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On a Windows PC, you can move an eligible installed Xbox game to another drive from the Xbox app’s game-management controls. To send future content to a different drive, use Windows Storage settings instead. These are separate actions, and not every Xbox app game supports moving.
Move an installed game or change the destination for future content?
Choose the action that matches what you need to do:
| Goal | Where to go | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Move a game already installed | Xbox app: open the game’s management controls | Moves an eligible game to another drive. Availability depends on the game’s installation model. |
| Choose a drive for future content | Windows Settings > Storage | Sets a destination for new content; it does not move a game that is already installed. |
How to move an installed Xbox game
First, check that the destination drive is connected and has enough free space. In File Explorer, open This PC and look under Devices and drives to check available space.
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- Open the Xbox app and go to your installed games.
- Open the game’s management controls. In the route documented by Xbox Wire, right-click the installed game and select Manage; in other app versions, look for the game’s manage or files controls.
- If a move option is available, select the destination drive and follow the app’s prompts.
Do not assume every game will show the same controls. Microsoft’s Game Development Kit documentation says its Flat File Install benefits apply to PC GDK games, not to other app models such as UWP. The Xbox app’s move and repair features are available when applicable, rather than guaranteed for every title.
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The navigation details come from Xbox Wire’s November 18, 2021 announcement of an Insider feature preview. That post described a Manage menu with move and repair actions, but its labels do not establish the exact current screen for every Xbox app version. It also listed issues at the time—including launch problems with some games on external drives and install-folder problems. Those were preview-era caveats, not confirmation that the same problems affect every current setup. Microsoft has not published an exhaustive current compatibility table covering every game, app version, Windows build, and drive configuration.
Choose an install location for future content
Windows has a separate setting for selecting where new content is saved. The menu name differs by Windows version:
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- Windows 11: Open Settings > System > Storage > Advanced storage settings > Where new content is saved, then select a drive for the relevant content type.
- Windows 10: Open Settings > System > Storage > Change where new content is saved, then choose a drive.
This setting controls destinations for new content; it does not relocate an existing Xbox game. If the drive you want is missing from the selector, make sure it is connected and available to Windows.
If the move option is missing
- Confirm the game is installed and open its management controls in the Xbox app.
- Check whether the game supports the relevant installation model. Microsoft says Flat File Install features apply to PC GDK games, not other models such as UWP.
- Verify that the destination drive is connected and has enough free space.
- Do not drag protected game folders between drives manually; use the app’s supported controls when available.
The Xbox app manages purchased games and Game Pass libraries, but Microsoft notes that features and availability can vary by region. Its Windows gaming overview is written for the US market.
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