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You can move an installed Steam game to another drive without uninstalling it or downloading it again. In the Steam client, create a Steam Library on the destination drive, then use Settings > Storage to select the current library, select the game, and choose Move. Steam transfers the installation and registers the new location for you.
The procedure below is for moving a game on the same computer. Moving the entire Steam client is a different, more involved operation, and moving installation files does not guarantee that every game’s save data will move with them.
What Steam’s Move feature actually does
Steam’s built-in Move command relocates the installed game between Steam Library folders. It is the supported alternative to uninstalling and reinstalling when you need to free space on one drive or use another drive. The game remains in your Steam account and library; Steam updates its installation path after the transfer.
The destination must be a different Steam Library path. A drive by itself is not enough if Steam has not been told to use a folder there as a library. You create that library from the Storage settings before selecting the game.
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Steam’s current support instructions use the label Settings > Storage. Button names and layout can change between client releases, so your screen may look slightly different while the sequence remains the same.
Before starting: identify which move you need
Many problems come from treating two separate jobs as if they were one. Decide whether you are moving a single game’s files or the whole Steam installation.
| Task | Steam method | What moves | Backup guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Move one or more games | Settings > Storage, select the source library and game, then Move | The selected game’s installation between Steam Library paths | Steam’s one-game instructions do not require a separate backup drive; protect important saves separately because save locations are game-specific |
| Move the entire Steam client | Exit Steam, move the Steam folder while retaining specified folders and files, then launch Steam from its new location | The client installation and its libraries and user data in the moved folder | Steam strongly recommends backing up steamapps before attempting this larger move |
If you only need one large game on a roomier drive, use the first method. Do not relocate the whole client merely to change one game’s storage location.
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Quick checklist before you click Move
- Confirm that the game is installed locally, rather than merely listed in your account.
- Make sure the destination drive is connected and available to the computer for the entire operation.
- Add a Steam Library on that drive before trying to select a destination.
- Close the game if it is running. Steam needs to move the installed files, not files that are actively being used.
- If the progress in a game matters, identify whether its saves use Steam Cloud or a developer-specific folder. A successful installation move is not proof that saves were copied.
- For a full Steam-client relocation, make the recommended
steamappsbackup first. That backup precaution applies to the larger client move, not as a separate requirement in Steam’s one-game Move instructions.
Prepare the destination Steam Library
Steam cannot use an arbitrary folder as a move target until that location has been added as a Steam Library. Create the destination first, even if the drive already contains other files.
- Open Steam and select Steam > Settings.
- Open Storage.
- Use the + control to add a library location.
- Choose the destination drive and the folder Steam should use there, then confirm the library.
The new location should now appear in Steam’s list of storage drives or libraries. If it does not appear, stop here and add it before attempting the game transfer; the Move command needs a valid destination library.
You do not have to move every game in an existing library. A destination library is simply another approved location that Steam can use. Once it exists, you can choose which installed games remain in the original library and which are transferred.
What counts as the source and destination?
The source is the Steam Library currently containing the installation. The destination is the library path you added on the other drive. Selecting a drive in the operating system’s file browser, or manually dragging a folder outside Steam, does not perform the same registration step. Steam’s Storage view is what records the game’s new location in the client.
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Once both libraries exist, Steam performs the transfer itself. You can select one game or several games shown in the source library.
- In Steam, open Settings > Storage.
- In the storage list, select the drive or library where the game is currently installed.
- Select the checkbox or entry for the game you want to relocate. Select additional games only if you intend to move them to the same destination.
- Choose Move.
- When prompted, choose the destination Steam Library you created and confirm the operation.
- Wait for Steam to finish copying and registering the files before launching the game or closing Steam.
The transfer uses the files already on your computer; it is not an uninstall followed by a fresh download. The amount of time depends on the files and drives involved, but Steam’s official guidance does not publish a transfer-time figure, speed test, or drive-performance comparison.
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Moving more than one game
The Storage view can show multiple installed games under the selected source library. Select only the titles you want to transfer, then use Move and choose one destination library for that operation. Leaving a game unselected leaves its installation where it is. If you need different games in different destinations, repeat the process with the appropriate source and target instead of assuming one move can sort them automatically.
What to check when the move finishes
- Return to Settings > Storage and confirm that the game is listed under the destination library.
- Start the game from your normal Steam Library entry rather than opening an old executable shortcut.
