# Libraries location on Arduino **URL:** \ **Category:** Programming\ **Created:** [April 3, 2024, 11:03am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/libraries-location-on-arduino/1243362 "2024-04-03T11:03:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![matospinto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/97f17d/32.png) [@matospinto](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/matospinto)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 11:03am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/libraries-location-on-arduino/1243362/1 "2024-04-03T11:03:56Z")
Hello community, Whenever a library is installed in the Arduino IDE, in which directory is it placed, because there are some, like in program(x86)/Arduino/libraries or documents/Arduino/libraries or users/name/AppData/local/Arduino/libraries, as well as in Onedrive/documents/Arduino/libraries and so on. Often, when installing a github library from a zip file, I get the message that it's not a valid file because it's missing .h or .cpp, so the installation doesn't take place. I don't know how all this works in the Arduino IDE. Can someone explain to me where the libraries are installed or how and where they can be installed manually? Thanks for help Regards ---
**Author:** ![UKHeliBob](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/ukhelibob/32/215663_2.png) [@UKHeliBob](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/UKHeliBob)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 11:11am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/libraries-location-on-arduino/1243362/2 "2024-04-03T11:11:20Z")
In general, the IDE expects to find libraries in folders within the libraries folder in the Sketchbook folder. This is the default library location. There are, however, exceptions to this in the case of libraries installed as part of a board package and the built in libraries that come with the IDE When you install a library using the Library Manager it will be installed in the default location and you can do the same thing manually by creating a folder for the library in the default location and copying the library files to it ---
**Author:** ![sterretje](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/sterretje/32/391294_2.png) [@sterretje](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/sterretje)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 12:46pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/libraries-location-on-arduino/1243362/3 "2024-04-03T12:46:45Z")
> [@matospinto](#): > > because it's missing .h or .cpp In which case it's more than likely not a library. Can you give an example? ---
**Author:** ![matospinto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/97f17d/32.png) [@matospinto](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/matospinto)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 1:59pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/libraries-location-on-arduino/1243362/4 "2024-04-03T13:59:03Z")
Hi sterretje, like here: > **[GitHub - zhouhan0126/WIFIMANAGER-ESP32: wifimanager－esp32](https://github.com/zhouhan0126/WIFIMANAGER-ESP32)** > > wifimanager－esp32. Contribute to zhouhan0126/WIFIMANAGER-ESP32 development by creating an account on GitHub. ---
**Author:** ![UKHeliBob](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/ukhelibob/32/215663_2.png) [@UKHeliBob](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/UKHeliBob)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 2:08pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/libraries-location-on-arduino/1243362/5 "2024-04-03T14:08:20Z")
That library installs for me from the .zip file downloaded from GitHub Exactly how did you download it and install it ? Which version of the IDE are you using ? ---
**Author:** ![matospinto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/97f17d/32.png) [@matospinto](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/matospinto)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 2:48pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/libraries-location-on-arduino/1243362/6 "2024-04-03T14:48:03Z")
Install as zip file Arduino 1.8.18 ---
**Author:** ![matospinto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/97f17d/32.png) [@matospinto](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/matospinto)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 2:50pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/libraries-location-on-arduino/1243362/7 "2024-04-03T14:50:40Z")
I have unzip it to a folder with the same name and copy it to all Arduino libraries folders that i found on my pc and it works now. ---
**Author:** ![UKHeliBob](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/ukhelibob/32/215663_2.png) [@UKHeliBob](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/UKHeliBob)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 2:54pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/libraries-location-on-arduino/1243362/8 "2024-04-03T14:54:46Z")
> [@matospinto](#): > > copy it to all Arduino libraries folders It only needs to go in the default library folder ---
**Author:** ![matospinto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/97f17d/32.png) [@matospinto](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/matospinto)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 3:12pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/libraries-location-on-arduino/1243362/9 "2024-04-03T15:12:17Z")
Where is the location of the default Arduino libraries folder? ---
**Author:** ![UKHeliBob](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/ukhelibob/32/215663_2.png) [@UKHeliBob](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/UKHeliBob)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 3:23pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/libraries-location-on-arduino/1243362/10 "2024-04-03T15:23:35Z")
See my earlier reply > [@UKHeliBob](#): > > the IDE expects to find libraries in folders within the libraries folder in the Sketchbook folder. This is the default library location ---
**Author:** ![hallowed31](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/hallowed31/32/1093680_2.png) [@hallowed31](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/hallowed31)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 4:07pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/libraries-location-on-arduino/1243362/11 "2024-04-03T16:07:47Z")
mine is C:\Users\hallowed\Documents\Arduino\sketchbook\libraries I seem to recall that "sketchbook" should be in all lower case, ie not "Sketchbook" Edited to include the libraries part, oops ---
**Author:** ![UKHeliBob](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/ukhelibob/32/215663_2.png) [@UKHeliBob](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/UKHeliBob)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 4:53pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/libraries-location-on-arduino/1243362/13 "2024-04-03T16:53:10Z")
The name of the folder does not matter Mine is C:\Users\Bob2\Documents\Arduino What matters is that the Sketchbook folder in IDE Preferences is correct, ie ![image](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/0/5/c/05c7e19990f424ac6dd65f82dd84e7cdad4fc191.png) In this context the word Sketchbook is used to mean what is entered in Preferences ---
**Author:** ![hallowed31](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/hallowed31/32/1093680_2.png) [@hallowed31](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/hallowed31)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 5:00pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/libraries-location-on-arduino/1243362/14 "2024-04-03T17:00:35Z")
Doesn't it default to the way I have it when you install the IDE? I don't remember. ---
**Author:** ![UKHeliBob](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/ukhelibob/32/215663_2.png) [@UKHeliBob](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/UKHeliBob)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 5:01pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/libraries-location-on-arduino/1243362/15 "2024-04-03T17:01:48Z")
It is such a long time ago that I first installed the IDE that I can't remember but, as I say, the Sketchbook folder name does not matter ---
**Author:** ![hallowed31](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/hallowed31/32/1093680_2.png) [@hallowed31](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/hallowed31)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 5:02pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/libraries-location-on-arduino/1243362/16 "2024-04-03T17:02:05Z")
> [@Delta\_G](#): > > and `libraries` does have to be all lowercase. I knew something had to be all lowercase, foruming after a 24 hour shift has its drawbacks, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/system/32/1140315_2.png) [@system](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2024, 5:02pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/libraries-location-on-arduino/1243362/17 "2024-09-30T17:02:53Z")
Closed on September 30, 2024, 5:02pm UTC This topic was automatically closed 180 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.