How to Move Steam Games to Another Drive Without Redownloading

Game libraries grow fast. A few large titles can fill a small solid-state drive in a single month, leaving Windows with no room to breathe. At the same time, many PCs have a second drive sitting half empty, or a brand new larger drive ready to use.

The good news is that Steam was built for exactly this situation. You do not need to delete a game and download fifty or a hundred gigabytes all over again just because you want it on a different drive. Steam can move the existing files for you, check them as it goes, and update its records so the game launches from its new home.

This guide shows how to add a new library location, how to move one game or several games at once, and how to avoid the small mistakes that leave players thinking their saves have gone missing.

Quick Answer

Open Steam Settings, choose Storage, and add your new drive as a library location if it is not listed. Then select the game in the Storage view, choose Move, pick the new drive, and confirm. Steam will transfer the existing files and verify them, so no fresh download is needed.

Why Move Games Instead of Reinstalling Them

Reinstalling sounds simple until you look at the download size. Many modern games are between 50 and 150 gigabytes. On a slow connection that can mean an overnight download for a single title, and it can eat through a monthly data limit just as quickly.

Moving the files you already have is faster in almost every case. Copying from one internal drive to another is far quicker than pulling the same data from the internet, especially on a solid-state drive. Even moving to an external drive over a fast USB connection often beats a slow broadband line.

What Happens to Saves and Settings When You Move a Game?

Your saves are normally not stored inside the game folder. Most games keep saves in your documents folder, in a separate app data folder, or in Steam Cloud. Moving the install therefore does not move or delete your progress.

In-game settings such as graphics options usually stay untouched as well, because they are stored with the save data or in the Windows registry. When you launch the game from its new location, it should look and play exactly as it did before the move.

Before You Start: A Short Checklist

A two-minute check now prevents most problems later. Work through this list before you move anything.

• Check free space on the target drive. The new drive needs enough room for the full game plus a little extra for temporary files during the move.
• Close the game completely. Steam cannot move files that are open. Quit the game and any launcher it uses.
• Pause other downloads. Moving and downloading at the same time slows both jobs down.
• Keep external drives connected. If the target is an external drive, do not unplug it until the move and a quick test launch are finished.
• Note your current install size. The Storage page in Steam shows exactly how much space each game uses.

Step One: Add the New Drive in Steam Storage Settings

Steam can only move games to a drive it recognises as a library location. If your new drive has never held Steam games, you need to add it once. After that, it will always appear as a choice.

1. Open Steam and select Steam in the top-left corner, then choose Settings.
2. In the Settings window, select Storage from the list on the left.
3. Near the top, open the drop-down menu that shows your current library drive.
4. Select the option to add a new drive and pick the drive letter for your new storage.
5. Confirm the choice. Steam creates a SteamLibrary folder on that drive automatically.
6. Leave Settings open on the Storage page, because you will use it for the move itself.

Step Two: Move a Game Using the Storage Manager

The Storage page is the easiest and safest way to move games. It shows every installed title, its size, and the drive it sits on, and it can move several games in one go.

1. Stay on the Storage page in Steam Settings.
2. Select the drive that currently holds the game you want to move.
3. Tick the box next to the game, or next to several games if you are moving more than one.
4. Select the Move button that appears at the bottom of the page.
5. Choose the destination drive from the list and confirm the move.
6. Wait while Steam transfers the files. A progress window shows the status for each game.
7. When the move finishes, check that the game now appears under the new drive in the same Storage view.
8. Go to your Library, launch the game once, and confirm it starts normally from its new home.

Moving times vary a lot. A small game between two fast solid-state drives may finish in a couple of minutes. A very large game moving to a mechanical hard drive can take half an hour or more. That is still usually much faster than downloading it again.

Moving a Single Game From Its Properties Page

There is a second route that suits a one-off move. In your Library, right-click the game, choose Properties, and open the Installed Files tab. There you will find an option to move the install folder. Select it, pick the new library location, and confirm. The result is exactly the same as using the Storage manager; it is simply a matter of which screen you prefer.

Tips for Choosing Which Games to Move

Not every game benefits equally from your fastest drive. Competitive shooters and large open-world games that stream data constantly load noticeably faster from a solid-state drive. Turn-based games, older titles, and small indie games often feel almost identical on a slower drive.

A practical approach is to keep your current main games and Windows on the fast drive, and move finished games, rarely played titles, and very large installs to the bigger secondary drive. You can always move a game back in a few minutes when you want to play it again regularly.

If you record gameplay or take many screenshots, think about where those files go too. Keeping recordings on the larger drive protects space on your system drive. Our step-by-step guide to clearing space on a Windows drive covers the other folders that quietly fill up over time.

The official client itself is available from the official Steam download page on the Steam Store, which is also the safest place to reinstall Steam if you ever move your whole library to a new PC.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The most damaging mistake is dragging game folders between drives in File Explorer. Steam will not know where the game went, and the Play button may turn into an Install button. If you have already done this, do not download again straight away. Instead, point Steam at the new library location, choose Install for that game, and Steam will usually discover the existing files and verify them instead of downloading.

Another common mistake is moving a game to a drive with less free space than the game needs. The move then fails partway through. Always check the target drive first and keep a small buffer free.

Players also sometimes disconnect an external drive too soon. Wait for the move to finish, launch the game once, and only then treat the job as done. Finally, avoid setting the new library on a drive that is about to be formatted or replaced. It sounds obvious, but it happens more often than you would expect during a PC upgrade.

Conclusion

Moving Steam games to another drive is a built-in feature, not a hack. Add the new drive in Storage settings, select the games, choose Move, and let Steam transfer and check the files for you. No redownloading, no lost saves, and no manual folder surgery.

Use your fastest drive for the games you play most, park large or finished titles on your bigger drive, and check free space before every move. With that simple habit, a full drive stops being a crisis and becomes a two-minute tidy-up job.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will moving a Steam game delete my save files?

No. Saves are normally stored outside the game install folder, in your documents folder or in Steam Cloud, so they stay in place when the game moves. After the move, launch the game once and check that your profile and progress load as normal.

Can I move Steam games to an external drive?

Yes. Add the external drive as a library location in Storage settings and move games to it in the normal way. Keep the drive connected while playing those games, and use the same drive letter each time so Steam can find the library.

How long does it take to move a game to another drive?

It depends on the game size and the speed of both drives. Small games can move in a few minutes between solid-state drives. Very large games moving to a mechanical drive can take thirty minutes or more, but this is still usually faster than a fresh download.

Can I play a game while another game is being moved?

It is better not to. Playing and moving at the same time makes both jobs slower and can cause errors if the games share the same drive. Finish the move first, then play. Moving several games at once in one batch is fine.

What if Steam shows the game as uninstalled after a move?

This usually means the library folder is not selected. Open Settings, go to Storage, and make sure the new drive is listed. Then choose Install for the game and select that location. Steam will discover the existing files, verify them, and make the game playable without a full download.