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Use Steam for current PC installations. The Bethesda.net Launcher is retired and cannot be newly downloaded. If your game was in that former launcher, migrate the eligible library to Steam first; after migration, download and install the game from Steam. For a new installation, Steam uses its primary drive by default, or you can add another drive at Steam > Settings > Storage and select it during setup. Bethesda specifically recommends an SSD for Starfield and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Save transfers are different for each game, so back up saves and follow the instructions for that title before copying anything.
First, identify which installation route applies
There are two different situations that are often confused:
- You already own the game on Steam: add or select a Steam storage location and install normally.
- You still have a library from the old Bethesda.net Launcher: complete Bethesda’s migration to Steam before trying to install the game. The former launcher library is not installed by downloading a replacement Bethesda launcher.
Bethesda says the launcher has not been in use since May 11, 2022, and its support page states, “The Bethesda Launcher is not available to download.” See the Bethesda Launcher download and installation status for that official notice.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsHave the following ready before you start:
- A Windows PC with Steam installed and signed in to the Steam account that owns the game.
- Enough free space on the chosen drive for the game and any updates. The official instructions do not publish a universal capacity figure for Bethesda games, so check the individual game’s current Steam requirements rather than relying on a general estimate.
- An SSD if you are installing Starfield or Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Bethesda names SSD installation for those two titles specifically; it does not state that every Bethesda game requires an SSD.
- A backup location for existing save files if you are moving from the old PC launcher installation or copying saves between editions.
Install a Bethesda game that you already own on Steam
1. Add the drive to Steam’s storage list
Steam can install to its primary drive automatically. To make another internal or external drive available as a Steam library location, use this exact path:
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- Open Steam.
- Choose Steam in the top menu.
- Select Settings.
- Open Storage.
- Open the drive selector and choose Add Drive.
- Select the drive you want to use and choose Add.
- Confirm that the new drive appears in the Storage view.
Bethesda’s instructions are documented in How do I add an additional drive to install games on Steam?. Adding the drive makes that location available for future Steam installations; it does not install a game by itself.
2. Start the installation from your Steam library
- Open the Library tab in Steam.
- Find the Bethesda game you own and select Install.
- When Steam displays the installation location, open the location selector.
- Choose the Steam library on the drive you added, or keep the primary drive if that is your preference.
- Review the displayed location and begin the installation.
The location choice applies to this installation. If you want later games to use a different drive, select that library when each installation begins. Do not assume that adding a drive automatically changes every existing game or changes the primary location for all future installs.
3. Confirm where Steam installed the game
After the download finishes, use the game’s Steam management options to inspect its installed files or library location. This is useful when you have multiple drives and need to identify the folder before troubleshooting saves. The game’s installation folder and its save folder are separate concepts; finding one does not prove that the other is on the same drive.
Plan the install location before downloading
The practical choice is between Steam’s primary drive and a library on an added drive. Compare them on available capacity, drive type, and whether the specific game has a stated storage requirement. The primary drive is simplest when it has enough room. An added library is useful when you want to reserve that drive for Windows or other applications, or when another drive has the capacity you need.
Check the game’s current Steam requirements before committing to a location. Bethesda’s cited instructions do not publish one capacity number that applies to the whole catalog, and they do not provide a universal benchmark for hard drives versus SSDs. Leave room for updates instead of treating the initial download size as the only space requirement.
For Starfield and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Bethesda specifically says to choose an SSD. The guidance does not name a model, interface, speed, or capacity. Select a compatible SSD that meets your computer’s requirements and has enough free space for the title and its updates. Do not extend that title-specific instruction into a blanket SSD requirement for every Bethesda game.
Adding a library is not the same as moving a game
When you add a drive in Steam Storage, Steam simply makes a new library location available. It does not relocate games already installed elsewhere, change the location of your save files, or automatically force every future installation onto that drive. Choose the library in each game’s install dialog and verify the resulting location afterward.
Migrate a former Bethesda.net Launcher library to Steam
Bethesda’s documented PC destination for games that were owned through the retired launcher is Steam. The migration FAQ explains that a title owned on the Bethesda.net Launcher becomes available on Steam after migration, and that you then download and install it through Steam. Read Bethesda’s instructions for playing games after the Steam migration before starting.
