# Custom node:: cannot link node (Windows)

**URL:** <https://community.n8n.io/t/custom-node-cannot-link-node-windows/22909>\
**Category:** Questions\
**Tags:** custom-node\
**Created:** [February 10, 2023, 4:30pm UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/custom-node-cannot-link-node-windows/22909 "2023-02-10T16:30:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![am46](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/am46/32/11323_2.png) [@am46](https://community.n8n.io/u/am46)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 4:30pm UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/custom-node-cannot-link-node-windows/22909/1 "2023-02-10T16:30:28Z")

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Hi,

After running npm install n8n -g, the documentation for windows users says " Windows users remember to change into the `.n8n` directory of your Home folder (`~/.n8n` ) before running `n8n start` .".

I cannot find any .n8n folder. I cannot also find any .n8n/nodes from which to run npm link . The .n8n folder gets created only after running n8n start but there is no nodes folder.

How can I solve this?

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**Author:** ![Jon](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/jon/32/40174_2.png) [@Jon](https://community.n8n.io/u/Jon)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 4:58pm UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/custom-node-cannot-link-node-windows/22909/2 "2023-02-10T16:58:39Z")

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Hey @am46,

The .n8n folder is hidden, It would be something like `C:\Users\am46\.n8n` you shouldn’t need to change into that folder first though. What documentation are you following?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![am46](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/am46/32/11323_2.png) [@am46](https://community.n8n.io/u/am46)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 5:05pm UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/custom-node-cannot-link-node-windows/22909/3 "2023-02-10T17:05:00Z")

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for installing this doc [npm - n8n Documentation](https://docs.n8n.io/hosting/installation/npm/#try-n8n-with-npx)

for building a custom node this doc [Tutorial: Build a declarative-style node - n8n Documentation](https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/creating-nodes/build/declarative-style-node/#test-your-node).

Build a declarative-style node \> Test your node \> 3. Install the node into your local n8n instance.

it does not exists I checked hidden folder. It gets created only after running n8n start but it has the following files-folders:

binaryData  
config  
database.sqlite  
n8n-desktop.env  
n8nEventLog.log

no nodes folder

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jon](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/jon/32/40174_2.png) [@Jon](https://community.n8n.io/u/Jon)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 5:12pm UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/custom-node-cannot-link-node-windows/22909/4 "2023-02-10T17:12:36Z")

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Hey,

That makes sense, So you might need to make the nodes directory manually and run npm init in it then do the link.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/system/32/195824_2.png) [@system](https://community.n8n.io/u/system)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2023, 5:27pm UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/custom-node-cannot-link-node-windows/22909/6 "2023-02-17T17:27:10Z")

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