- Do not interrupt the operation by shutting down the computer or disconnecting the destination drive.
- If the game behaves normally, no reinstall is necessary.
Steam’s support instructions specifically mention verifying the installed game’s files when something is wrong after moving the full Steam installation. For a single-game move, first confirm that the destination library is present and that Steam has completed the move. If the game still reports missing or damaged files, use Steam’s file-verification command available for the game and follow any repair prompt.
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The destination drive is not offered
A drive that is visible in your operating system is not automatically a Steam Library. Go back to Settings > Storage, press +, and add a library path on that drive. Then return to the source library and select the game again.
The Move option is unavailable
Check that you selected an installed game in the source library and that at least one other Steam Library path is available as a target. The target must be a library path, not simply a bare drive letter or an unrelated folder.
The game still appears in the old library
Let Steam finish the operation completely, then reopen the Storage view. A game that is still listed under the original library has not completed the registered move. Do not delete the old folder manually while Steam is still processing it.
The game starts but settings or saves are missing
Installation files and personal data are not necessarily stored together. Review the save-data section below before assuming that a successful file move should have carried every profile, configuration, or save with it.
The transfer was interrupted
Open Storage again and inspect the game’s listed library and installation state. If Steam reports missing files or the game will not start, use Steam’s file-verification command for that game. Avoid deleting the remaining files until Steam has identified what is installed.
An old shortcut points to the wrong place
Use the game’s entry in your Steam Library after the move. Steam updates its registered installation path, while a shortcut created outside Steam may still contain an old path. The Storage listing is the authoritative place to confirm where Steam now expects the files.
You cannot find the game in the source list
Check the selected library in Storage. A game installed in a different library will not appear under the wrong source drive. Select each listed library until you find the installation, then start the Move command from that source.
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Game files are not the same as save files
Moving an installation folder is not a guarantee that every save moves with it. Steam says many third-party saves for games that do not use Steam Cloud may be stored in C:Users[Windows user name]DocumentsMy Games, but that is an example location, not a universal rule. Each game’s developer decides where save data is kept.
Steam Cloud can synchronize supported saves, but coverage and behavior are determined per game. Before changing computers, moving a full installation, or troubleshooting a game that has valuable progress, check that game’s documentation and identify its save location. If the saves are outside the installation directory, copy them according to the game’s instructions before making a larger change.
- A same-computer game move changes where the installed program files live.
- It does not establish that saves stored elsewhere have been copied.
- It does not establish that a game without Steam Cloud will recover saves automatically.
- A developer-specific save location takes precedence over any general Steam folder assumption.
For a routine move between two libraries on the same computer, you normally use Steam’s Move command for the game files and leave save handling to the game’s existing storage and cloud configuration. For a move to another computer, treat save migration as a separate task.
When to check saves before moving
Check first if you are moving a full installation, changing computers, troubleshooting a title with valuable progress, or using a game that does not use Steam Cloud. Look for the game’s own documentation and note whether saves are in a user folder, another location chosen by the developer, or synchronized through Steam Cloud. Do not infer the save location solely from the installation path.
Should you use an external hard drive?
Steam Support states: “It is not recommended that you install Steam to an external hard drive, due to potential performance issues.” The support guidance does not quantify those issues, compare external drive types, or publish a minimum interface, capacity, or transfer speed.
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If you nevertheless place a library on removable storage, keep in mind that the drive must be available when Steam needs to read the game. The official warning is about potential performance issues, not a stated guarantee that a game will fail, so avoid presenting any specific speed or reliability expectation as a Steam specification.
Moving the entire Steam installation instead
Use this route only when you intend to relocate the Steam client itself, not merely one game’s files. Steam gives separate instructions because the client folder contains more than game installations.
- Back up the
steamappsfolder. Steam strongly recommends this precaution before a full-client move. - Exit Steam completely.
- In the existing Steam folder, retain the
steamappsfolder, theuserdatafolder, andsteam.exe. - Move the Steam folder to its new location.
- Launch Steam by running
steam.exefrom the new location. - If an installed game does not work correctly afterward, verify that game’s installed files using Steam’s verification command.
This procedure is broader than the Storage-tab Move command. It changes where the client starts and where its retained folders are found; it is not a faster version of moving one game. Keep the backup until the client and your games have been checked.
