Scan is going to the Z Drive

[K-22]

When I try to save my scan to my file system it looks like i am doing it correctly, but it saves to the Z drive and dissapears.  This happened out of the blue.  I bet I tried 6 or 7 times same result.

Wasted way to much time on this...

Tried everything to fix it including being duped by a fake website.  Help

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @K-22,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.
 

Thank you for posting your query. I will be glad to help you.

Losing your scanned files into a mysterious “Z drive” folder can feel like they’ve vanished into thin air, but we’ll work together to bring them back and ensure they go exactly where you want them. Let’s solve this step by step:

Step 1: Change Your Default Scan Folder in HP Software

If you're using HP Scan or HP Solution Center, here’s how to direct your scans correctly:

1. Open HP Scan (or HP Solution Center).
2. Go to Scan Settings or Settings → Scan Document.
3. Select Scan to File or Save to File.
4. Click Save to File Options → browse and choose your desired folder (e.g., D:\Scans).
5. Confirm with OK, then scan again; it should now save to that folder.

This method ensures you manually select and lock in the right location.

Step 2: Verify OneDrive or Network Interference

If your Documents or Scans folder is synced to OneDrive or mapped to a network drive (like Z:), scans might redirect there automatically:

• Check if syncing is active by opening OneDrive settings and disabling the Document folder backup.
• If the Z: drive is a mapped network location, consider unmapping it or choosing a completely local folder (e.g., C:\Scans) when configuring your scan destination.

Step 3: Use Windows “Scan” App as an Alternative

If you're scanning through Windows Fax and Scan or the built-in Windows Scan app:

• Scans default to your Scanned Documents folder under Documents.
• To change this, move the Scanned Documents library using File Explorer: right-click it → Properties → Location tab → Move.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have an amazing day!
 

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Regards,

VikramTheGreat