How to find path to desktop in python

Question

I am new to the os library and I was wondering how I could find the path for any user who uses windows and access their desktop directory using python. Thanks in advance!

Windows desktop paths are typically of the form `C:\Users\{username}\Desktop`. — Jonah Bishop, Nov 27 '18 at 02:18

score 5 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 27 '18 at 02:22

5

You can do it by using os.environ mapping and add the Desktop path

import os
print(os.environ['USERPROFILE'] + '\Desktop')

answered Nov 27 '18 at 02:22

Andreas

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This should not be marked an a correct answer. It will only work if the user is on an English system and if they have not moved their Desktop folder, like OneDrive does for instance. The answers usingCSIDL_DESKTOP below is the correct one. – Renaud Bompuis Jan 01 '23 at 06:07

score 5 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 17 '20 at 08:49

5

Previous solutions won't work if the Desktop folder was manually changed by the user (to a OneDrive folder or whatever...).

This will work:

from win32com.shell import shell, shellcon
desktop = shell.SHGetFolderPath (0, shellcon.CSIDL_DESKTOP, 0, 0)

answered Aug 17 '20 at 08:49

Simdan

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score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 25 '21 at 12:18

You can also try to query the registry.

import subprocess
import sys
import os
if sys.platform == "win32":
    command = r'reg query "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders" /v "Desktop"'
    result = subprocess.run(command, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, text = True)
    desktop = result.stdout.splitlines()[2].split()[2]
else:
    desktop = os.path.expanduser("~/Desktop")
print(desktop)

#D:\Desktop

How to find path to desktop in python

3 Answers3