings
After the move is complete, you can go to the original location and the program folder should not be there any longer. If it does show the original folder but faded out as seen in the image below, you need to adjust your system view. That is most likely because you have the show hidden files, folders and drives setting actively enabled in your File Explorer options.
3. Confirm the New Destination
Now that we have successfully moved two programs to the other hard drive, we can verify the data transfer. We can go directly to that secondary drive and see them listed there taking up the physical storage space.
4. Fix Potential Application Errors
This method to move programs and apps to a different hard drive without reinstalling may not work smoothly for all software. For example, once you move Adobe Reader and try to open it, you may get an incompatibility message as shown below. In this case, choosing the open with protected mode disabled option might work instantly. You can also try to do a software repair of the program from the Apps setting or Programs and Features settings in Windows to get things working again.
Reversing the Migration Process
1. Delete the Symbolic Link
You might eventually want to reverse the entire process. You can move the programs back to their original location on the primary hard drive easily. You simply delete the symbolic link shortcut folders in the original location first.
2. Move the Files Back Manually
Then you manually move the actual folders for the program from the new destination back to the original source location. The application will function exactly as it did before you ever used the FolderMove utility.
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