How to Find and Open the AppData Folder in Windows 10

The AppData folder holds data that apps save for a particular Windows user. Windows hides it by default. The quickest way to open the current account’s folder is to press Windows + R, enter %USERPROFILE%\AppData, and press Enter. This opens the AppData parent folder directly, even when hidden items are not displayed in File Explorer.

Open AppData directly with Run

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type %USERPROFILE%\AppData. The %USERPROFILE% part resolves to the profile folder for the signed-in account, usually under C:\Users.
3. Press Enter or select OK. File Explorer opens the AppData folder.

You can also open File Explorer with Windows + E, click its address bar, enter the same path, and press Enter. Using the variable avoids guessing the account folder name.

Find AppData in File Explorer

Use this method if you want to browse from your Windows profile or confirm where the folder is located. Interface illustrations in this guide show the Windows 10 layout; wording and spacing can vary slightly by build.

1. Show hidden items

1. Open File Explorer with Windows + E.
2. Select the View tab.
3. In the Show/hide group, select Hidden items.

In some layouts, the command is under View > Show > Hidden items. You can also use View > Options > Change folder and search options, open the View tab, choose Show hidden files, folders, and drives, then select Apply and OK. See Microsoft’s File Explorer guidance for the hidden-item controls.

2. Open your user profile

In File Explorer, enter %USERPROFILE% in the address bar and press Enter. You can also browse to C:\Users\<your-account-name>, replacing the example with the folder name on your PC. A Windows account’s folder name may differ from its display name, so the environment variable is usually easier.

3. Open AppData

Double-click the faded AppData folder. Its faded appearance indicates that it is hidden; it is still a normal folder. The parent path is usually C:\Users\<account-name>\AppData, though a managed or redirected profile can use a different location.

Use shortcuts for specific AppData folders

Windows provides shortcuts for two subfolders. Press Windows + R, enter one of these values, and press Enter:

• %APPDATA% opens the current user’s AppData\Roaming folder.
• %LOCALAPPDATA% opens the current user’s AppData\Local folder.

These variables do not open the AppData parent itself. The Microsoft Known Folder ID reference lists the Roaming and Local profile locations and their corresponding variables.

To go from Roaming to the parent AppData folder, click AppData in File Explorer’s breadcrumb path. You can also press Alt + Up Arrow to move to the parent folder.

If you need Local specifically, use %LOCALAPPDATA% in Run instead of opening AppData and navigating manually.

What are Local, LocalLow, and Roaming?

The AppData parent commonly contains three folders:

• Roaming: per-user app data intended for profile roaming in environments configured for it. The folder name does not mean its contents automatically sync to a cloud service.
• Local: per-user data kept with the local Windows profile; many apps store settings, caches, or other files here.
• LocalLow: a separate per-user location used by some applications, including apps with lower-integrity processes.

Apps choose which location they use, and their data can be arranged in subfolders. If an app’s instructions name a specific path, follow that path rather than moving files between these folders.

Common problems and safe handling

Run opens Roaming instead of AppData: that is expected for %APPDATA%. Click the AppData breadcrumb to move up, or use %USERPROFILE%\AppData when you need the parent folder.

AppData is missing from the profile: make sure Hidden items is enabled. If you used a typed path, confirm you opened the profile for the Windows account you mean. Each account has its own AppData location.

Be cautious about deleting files: AppData can contain app settings, profiles, saved data, and caches. Do not delete the whole folder or one of its three main subfolders as a cleanup shortcut. Remove an app’s leftover folder only when you know what it contains and have kept anything you may need.

Keep AppData easy to reach

If you visit the parent folder often, show hidden items, locate AppData in your profile, right-click it, and choose Pin to Quick access. It will then appear in File Explorer’s navigation pane. Use the same hidden-items setting if you later need to find the folder again in the profile.