1. Microsoft Office User Data Folder Mac Version
2. Microsoft Office User Data Folder Mac Pro

2019-12-31  Move 'Microsoft User Data' 22 February 2013, 09:00. Maybe I’m too neat but I get annoyed that the Microsoft Office apps insist on putting a Microsoft User Data folder in my Documents folder. As its name suggests, the Documents folder is for documents — not for app settings! The solution for neat freaks like me is simple — quit ALL Microsoft Office apps, then open a Finder window. 2006-2-18  Office for Mac 2004 store its user data folder in Documents folder as 'Microsoft User Data'. Anyone know how to change the location of this folder, such as move to Library folder?

Yes, I know that you can also backup prefs, etc., but this really is user data in the purest sense, i think. Microsoft office 2008 for mac mojave.

Just interested in your perspective on this.

In my opinion, my Documents folder is for Documents that I specificly put there. The Microsoft User Data is data for an application (just like my Mail.app mailboxes) that should be stored in Application Support or other such place in my Library folder.
I think Apple has published guidelines for developers about where support files should be placed, guidelines that Microsoft seem to ignore.

The ~/Library/Application Support folder would be the most logical place. So many programs have hijacked the Documents folder that it has become almost useless to me. All of the data folders added by applications (on my system) would be better off in the Application Support folder. The good news is that many developers are storing such data in the right place. On my system, the ratio of programs that store application-centric data in the Application Support folder versus the Documents folder is 68:9 — very good, but not quite satisfactory. Besides Microsoft, another notable offender is Adobe (although it straddles the fence, with data files in both places).

The phrase 'ratio of programs that store' should have been 'ratio of folders that contain' .. just to be precise.

Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to work with MSN Messenger..

Thank you so much for this hint. This has long been an annoyance of mine as I have found ways of moving most of the applications folders that hi-jack my Documents folder, but not Microsoft's.

It does not work for me ;-(
As soon as I open Word, a new Microsoft User Data folder is created in Documents folder. Am I missing something?

BTW, I moved my original MS User Data folder in ~/Library/Application Support before launching Word.

Yup you are right. Thanks.

I agree with the comment about the Entourage database - it _should_ be in ~/Documents, since that's what you probably back up. However, if you don't use Entourage, there's no reason to leave that folder where it is, as long as you remember that your Normal.dot file is there, and this holds a lot of your customizations. As long as you back up your entire home folder, you'll be safe.
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If you are not backing up files in ~/Library, and more especially in ~/Library/Application Support, you very likely risk losing lots of important data. I backup my whole Users folder, just for simplicity's sake. Putting the file is 'Application Support' is more consistent with Apple's own practice, and is more consistent with what most developers are doing.

Microsoft silverlight player mac download. Another vote to keep all applicaton-created folders out of Documents. No application (including Entourage and Mail) should keep user data in any hidden place. And Apple has set up specific places for applications to put folders they create. Any user who backs up only Documents is in big trouble anyway.
This hint also appears to work for Sound Studio's presets folder, but not for AppleWorks User Data.

…and it seems to be just another example of how embarrassed Apple should be about AW in general! Why do they not follow their own guidelines for AW?? Incredible really.
If anyone has a clue as to a way to move *that* folder out of documents, I'd be very happy. I'd love to just delete everything AW-related altogether, but I still have to support people that are using it, so I'm stuck with it myself.
<sigh>

The funny thing is, another offender is AppleWorks, with an 'AppleWorks User Data' right into the Documents folder. It seems to me that Microsoft is only following old customs..

see my reply to comment above?

You people who only back up your ~/Documents directory scare the socks off of me. Kudos for backing up at all, but you're working with the computer equivalent of basic liability auto insurance. Once something hits you, you're hosed.
It takes all of two minutes to make a list of stuff to backup: occasional prefs, photos, documents, databases (like entourage or mail.app). Using a convenient program like iBackup or (my preference) Synk, you can set up the whole process up almost as fast as you can make your list.
Those who backup only one directory without considering wider options typically get what they deserve.

On a similar theme - does anyone know how to get rid of the *very* annoying eBooks folder that Acrobat 6 Professional insists on creating in my Documents folder every time I launch it?
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Remember - in a million years we'll all be dust, and none of this will matter..

Thank you for this.
My 'Documents' folder is backed up with Dropbox and 'Microsoft User Data' contains nearly 2GB of data that doesn't (in my case) need to be backed up.
Moved it to ~/Library/Preferences/ and all is well

Microsoft Office User Data Folder Mac Version

Hi there you can store the MUD folder anywhere but if you are using the symlink method you may still find it will sync with Dropbox if you have symlinked your whole Documents folder into Dropbox (not best practice IMHO).

Microsoft Office User Data Folder Mac Pro