[Free] How to Restore Pictures Folder in Windows 11 with 4 Ways

Can't find my Pictures folder in Windows 11!

Many users upgrade their Windows operating systems from Windows 10 to Windows 11 due to the new features, designs, and improvements. With the improvements it brings, users can deal with their work files much easier.

For example, users store their family photos in travel in the Picture folder in C drive; what’s more, some artists also use this folder to keep their artwork in progress for easier management.

However, like users of other versions of OS are still seeking ways to restore lost pictures on computer, Windows 11 users will also meet this problem.

Some of them find the Pictures folder is missing from the File Explorer, while some just notice that this folder was moved anywhere else. They are all asking, “Where is my Pictures folder in Windows 11”.

If you also need help to restore Pictures folder in Windows 11, this article will be worth reading with several methods and helpful content gathered. Firstly, let’s check the possible reasons for this issue.

▶ Why Picture folder disappeared from Windows 11?

Many reasons are causing the Windows 11 Pictures folder missing, check the commons and see if it meets your case.

Don’t worry; the following methods can help you fix this issue.

How to restore Pictures folder in Windows 11 - 4 Methods

Now, we are going to restore Pictures folder with 4 effective methods, including clicking Restore Default, making the hidden Pictures folder visible, finding the Pictures folder from Onedrive, and trying the data recovery tool.

▶ Method 1. Try "shell:My Pictures" command

Since the Pictures folder might have been moved to another place and you failed to find it, we can quickly locate this folder with the shell command. and move it back to its original location.

Step 1. Locate the Pictures folder by typing shell:My Pictures.

Start File Explorer > input shell:My Pictures in the address bar > press Enter. Thus you can open the Pictures folder wherever it is.

Step 2. Open Properties.

Click the three-dot menu icon > Properties.

Step 3. Click Restore Default to the original location.

Click Properties > Location > Restore Default > Apply.

Step 4. Or, click "Move…" to choose a new folder.

If you don't want the Pictures folder to be restored to the original location, click Move to change the location.

Thus you can access the Pictures folder where it was originally/as you like. File Explorer is a good tool to manage your files. If you find the recent folder missing from File Explorer, its inbuilt tool can help you fix it.

▶ Method 2. Show hidden Pictures folder

In Windows 11, it is possible that the Pictures folder has not been moved or deleted, it is just hidden! We can make it visible again.

Step 1. Open "File Explorer".

Step 2. Click the "View" button > move the pointer to "Show"> click "Hidden items".

Step 3. If the Pictures folder is hidden, then you can make it visible.

▶ Method 3. Find the disappeared Pictures folder from OneDrive

Also, there is another worth trying way – checking your OneDrive folder. Many users are willing to automatically back up photos and videos to OneDrive.

 If you have enabled the back up Pictures folder to OneDrive, your pictures might be on your OneDrive storage and will be easier to find.

>> Start OneDrive via File Explorer or by double-clicking the OneDrive icon. See if your Pictures folder is there. Please don’t forget to create a folder copy before moving it away.

All the methods above are based on that there are no photos lost from the Pictures folder. If you find some photos are lost from the folder, you might need to seek help and undelete files in Windows 11.

Then, how to get them back? Check the following method.

▶ Method 4. Restore the Pictures folder easily [Hot]

Changing the folder location can help you restore Pictures folder in Windows 11 to its original status and place. But what if you find the photos in it are missing or deleted?

In this case, some users might be lucky with backups to restore; however, there are way more users who don’t make any backups. How can they recover permanently deleted files like photos in Windows 11?

If you are one of them, what you need is trustworthy photo recovery software for Windows. Using a tool, you could directly search it from the hard drive within several minutes, saving time.

MyRecover will be one of the best choices. It is specially designed for Windows users, available in Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, and Server.

Developed and supported by a sophisticated team, it is equipped with advanced scanning methods and techs, offering high user experience and efficiency in photo recovery.

User-friendly. It is easy to use and doesn't require any prior knowledge or photo recovery expertise. 

Comprehensive. It applies to situations like deletion, disk formatting, emptying recycle bins, system crashes, etc. 

Efficient. It recovers most used files, including 42 kings of images: jpg/png/gif/bmp/tif, etc. 

Compatible. Available in Windows 11/10/8/7/Server, NTFS, fat32, exFAT, ReFS, etc. 

Now learn how to recover deleted photos from Windows 11 using MyRecover.

Step 1. Install and run this app > Locate the C drive > Click Scan.

Step 2. You may sort the files while scanning by Date updated, Type, Size, Path, etc. Inputting the names or extensions to target your desired files more quickly is also possible if you can still remember the filenames.

Step 3. Choose Deleted files > go to the Pictures folder > select what you need and click Recover x files.

Also, navigate to the Documents folder, you can recover accidentally deleted My Documents folder easily.

Wrapping up

This article teaches users how to restore Pictures folder in Windows 11. By using the “shell:My Pictures” command, users can access the Pictures folder wherever it is; Then, by moving it or using Restore Default, the Pictures folder can be restored to its original location. If it is hidden, you can also make the Pictures folder visible again. Finally, if unluckily, your Pictures folder was deleted by mistake, MyRecover will be your helper to undelete files in Windows 11.