Is there a way to change the default save location of TextEdit documents?

[DustyShaw]

I want to change the default save location, which is iCloud, to my desktop.

Every time I save a TE doc I have to change the location in the dropdown, so that's one tiny task I'd like to do away with.

The other, more serious thing is when I forget to change the location to my desktop, the doc goes to iCloud and I never see it again because I don't look on iCloud for my files. I don't save my files to iCloud, I only use it for syncing Photos with my iPhone.

I looked in the Settings for TE but I didn't see any option to change the save location. Is there another way?

Ventura 13.4.1
TextEdit Version 1.18 (394)

 

[bogdanw]

It should remember the last location. It's saved in the preference file as NSNavLastRootDirectory.
To set it from Terminal

defaults write  com.apple.TextEdit NSNavLastRootDirectory "~/Desktop"

 

[Pomeroy]

I want to change the default save location, which is iCloud, to my desktop.

Every time I save a TE doc I have to change the location in the dropdown, so that's one tiny task I'd like to do away with.

The other, more serious thing is when I forget to change the location to my desktop, the doc goes to iCloud and I never see it again because I don't look on iCloud for my files. I don't save my files to iCloud, I only use it for syncing Photos with my iPhone.

I looked in the Settings for TE but I didn't see any option to change the save location. Is there another way?

Ventura 13.4.1
TextEdit Version 1.18 (394)

Try this, Go to System Settings - Apple ID - iCloud ( this is where a lot mess up, don't click on Show All) click on iCloud Drive - Then Apps syncing to iCloud Drive and uncheck TextEdit.

 

[MacBH928]

I have similar question. In different application I have a default folder for open/save file. How can I change this?

mine always goes to Download.

 

[maxglitz]

I know this is an older post, but others will find it like I did. It still applies to SONOMA now too. Pomeroy's answer is dead-on right. My TextEdit was ALWAYS saving to iCloud with a new document, regardless of the last folder saved to. I changed the System Settings as Pomeroy described and for safety quit TextEdit and re-opened it. I created a new trial document and the only reason it wanted to save it to iCloud was because that's the last place it was saved. So I chose a new folder on my Mac and saved it there. Now it acts as it used to before Apple threw us a curve about saving from an app we were expecting to act as always according to OUR choices. We need warnings about such things so we aren't in forums all day.

 

[jeffreysyrop]

I agree. It's a drag how often we power users have to go to forums to figure out how to do simple things on our Macs. I love Apple overall and think some of the things they do border on magic, but their Help files and menu choices (and mouse-over explanations) are almost ALWAYS cryptic. They try to be so user friendly that they end up being oblique. I have a BA and a MA in English, and if I don't understand something in English, who does?