Change default backup path for SQL Server

Change default backup path for SQL Server

Fed up having to change the path everytime you want to manually take a database backup?

Have you found places to change the default database and log file path, but are wondering why there doesn't seem to be anywhere you can change the default backup path?

If so, then this is the article for you (if not, then sorry - nothing to see here!)

To change the default backup path for a SQL instance, you need to open the Registry Editor (run "RegEdit").

Now Navigate to-
> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
> SOFTWARE
> Microsoft 
> Microsoft SQL Server 
> SQL Instance (see below for naming style)
> MSSQLServer

Note the SQL Instance folder may be in an odd format - it seems to show MSSQL10_50.instancename for SQL 2008 R2, and just MSSQL.1 for SQL 2005 - but you want the one that has another 10 or so directories inside it, one of which is MSSQLServer.

In this MSSQLServer key you should see an entry for "BackupDirectory".

Simply open this and change the value to your backup directory path of choice, and next time you try to take a backup, you will find it defaults to that path instead.