How To Move Steam Games To Another Drive

Running out of disk space or upgrading to a faster SSD doesn't mean you have to uninstall and redownload your entire library. Steam includes a built-in migration tool that safely moves game files to a new drive while automatically updating your file paths.

Why this happens

Manually moving game folders in File Explorer breaks the registry pathing and Steam's internal manifest, which triggers a forced re-download. Using the native Steam storage manager ensures the game manifest is updated so the client knows exactly where to find the files.

What you'll need

You need your secondary drive connected and formatted so that Windows recognizes it as a valid storage location. No special software is required beyond the Steam client itself.

Steps

1. 01
   Open Steam, click the 'Steam' menu in the top left, and select 'Settings'.
2. 02
   Select 'Storage' in the left-hand sidebar to view your current library locations.
3. 03
   Click the drive dropdown menu, select 'Add Drive', and choose your target drive to initialize it as a Steam library.
4. 04
   Use the same dropdown menu to switch back to your original drive containing the installed games.
5. 05
   Check the box next to the game you want to migrate and click the 'Move' button located in the bottom right corner.
6. 06
   Select your new drive from the pop-up dialog and click 'Move' again to begin the file transfer.
7. 07
   Wait for the progress bar to complete; do not close Steam until the process finishes to ensure file integrity.
8. 08
   Launch your game from the Library tab to verify it correctly recognizes the new file path.
9. 09
   Click the star icon next to your new drive in the Storage menu if you want it to be the default location for future game installations.

Still not working?

If the 'Move' button is greyed out, ensure the new drive has been correctly added as a Steam Library folder first. If Steam fails to detect the game after moving, right-click the game in your Library, select 'Properties', go to 'Installed Files', and click 'Verify integrity of game files' to force Steam to rescan the new folder location.

Frequently asked questions

Will I lose my game save files by moving the installation?

No, Steam only moves the game program files. Your save data is typically stored in your local Documents folder or AppData directory, which remains untouched by this process.

Can I move a game to an external hard drive?

Yes, as long as the external drive is formatted correctly (NTFS is recommended for Windows) and remains connected while you play, Steam will treat it like any other internal drive.

Does this work for every game on Steam?

This works for 99% of Steam titles. A very small number of legacy games with hard-coded installation paths may occasionally experience issues, but the built-in mover is the safest method for almost every modern title.

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