---
title: Choose Folders with FolderBrowserDialog Component
description: Learn how to use the Windows Forms FolderBrowserDialog component within Windows applications you create to prompt users to select a folder.
ms.date: "03/30/2017"
dev_langs:
  - "csharp"
  - "vb"
  - "cpp"
helpviewer_keywords:
  - "directories [Windows Forms], choosing"
  - "FolderBrowserDialog component [Windows Forms], choosing directories"
  - "folders [Windows Forms], selecting"
  - "folders [Windows Forms], choosing"
  - "directories [Windows Forms], selecting"
ms.assetid: 4593670e-7c7d-4661-b46b-4ffb63258adb
---
# How to: Choose Folders with the Windows Forms FolderBrowserDialog Component

Often, within Windows applications you create, you will have to prompt users to select a folder, most frequently to save a set of files. The Windows Forms <xref:System.Windows.Forms.FolderBrowserDialog> component allows you to easily accomplish this task.

### To choose folders with the FolderBrowserDialog component

1. In a procedure, check the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.FolderBrowserDialog> component's <xref:System.Windows.Forms.Form.DialogResult%2A> property to see how the dialog box was closed and get the value of the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.FolderBrowserDialog> component's <xref:System.Windows.Forms.FolderBrowserDialog.SelectedPath%2A> property.

2. If you need to set the top-most folder that will appear within the tree view of the dialog box, set the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.FolderBrowserDialog.RootFolder%2A> property, which takes a member of the <xref:System.Environment.SpecialFolder> enumeration.

3. Additionally, you can set the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.FolderBrowserDialog.Description%2A> property, which specifies the text string that appears at the top of the folder-browser tree view.

    In the example below, the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.FolderBrowserDialog> component is used to select a folder, similar to when you create a project in Visual Studio and are prompted to select a folder to save it in. In this example, the folder name is then displayed in a <xref:System.Windows.Forms.TextBox> control on the form. It is a good idea to place the location in an editable area, such as a <xref:System.Windows.Forms.TextBox> control, so that users may edit their selection in case of error or other issues. This example assumes a form with a <xref:System.Windows.Forms.FolderBrowserDialog> component and a <xref:System.Windows.Forms.TextBox> control.

    ```vb
    Public Sub ChooseFolder()
        If FolderBrowserDialog1.ShowDialog() = DialogResult.OK Then
            TextBox1.Text = FolderBrowserDialog1.SelectedPath
        End If
    End Sub
    ```

    ```csharp
    public void ChooseFolder()
    {
        if (folderBrowserDialog1.ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK)
        {
            textBox1.Text = folderBrowserDialog1.SelectedPath;
        }
    }
    ```

    ```cpp
    public:
       void ChooseFolder()
       {
          if (folderBrowserDialog1->ShowDialog() == DialogResult::OK)
          {
             textBox1->Text = folderBrowserDialog1->SelectedPath;
          }
       }
    ```

    > [!IMPORTANT]
    > To use this class, your assembly requires a privilege level granted by the <xref:System.Security.Permissions.FileIOPermissionAttribute.PathDiscovery%2A> property, which is part of the <xref:System.Security.Permissions.FileIOPermissionAccess> enumeration. If you are running in a partial-trust context, the process might throw an exception because of insufficient privileges. For more information, see [Code Access Security Basics](https://docs.microsoft.com/dotnet/framework/misc/code-access-security-basics).

For information on how to save files, see [How to: Save Files Using the SaveFileDialog Component](how-to-save-files-using-the-savefiledialog-component.md).

## See also

- <xref:System.Windows.Forms.FolderBrowserDialog>
- [FolderBrowserDialog Component Overview (Windows Forms)](folderbrowserdialog-component-overview-windows-forms.md)
- [FolderBrowserDialog Component](folderbrowserdialog-component-windows-forms.md)