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What the migration does and does not do
- It makes eligible former-launcher titles available in Steam after the account and library migration is completed.
- It does not leave you with a supported, downloadable Bethesda.net Launcher for new installations.
- Bethesda describes Steam as the supported PC migration destination. Its support pages do not describe migration to another PC game service.
- PC account information cannot be transferred to a console account through this process. Bethesda’s console guidance is at Can I migrate to PlayStation or Xbox instead of Steam?.
Bethesda’s support material establishes Steam as the destination, but it does not establish a live migration deadline or guarantee that every individual account has identical eligibility. Sign in to the Bethesda account associated with the old library and follow the current migration prompts and account-specific instructions. If a title is not offered, use Bethesda Support for that account rather than attempting to copy an old launcher folder into Steam.
After migration
- Finish the account/library migration process shown by Bethesda.
- Sign in to the Steam account that you intend to use for the games.
- Open Steam’s Library and check that the migrated title is listed.
- Add or select the desired Steam storage drive using Steam > Settings > Storage.
- Select Install for the migrated title and choose that Steam library location.
Do not start by copying the old launcher’s game directory into a new Steam library. Migration controls ownership and library availability; the supported installation step is a fresh Steam download.
Choose between the primary drive and an added Steam drive
| Choice | How you select it | When it makes sense | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Steam drive | Leave the default location selected when Steam offers the install dialog. | The primary drive has sufficient free space and is the drive you normally use for Steam games. | Steam installs to the primary drive by default, according to Bethesda’s support instructions. |
| Added Steam library drive | Add it at Steam > Settings > Storage > Add Drive, then choose it in the game’s install dialog. | You want to reserve the primary drive for Windows or other applications, or the added drive has the available capacity. | The drive must appear in Steam Storage before it can be selected for the installation. |
| SSD for a named title | Add or select an SSD library before installing. | You are installing Starfield or Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. | Bethesda specifically gives the SSD instruction for those titles. It does not publish a universal SSD requirement for every Bethesda game in the cited guidance. |
Bethesda does not specify an SSD model, interface, capacity, or speed in this guidance. Choose a compatible SSD that meets your PC’s hardware requirements and has enough free space for the particular game and its updates; do not treat the recommendation as evidence for a particular product or performance level.
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Transfer saves safely when changing launchers
Installing the Steam edition and transferring progress are separate tasks. Bethesda’s game-by-game save article lists default save locations and copying instructions, but those locations can differ when a game was installed to another drive or its save location was changed. The article is available at Bethesda’s game-by-game save migration instructions.
A safe procedure
- Open the save-transfer entry for the exact game. Do not use instructions for a different Bethesda title; save behavior is not uniform across the catalog.
- Close the game before handling its saves. Keep the original files untouched until the Steam installation is confirmed to work.
- Locate the existing save folder using the game-specific path. Treat the published path as a default, not a guarantee: another drive or a changed configuration can put the files elsewhere.
- Copy the entire original save folder to a separate backup location. Use a clearly named backup so you can restore it if the transfer fails.
- Install and launch the Steam version once, then exit it if the game-specific instructions require a newly created Steam save folder.
- Follow Bethesda’s exact copy instructions for that title. Copy only the files and folders identified in the article.
- Launch the Steam version and verify that the expected characters, settings, or progress appear.
- Keep the backup until you have tested the game thoroughly. If the wrong progress appears, stop copying and restore from the backup instead of overwriting more files.
The overwrite warning matters
Bethesda warns that copying a Bethesda save into an existing Steam game save can overwrite the Steam save. If the Steam version already has progress, back it up before copying any older files. A successful game installation does not automatically mean that saves will transfer, and the official guidance does not promise identical behavior for every title.
What not to move manually
A save folder is not the same thing as a complete game installation. The save article’s paths are for progress files; they are not a universal method for moving installed game folders between drives. Bethesda’s drive guidance covers adding a Steam library location and selecting it for an install, not one universal manual procedure for relocating every installed Bethesda title.
If you need a game on another drive, prefer Steam’s own storage controls and the library location shown in Steam. Avoid deleting the original installation until the new Steam entry launches and your saves have been verified. If Steam does not offer the expected move or library option, reinstall to the added library rather than guessing at folder names or editing files manually.
