Can't change backup path under Settings->Preferences->Backup->Session snapshot and periodic backup
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I just made a softlink from the backup dir to another drive in my computer. Since i’m working with confidential information I needed to get the temporary backup to an encrypted drive.
The method I used was based on this website: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/16226/complete-guide-to-symbolic-links-symlinks-on-windows-or-linux/
in short: make a directory called backup where you want your backups of notepad to be stored. Than copy the files that are in there over to this directory. Delete the original backup directory from the path in notepad++. Then use the Link Shell Extension to make a softlink from the new location to the old location (which is in the settings of notepad++)
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Hi all!
To manage this question, just go to settings - preferences - CLOUD
Then, paste/type the desired path on: “Set your cloud location path here” textbox.It will miraculously and automatically fill out “backup location” disabled box from Session snapshot and periodic backup frame.
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Thank you! That fixed my issue. NPP backups from different computers are now saved to my encrypted cloud storage.
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@Henk-Bakker Thank you!
I was able to work around the application limitation by using your suggestion. I used a symlink to re-direct backup notes to a dropbox folder. Now I can view notes on my laptop that I took on my desktop and didn’t get a chance to save. -
@diego-sayron
Perfect, if non-intuitive solution. You may want to copy your existing backup files from ‘%userprofile%\Appdata\Roaming\Notepad++\backup’ to the new location. -
The CLOUD solution is great!
Important note, when the specified cloud location is unavailable, this happens:
- Settings for Cloud and Backup revert to default.
Then when the location is available again:
- Settings for Cloud and Backup return to the custom values.
So a full solution may involve a cleanup routine or script.
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@kitchin15
These changes are only take place after restarting NPP. In other words, if NPP is open when the location becomes unavailable, NPP silently fails to make the periodic backups. Other scenarios are similar, unless NPP is restarted. -
Hi There!
I’m from the year 2025.
And this insanely annoying issue is still here!Good job team!
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Yes, this is annoying but you can put your backup anywhere you want and then create a symbolic link in the hardcoded location that points to your real backup. That is what I did and it works seamlessly. Should be able to update the path but this is a pretty clean workaround.
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@Andrey-Denisenko said in Can't change backup path under Settings->Preferences->Backup->Session snapshot and periodic backup:
Hi There!
I’m from the year 2025.
And this insanely annoying issue is still here!Good job team!
And it still is in 2026! :( I was just about to throw OneDrive (aka DonDrive) into the bin and was unable to edit the edit control with the backup path. Honestly, why use an edit control when all you want to do is to display a path? At least there should be a hint about how to really edit this path.
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As a reminder to all readers of this Topic, the Community Forum is “The Community of users of the Notepad++ text editor”, as it says in the footer of every single page here (emphasis added). As such, this is just users, talking about Notepad++ and helping each other other. Feature Requests are not tracked here. So all of these “I cannot believe it’s still this way” are effectively just complaining to other users; if that’s theraputic to you, fine; but it won’t tell the developer how many people are interested in that feature being implemented, so it’s just spitting in the wind, so to speak.
We have a FAQ that explains where the Feature Request tracker is. And you could search there (in both open and closed requests) if you want to find the official issue(s) tracking such a request, and see how the developer has responded to such requests, if at all.
