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To back up one supported Steam game, open your Library, right-click the game, choose Properties > Installed Files > Backup game files, select a destination, then choose Create Backup. This saves installation files—not necessarily your saves, settings, or other personal game data—so preserve those separately if you need them.
Choose the right method for what you want to preserve
Steam offers different ways to reuse game files depending on whether you need a copy of one game, want to keep an existing installation during a Steam reinstall, or are setting up another PC on the same local network. These methods are not interchangeable: a portable backup is different from preserving the current Steam installation, and a network transfer is not an independent backup.
| Goal | Method | What it does | Important limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keep a separate copy of one supported game for later reinstallation | Steam’s Backup game files feature | Creates backup files in a folder you choose; Steam says you can move or burn copies after creation. | Only games that completely download, install, and patch through Steam are compatible. Saved games and some custom files need separate handling. |
| Keep installed game files while reinstalling Steam | Move or copy the steamapps folder outside the Steam directory before uninstalling |
Preserves local Steam game content for a future Steam installation. | This preserves files on the storage you choose; it is not an independent backup unless you copy them to separate storage. |
| Reuse game files on another PC in the same home or local network | Steam Local Network Game Transfers | Copies game installation and update files between Steam clients on the same LAN, potentially avoiding downloads from Steam content servers. | It does not send local saves or configuration files, and transfer speed depends on network conditions. |
For multiple installed games, Steam recommends its Moving a Steam Installation method because it can save time and simplify backup and restoration. The steps below cover the built-in backup for one game.
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Choose based on the problem you are trying to solve. If a single supported game is installed and you want a copy you can store separately, use Backup game files. If you are uninstalling or reinstalling Steam and want to keep the existing game content, preserve the steamapps folder as Steam instructs. If you are setting up another computer on the same network and both clients can access the files, a Local Network Game Transfer can reuse installation and update data. None of these should be treated as a complete save-data archive.
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Steam Support’s Using the Steam Backup Feature says the Moving a Steam Installation method is recommended for backing up all games because it can save time and simplify the backup and restore process. That broader method is a better fit when the scope is the whole installation; the built-in game backup is the more direct choice when you need a separate copy of one compatible title. If you want protection from a drive failure, keep an additional copy on separate storage rather than relying only on files moved elsewhere on the same drive.
Back up one Steam game
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Open Steam and go to Library.
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Right-click the game you want to preserve and select Properties.
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In the game’s properties, select Installed Files, then choose Backup game files.
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Choose the folder where Steam should create the backup.
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Select Create Backup and let Steam finish. Avoid interrupting the process; Steam warns that interruption or interference from other applications can prevent a successful backup.
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When the process completes, select Open folder to inspect the resulting files. Copy or move them to another storage location if you want a copy away from the computer.
The backup is made from the game’s installed files, so start by confirming you have selected the intended title in the Library. If you have several games with similar names, check the selected game before starting the process. The backup feature is not a way to copy a game you do not already have installed through Steam; it works from the game files Steam has installed.
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Let Steam complete the operation before moving or copying the output. Steam cautions that interruptions or interference from other applications can prevent a successful backup. If the process is interrupted, do not treat whatever files happen to be in the destination as a dependable backup. Run the operation again, allow it to finish, and test the resulting files.
Choose a destination you can find again
Steam does not require a particular drive brand, type, speed, or capacity. You can use a suitable folder on an available drive; an external hard drive or SSD is an optional choice when you want the copy kept away from the computer. Pick enough available space for the game files you intend to store, and keep track of the folder so you can point Steam to it when restoring. Steam’s instructions also mention moving or burning completed backup files, so buying a drive is not a requirement.
Think about where the backup will be when you need it. A folder on the computer may be convenient for organizing files, but it will not protect them if that same computer or storage device is lost or fails. If you use external storage, keep the backup files together and note the destination so you can browse to them later. The right amount of space depends on the games you choose to keep; Steam does not specify a universal capacity, so size the destination to your own collection rather than buying a particular drive based on a fixed requirement.
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After Steam has created the backup, its guide says you can open the folder and move or burn copies of the resulting files. That means the Steam-selected destination does not have to be the final place you keep them. You can use a convenient working folder, then copy the completed files to another storage location. Keep the backup location understandable and accessible, since restoring requires you to browse to the directory containing those files.
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Test the files before relying on them
Steam recommends testing a backup after it is created to check that the files are intact for future reinstallation. Do this before deleting or changing the original installation if the backup is your only copy. A backup process that appeared to finish is not a substitute for confirming that Steam can use the resulting files.