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Troubleshoot the most common installation problems
The drive does not appear in Steam
- Return to Steam > Settings > Storage and confirm that you completed both Add Drive and Add.
- Check whether the drive is visible to Windows and has enough free space.
- Restart Steam after the drive is available to the operating system, then check Storage again.
- If Steam still cannot add it, use Steam Support or your operating system’s disk-management help rather than creating an arbitrary folder and assuming Steam will recognize it.
Steam keeps selecting the wrong location
- Verify that the intended drive appears as a Steam library in Storage.
- Start the game installation again and use the location selector in the install dialog.
- Do not confuse the drive containing the old Bethesda launcher files with the Steam library selected for the new installation.
The migrated game is missing from Steam
- Confirm that you completed Bethesda’s migration with the Bethesda account associated with the former library.
- Check that Steam is signed in to the account you intended to use.
- Review Bethesda’s migration support article for account-specific eligibility and current instructions.
- Do not download an unofficial launcher or attempt to transfer the account to another PC service; Bethesda’s documented PC destination is Steam.
The game launches but the save is missing
- Stop copying files and preserve the backup you made.
- Recheck the exact game entry in Bethesda’s save-transfer instructions.
- Check whether the original installation or save location was on another drive or had been changed from the default.
- Confirm that you copied into the Steam save location specified for that game, not merely into the game’s installation directory.
- If an existing Steam save may have been overwritten, restore the backed-up Steam files before trying another transfer.
The title is installed on a hard drive but Bethesda says to use an SSD
For Starfield and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, move or reinstall the game to a Steam library on an SSD. Bethesda’s cited instruction is title-specific. For another Bethesda game, do not infer an SSD requirement solely from these two recommendations; check that game’s own current system requirements.
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A short checklist before you click Install
- Am I installing a title already owned on Steam, or do I need to migrate an old Bethesda.net Launcher library first?
- Is Steam signed in to the correct account?
- Does the intended drive appear under Steam > Settings > Storage?
- Does that drive have enough free space for this specific game and its updates?
- Is this Starfield or Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, which Bethesda specifically says to install on an SSD?
- Have I backed up existing saves before copying anything?
- Am I following the save instructions for this exact game rather than a different title?
Official support pages
- Bethesda Launcher download and installation status
- Playing games after the Steam migration
- Game-by-game save migration instructions
- Adding an additional Steam install drive
- Whether migration to another PC service is supported
- Whether migration to PlayStation or Xbox is supported
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I download the Bethesda.net Launcher to install a game today?
No. Bethesda says the launcher has not been in use since May 11, 2022 and is not available to download. Use Steam for a current PC installation.
I bought a game in the old Bethesda launcher. Where do I install it?
Complete Bethesda’s account and library migration first. After the eligible title appears in Steam, download and install it from the Steam Library. Do not copy the old launcher folder as a substitute for migration.
Can I migrate my Bethesda PC library to Epic, GOG, or another PC service?
Bethesda documents Steam as the PC migration destination and does not describe migration to another PC game service. Use the Bethesda account associated with the former library and follow its current Steam instructions.
Can I transfer the PC account or library to PlayStation or Xbox?
No. Bethesda’s console guidance says PC account information cannot be transferred to a console account through this migration process.
Do all Bethesda games need to be installed on an SSD?
No universal requirement is stated in the cited guidance. Bethesda specifically tells players to use an SSD for Starfield and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Check the individual game’s current requirements for other titles.
Does adding a drive automatically move existing games or change every future install?
No. Adding a drive in Steam > Settings > Storage makes a library location available. Choose that library in the installation dialog for each game; existing installations are not relocated automatically.
Will my Bethesda launcher saves appear automatically in the Steam version?
Save behavior varies by game. Bethesda provides game-specific locations and copy steps, and a changed install drive can change the default path. Back up both the original and any existing Steam saves first because copying can overwrite Steam progress.
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There is no universal Bethesda procedure that makes manual folder copying safe for every title. Use Steam’s library controls to install or reinstall to the desired drive, and treat save-file copying as a separate, game-specific task.
The Bottom Line
Install Bethesda games through Steam. If the title came from the retired Bethesda.net Launcher, migrate the eligible library first, then add or select a Steam library under Steam > Settings > Storage. Choose an SSD for Starfield and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and back up saves before following the exact transfer instructions for your game.
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