How to: Change the Build Output Directory

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Note

This article applies to Visual Studio 2015. If you're looking for the latest Visual Studio documentation, see Visual Studio documentation. We recommend upgrading to the latest version of Visual Studio. Download it here

You can specify the location of output on a per-configuration basis (for debug, release, or both) generated by your project.

Note

If you have a Setup project see the note at the end of this article.

Changing the Build Output directory

To change the build output directory

  1. On the menu bar, choose Project, Appname Properties. You can also right-click the project node in the Solution Explorer and select Properties.

  2. If you have a Visual Basic project, select the Compile tab. If you have a Visual C# project, select the Build tab. If you have a C++ project or a JavaScript project, select the General tab.

  3. In the configuration drop-down at the top, choose the configuration whose output file location you want to change (debug, release, or all).

    Find the output path entry (Build output path in Visual Basic, Output Directory in Visual C++, Output Path in JavaScript and C#). Specify a new build output directory relative to the project directory.

Note

In a Setup Project, the Output file name box changes only the location of the Setup.exe file, not the location of the project files. For more information, see Build, Configuration Properties, Deployment Project Properties Dialog Box.

See Also

Build Page, Project Designer (C#) General Property Page (Project) Compiling and Building