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Why the full-client move needs extra care
The full Steam folder includes client files as well as the folders that identify installed games and user data. That is why Steam’s instructions tell you to exit the client, retain steamapps, userdata, and steam.exe, and then launch the executable from its new location. Treat those instructions as a separate procedure rather than combining them with the Storage-tab workflow.
Choosing the right procedure
| Your goal | Use this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Free space on the current game drive | Move the selected game from Settings > Storage | Only the chosen installation is relocated |
| Place several selected games on another library | Select those games in the source library and use Move | The built-in command supports selecting the games you intend to transfer |
| Change the location of the Steam client itself | Use the full-installation procedure | The client folder, userdata, steamapps, and launch file must be handled together |
| Move to a new computer | Plan a client or library move plus a separate save-data check | Save locations and Steam Cloud behavior vary by game |
What not to assume
- You do not need to uninstall and redownload a game for the documented same-computer library move.
- Adding a drive to your computer does not automatically make it a Steam Library.
- Moving a game folder does not prove that saves, settings, or other personal data moved with it.
- The one-game Move command is not the same as relocating the entire Steam client.
- Steam does not publish a universal transfer speed, completion time, recommended capacity, or preferred drive interface for this procedure.
- An external hard drive is not Steam’s recommended installation target; Steam cites potential performance issues.
- Manually dragging or deleting folders is not a substitute for registering the destination library in Steam.
- A game shortcut or a visible drive letter alone does not confirm that Steam has recorded the new installation path.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to reinstall the game after moving it?
No. For a same-computer move between Steam Libraries, Steam’s Storage-tab Move command transfers the existing installation and updates its location. Reinstalling is not required for the documented workflow.
Can I move several games at once?
Yes. In the source library’s Storage view, select the games intended for the same destination and choose Move. Repeat the process when different groups need different destination libraries.
Is creating a library on the destination drive mandatory?
Yes. Steam requires a valid destination Steam Library path. Add one with the + control in Settings > Storage before selecting the game to move.
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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 problemsWill my saves move with the installation?
Not necessarily. Save locations are decided by each game’s developer. Steam notes that many third-party saves for games without Steam Cloud may be in DocumentsMy Games, but that example is not universal. Check the individual game’s documentation and cloud behavior.
Is an external hard drive recommended?
Steam Support says it is not recommended to install Steam to an external hard drive because of potential performance issues. Steam does not publish a universal speed, interface, or capacity specification for external storage.
Should I move the whole Steam folder to free space for one game?
No. Use the game’s Move command unless your goal is specifically to relocate the Steam client. A full-client move requires exiting Steam, retaining steamapps, userdata, and steam.exe, and making the recommended steamapps backup.
What if the game will not start after moving?
Confirm in Settings > Storage that the game is listed under the destination library and that the transfer finished. If files are missing or damaged, run Steam’s file-verification command for that game. After a full-client move, Steam specifically advises verifying the installed game’s files when something is wrong.
Can I move a game to another computer with this method?
The described Move workflow is for relocating a game on the same computer. A move to another computer requires a separate plan for the Steam installation or libraries and for save data, because save locations and Steam Cloud behavior vary by game.
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Official instructions
Steam’s support FAQ, “Moving a Steam Installation and Games”, documents the Storage-tab Move workflow, the separate full-client procedure, the external-drive warning, and the fact that save locations are decided by individual game developers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Steam move an installed game without downloading it again?
Yes. On the same computer, add a destination Steam Library in Settings > Storage, select the source library and game, and choose Move.
Why can’t I select my second drive?
The drive must first contain a Steam Library path. Use the + control in Settings > Storage to add the destination library.
Does moving the game also move saves?
Not automatically in every case. Save locations are game-specific; check the game’s documentation and Steam Cloud behavior separately.
Should I use an external hard drive for the library?
Steam Support says installing Steam to an external hard drive is not recommended because of potential performance issues.
How is moving one game different from moving Steam itself?
A game move uses Storage > Move for selected titles. A full-client move requires exiting Steam, retaining steamapps, userdata, and steam.exe, and backing up steamapps first.
What should I do if the moved game reports missing files?
Confirm the destination listing and completed transfer, then use Steam’s file-verification command for the game. Verification is also the check Steam specifies after a problematic full-client move.
The Bottom Line
To move a Steam game without reinstalling, create a Steam Library on the destination drive, open Settings > Storage, select the source library and game, and choose Move. Keep the game move separate from a full Steam-client relocation, and treat saves as a separate, game-specific concern.
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