How to Find the AppData Folder in Windows 11

The fastest way to open the AppData folder in Windows 11 is to press Windows + R, type %appdata%, and press Enter. That opens the Roaming folder inside AppData; select AppData in the address bar to see all of it. The folder lives at C:\Users\YourName\AppData and is hidden by default, so you won’t see it in File Explorer unless you turn on hidden items.

This guide covers the Run shortcuts, finding AppData in File Explorer, showing hidden folders, what Roaming, Local, and LocalLow are for, and how to clean up or troubleshoot an app safely. You don’t need an administrator account to open your own AppData folder.

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How to Open AppData With the Run Box

Press Windows + R to open Run.
Type %appdata% and press Enter. Expected result: File Explorer opens AppData\Roaming.
To open the Local folder instead, type %localappdata%. Chrome keeps its profile data there, as explained in where Chrome bookmarks are stored.
To see the whole AppData folder, select AppData in the File Explorer address bar, or type %userprofile%\AppData in Run.

Illustration of the steps to open the AppData folder in Windows 11 with the Run box — Illustration: opening AppData with the Run box.

These shortcuts also work in the File Explorer address bar and the Start menu search box. Typing %temp% opens the Temp folder inside Local.

How to Find AppData in File Explorer

Open File Explorer.
Select View > Show > Hidden items. Expected result: hidden folders appear with slightly faded icons.
Go to This PC > C: > Users > your user name.
Open AppData.

Microsoft lists the Hidden items setting in its File Explorer guide. You can also paste C:\Users\YourName\AppData into the address bar, replacing YourName with your profile folder name. If you open AppData often, right-click it and select Pin to Quick access.

Show hidden folders from Control Panel

An older route does the same thing: open Control Panel, select File Explorer Options, open the View tab, choose Show hidden files, folders, and drives, and select OK.

What’s Inside the AppData Folder

Illustration of the Windows 11 AppData folder structure: Roaming, Local, LocalLow and the Temp folder, with Run shortcuts and a tip to rename rather than delete — Illustration: the folders inside AppData and the shortcuts that open them.

Roaming: settings that apps want to follow you. On work networks with roaming profiles, this folder syncs to other PCs you sign in to. Game files such as Minecraft’s .minecraft folder (Java Edition) live here. For Bedrock Edition, see how to update Minecraft Bedrock on Windows 11.
Local: data that stays on this PC, like browser caches, logs, and larger app files. Some apps, such as Discord, install themselves here for just your account.
LocalLow: data for apps that run with limited permissions, such as some browser modes and games.

Programs installed for all users go in C:\Program Files, while per-user settings and installs go in AppData, which is why each account on the PC has its own AppData folder.

Common Folders People Look For in AppData

Startup folder: Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup (or type shell:startup in Run)
Start menu shortcuts: Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
Outlook signatures: Roaming\Microsoft\Signatures
Chrome profile and cache: Local\Google\Chrome\User Data
Minecraft files: Roaming\.minecraft
Temporary files: Local\Temp (or type %temp%)

Paths can differ with app versions, especially for Microsoft Store apps, which keep their data under Local\Packages.

Be Careful Before Deleting Anything

AppData holds settings, saved data, and sometimes game saves for your apps. Deleting a folder here can reset an app or remove data you can’t get back. Never delete the whole AppData folder.

Safely reset a misbehaving app

Close the app completely.
Open AppData with %appdata% or %localappdata% and find the app’s folder, usually named after the app or its publisher.
Rename the folder, for example by adding .old to the end, instead of deleting it.
Open the app. Expected result: it creates a fresh folder with default settings.
If the problem is fixed, copy back only what you need (such as saves) from the .old folder. If not, delete the new folder and rename the old one back.

This rename-first approach is safer because you can roll back if the app needed the original files.

Free Up Space in AppData

The Temp folder is the safest place to clean. See how to delete temp files in Windows 11. For app caches, use the app’s own clear-cache option first; for example, see how to clear the cache in Microsoft Edge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can’t I see the AppData folder?

It’s a hidden folder. Turn on View > Show > Hidden items in File Explorer, or use %appdata% in the Run box.

Is it safe to delete the AppData folder?

No. Don’t delete the whole folder. It holds data many apps need. Only remove a specific app’s folder if you know what it does, and rename it first.

What’s the difference between %appdata% and %localappdata%?

%appdata% opens AppData\Roaming, and %localappdata% opens AppData\Local. Check an app’s documentation to see which one it uses.

Does every user have an AppData folder?

Yes. Each account on the PC has its own AppData inside its user folder, so one person’s app settings don’t affect another’s.

Matthew Burleigh

Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.

After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.

His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.