In Steam Support’s Using the Steam Backup Feature, the service specifically recommends testing created backups to ensure their integrity for future reinstallation. Treat that as part of the backup task, not as an optional check to postpone until the original files are gone. Keep the source installation until you have confirmed that the backup is usable and separately handled any saves or custom content you want to retain.
Restore a game from backup
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Install Steam, then sign in to the account that owns the game.
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Launch Steam and choose Steam > Restore Game Backup.
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Browse to the directory containing the backup files.
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Follow Steam’s prompts to install the game.
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If you separately preserved save files or custom content, put them back in the appropriate game locations as needed.
The restore flow uses the backup folder as its starting point, so make sure you browse to the directory holding the backup files rather than an unrelated parent folder or another game’s backup. Follow the on-screen installation prompts and let Steam complete the process. The backup does not replace the need to sign in to the account that owns the game.
Steam warns that restoration may not complete successfully if its installation path contains special characters. Its example is C:Steam安装路径Steam. If restoration fails and your Steam path includes nonstandard characters, consider installing Steam in a path without them and trying again.
Steam’s warning is a specific path-related pitfall, not evidence that every restoration failure has the same cause. If the path is not the issue, check that you selected the directory containing the backup files and that the backup completed successfully. Steam’s guidance also recommends testing the backup before you depend on it, which can help reveal problems before you need to reinstall.
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What the backup does—and does not—include
Game installation files are not the same as game saves
The backup feature is for game files. Steam explicitly says backups of Valve-created games do not include saved games, custom multiplayer maps, or configuration files. For third-party games, save-file locations vary because each developer determines where those files are stored. Find the save location in the game developer’s documentation or ask the developer, then copy those files separately before uninstalling or changing installations.
Do not assume that a cloud-save feature or a game’s own account system covers every file you care about. The backup guidance does not establish that each game synchronizes saves, settings, screenshots, mods, or other personal data. Check the game’s documentation for those items individually.
This distinction matters when your goal is to continue a playthrough, not just reinstall the game. A restored installation can provide the game files while still lacking a save that was stored separately. Before removing an original installation, identify the save location for each game you care about and make a separate copy. The correct location is not universal for third-party titles, so use the developer’s instructions instead of assuming all games store saves in the same folder.
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Preserve custom Valve-game files separately
Steam identifies the following folders under a Valve game’s directory as possible locations for custom files that may need to be copied back to their corresponding folders after restoration:
cfgdownloadsmapsmaterialsSAVE
If you have customized files in these locations, copy them separately before relying on the game backup, then restore them to the matching locations after reinstalling. This is especially relevant when preserving custom multiplayer maps or configuration changes.
Do not assume every listed folder contains something you need; they are locations Steam identifies for custom files. Check the folders relevant to your own use, preserve the files you want, and return them to the corresponding locations after restoration. Steam’s instructions call out these folders under Valve game directories; for a third-party title, follow that developer’s guidance for custom content and save data.
Back up all installed games or reinstall Steam
If your goal is to preserve an entire Steam installation rather than create a portable backup for each game, Steam recommends using its Moving a Steam Installation method. Steam says that method can save time and simplify backup and restore compared with handling games one by one.
Steam’s uninstall guidance warns that uninstalling removes Steam and installed game content. Before uninstalling while intending to reuse local game files later, move or copy the steamapps folder outside the Steam directory. Keep the distinction clear: moving that folder preserves the existing local files in a different location, but does not give you another copy if the same drive fails. For protection against loss, make an additional copy on separate storage and check that it is usable.
The practical choice depends on whether you are preserving an installation or creating a portable copy. If the immediate task is reinstalling Steam on the same computer and keeping the local game files, Steam’s uninstall instructions focus on moving or copying steamapps outside the Steam directory first. If the goal is a separately stored copy that can be used later, the per-game backup feature creates backup files in a folder you select. Steam’s broader Moving a Steam Installation guidance is the recommended path when you need to deal with all games together.
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Do not mistake a move for a second backup. Moving steamapps changes where the files are kept; copying it creates another local copy, but that copy still needs to be stored on separate storage if you want protection from failure of the original device. Whichever approach you use, remember that game installation content does not automatically include all saves or configuration files. Preserve those separately when needed, and test the files before relying on them.
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When the second PC is on the same local network, Steam Local Network Game Transfers can copy game installation and update files from one Steam client to another. This can reduce the need to download those files from Steam content servers, and may be faster than downloading them again, though actual results depend on the network.
