Some of the first thing we’d like to do when setting up a new machine is to change the user profile to move away from the default Windows OS Partition. This way, it’s cleaner and easier to maintain our own person file away from Windows OS and other application files. We’ve covered extensively how you can change User Profile in Windows 8 even without registry hack. This will enable all the personal documents saved at a different location, partition or hard drive of your choice.
Unfortunately with Windows 8, the new addition of Windows 8 App from the Store are stored at a default location. It does not get affected by changing the User Profile location trick. Instead, if you’re running out of disk space on your primary Windows 8 disk, you might out of luck of installing any additional Windows 8 Apps from the store. Thanks to AskVG for sharing this trick
Here is a Complete Guide on How You Can Change The Default Windows 8 Metro App Install Location
Part I: Taking WindowsApp directory (default Windows 8 App install directory) ownership
Navigate to C:\Program Files\WindowsApps
Make sure you checked “Hidden items” Under View tab
You will soon realize you don’t have permission to access this folder.
Right click the folder go to Properties.
Go to Security Tab > Advanced
Click Continue under “Permissions” tab
Click Change, next to where TrustedInstaller
Add your user name in the “Enter the object name to select” Click check names, Windows will format the entry for you when it find the matching user.
Once is done, should show your name as the Owner
Click OK to accept the Security warning.
Now when you try to access the WindowsApps folder again, you will be able to see what’s in there
Part II: Regedit Hack.
Go press Win + R to launch Run command and enter regedit
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Appx
Right click > Permissions of the Appx folder
Click “Change” then you will be prompt for the same dialog as you encounter earlier and enter your name to the list.
Click Add, but make sure the permissions are set to Full Control to allow
Now go back and Right click on the PackageRoot key > Modify …
You can now enter a new location instead of the old location on C drive.
As an example, I’m changing it to D drive and putting it under a directory called “Windows8MetroApp”
Part III: Optional Fixes After making the change
Congratulations if you have made it to this step, but wait, you aren’t done it. You will soon realize all the old apps won’t be able to update to the new versions. There is nothing you can do to fix it. So in order to install those apps again, you will have to uninstall those apps from the start menu one by one.
“Something happened and this app couldn’t be installed. Please try again. Error code: 0×80070057”
Uninstall the apps you can’t update, and go back to the Store to reinstall it again.
When you done, you can now navigate to the new Windows 8 Metro App directory you have created earlier and check if any new apps are being installed there.
If you do see new apps are now showing up at this directory, that means you’ve successfully migrated the Windows 8 Apps install location to a new place !