This is a file-reuse option, not a complete move of your personal game data: Steam says the transfer does not send local saves or configuration files. Preserve those separately if the other computer needs them. The feature also does not replace an off-device copy when your goal is recovery from a failed or lost computer.
Use a local transfer when the purpose is to get game installation or update files onto another Steam client on the same LAN. It may save internet downloads, but Steam does not promise a particular speed; network conditions affect the result. If the network transfer is not suitable or does not provide the files you need, a separate backup or fresh download may be more appropriate. Whichever route you choose, check the destination PC for saves and settings separately, because the transfer excludes them.
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Steam does not offer the backup option or the game is incompatible
Steam’s backup tool supports only games that completely download, install, and patch through Steam. Steam cautions that many games using third-party installers or downloaders—including many MMO-style and third-party free-to-play games—may not work with the feature. If the tool is unavailable or cannot process a particular game, do not assume that the backup is complete; use the game developer’s supported method or preserve the existing Steam installation using Steam’s broader installation guidance where appropriate.
The compatibility rule is about the game’s complete download, installation, and patch process, not simply whether its listing appears in your Steam Library. Games that rely on third-party installers or downloaders may fall outside the backup feature’s support, and Steam specifically cautions that many MMO-style and third-party free-to-play games may not work. For those titles, consult the developer’s backup instructions rather than relying on a partial copy.
The backup process did not finish or the files may be incomplete
Steam says interruption or interference from other applications can prevent successful backup creation. Run the process again without interrupting it, then test the newly created files before removing the original installation. Do not treat an interrupted run as a reliable copy.
If a backup was interrupted, start over and allow Steam to finish creating a fresh set of files. Then follow Steam’s recommendation to test it. Keep the original installation intact until the new backup has been checked, and separately preserve save files or custom content if you need them. An incomplete backup is not made reliable simply by copying the remaining files to another drive.
The restored game appears to have damaged or missing files
In the game’s Library entry, open Properties > Installed Files and select Verify integrity of game files. Steam notes that some files may fail verification normally because they are local configuration files that should not be replaced. A verification warning is therefore not, by itself, a reason to delete local files; preserve important configuration or custom files and follow Steam’s result before making changes.
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Steam backup guidance and version context
The menu labels and workflows here reflect Steam Support instructions retrieved on October 13, 2026. Steam may change its interface, and the cited guidance is clearest for Windows-style paths; it does not establish every operating-system-specific detail. If a label differs in your client, look for the equivalent backup or restore command in the game’s installed-file settings or Steam menu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Steam’s backup feature save my games?
It saves compatible game installation files, but it is not necessarily a save-game or personal-data backup. Steam says backups of Valve-created games do not include saved games, custom multiplayer maps, or configuration files. Third-party save locations vary, so check the game developer’s documentation and copy saves or custom files separately.
How do I back up one game I already own on Steam?
Open Steam Library, right-click the game, choose Properties, then Installed Files and Backup game files. Select a destination and choose Create Backup. Let the process finish, open the resulting folder, and test the backup before relying on it.
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Install and launch Steam, sign in to the account that owns the game, then choose Steam > Restore Game Backup. Browse to the directory containing the backup files and follow the installation prompts. Restore separately preserved saves or custom files to their relevant locations as needed.
Can I back up every game in my Steam Library with this feature?
The built-in tool is limited to games that completely download, install, and patch through Steam. Steam cautions that many titles using third-party installers or downloaders, including many MMO-style and third-party free-to-play games, may not work. For all installed games, Steam recommends its Moving a Steam Installation method.
Can I keep my Steam games when I uninstall Steam?
Steam’s uninstall guidance warns that uninstalling removes Steam and installed game content. To preserve local game files for a future Steam installation, move or copy the steamapps folder outside the Steam directory first. For a separate backup against storage failure, keep another copy on separate storage and check that it is usable.
Can I transfer Steam games to another PC without downloading them again?
Steam Local Network Game Transfers can copy game installation and update files between Steam clients on the same LAN, which may reduce downloads from Steam content servers. Speed depends on network conditions. The transfer does not include local saves or configuration files.
Why might Steam fail to restore my backup?
Check that you selected the directory containing the backup files and that the backup completed successfully. Steam also warns that restoration may not complete when its installation path contains special characters; its example is C:Steam安装路径Steam. Steam recommends testing backups before you need them.
The Bottom Line
Use Backup game files for a portable copy of one compatible Steam game, and test that copy before deleting or changing the original installation. For all installed games, follow Steam’s Moving a Steam Installation guidance; when reinstalling Steam, preserve steamapps outside its directory. In every case, copy saves and custom files separately when needed—the installation backup does not necessarily include them.
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