How to Move Steam Games to Another Drive (3 Methods)

Moving Steam games to another drive takes under five minutes using Steam’s built-in Storage Manager – no redownloading required. Open Steam Settings > Storage, check the games you want to move, click Move, and select your destination drive. All file paths update automatically. See our complete guide to fixing gaming PC problems for deeper context.

This guide covers three methods: Steam’s native Storage Manager (fastest and safest), manual file transfer (for when Steam’s tool fails), and third-party movers (for bulk migrations). Each method preserves your game saves, workshop mods, and configuration files.

Method 1: Steam’s Built-in Storage Manager (Recommended)

Steam added a dedicated Storage Manager in 2021 that handles everything automatically. This is the safest method and works for both single games and batch moves.

Step 1: Add a New Library Folder

Open Steam and click Steam > Settings (top-left menu on Windows). Select the Storage tab. You will see your current drive with a bar showing used and free space.

Click the + button next to your existing drive name. A dropdown appears showing available drives. Select your target drive and click Add. Steam creates a SteamLibrary folder on that drive automatically.

If your target drive does not appear: Make sure it is formatted as NTFS (not FAT32 or exFAT). Right-click the drive in File Explorer, select Properties, and check the file system. FAT32 cannot hold files larger than 4GB, which rules out most modern games.

Step 2: Select and Move Games

In the Storage Manager, click on your source drive (the one containing the games you want to move). A list of installed games appears with checkboxes. Check every game you want to relocate.

Click the Move button at the bottom of the list. A dialog asks you to pick the destination. Select your new library folder from the dropdown and click Move.

Steam copies files to the new location, verifies integrity, then deletes the originals. The game’s store page, shortcuts, and launch settings all update automatically. You do not need to change anything in your library or desktop shortcuts.

Step 3: Verify the Move

After the transfer completes, right-click the game in your Steam library and select Properties > Installed Files. The install path should show your new drive letter. Launch the game once to confirm everything works.

What This Method Cannot Do

• Move games between two different PCs (use Method 2 for that)
• Move the Steam client itself (only games and their data)
• Move non-Steam games added to your library

Method 2: Manual File Transfer

Use this when Steam’s Storage Manager hangs, crashes, or fails. It also works for migrating games to a completely new PC.

Step 1: Create a Library Folder on the Target Drive

On the target drive, create this folder structure exactly:

D:SteamLibrarysteamappscommon

The folder names are case-insensitive but must match this hierarchy. Steam looks specifically for the steamappscommon path inside library folders.

Step 2: Copy Game Files

Navigate to your current Steam library folder. The default location is:

C:Program Files (x86)Steamsteamappscommon

Each game has its own folder inside common. Copy the entire game folder (for example, Counter-Strike Global Offensive) to your target drive’s steamappscommon folder.

Also copy the manifest file. Go to C:Program Files (x86)Steamsteamapps and find the file named appmanifest_[APPID].acf for your game. Copy it to D:SteamLibrarysteamapps. Without this file, Steam will not recognize the game on the new drive.

To find a game’s App ID: right-click the game in Steam, select Properties, and the App ID is in the URL or visible in the Updates tab.

Step 3: Add the Library Folder in Steam

Open Steam > Settings > Storage > click + and point it to D:SteamLibrary. Steam scans the folder, finds the manifest files, and recognizes the installed games.

Step 4: Verify Integrity

Right-click each moved game in your library and select Properties > Installed Files > Verify integrity of game files. Steam checks every file against its servers and redownloads any that are corrupted or missing. This typically downloads 0-200MB even for large games – just config files and anti-cheat components that need to be in specific locations.

Step 5: Delete Originals

Only after confirming games launch correctly from the new location, delete the original game folder and manifest file from the old drive to free up space.

Method 3: Third-Party Tools for Bulk Migration

Third-party tools like Steam Library Manager (SLM) and GameMover add features that Steam’s native tool lacks: batch operations with progress tracking, scheduling, and the ability to move entire library folders at once.

Steam Library Manager (Free)

Steam Library Manager is an open-source tool specifically designed for managing Steam game locations. It shows all your library folders and installed games in a drag-and-drop interface. You can move multiple games simultaneously and it handles manifest files automatically.

Download it from GitHub, point it to your Steam installation, and drag games between library folders. It queues transfers and runs them sequentially to avoid disk thrashing.

Limitation: SLM has not been updated since 2023. It works fine for basic moves but may not support newer Steam features.

When Third-Party Tools Are Actually Necessary

• Moving to a new PC: Copy game folders to an external drive, then use Method 2 on the new PC. No third-party tool required, but EaseUS Todo PCTrans can automate the process if you are migrating many games across a network
• Cloning an entire drive: If you are replacing your game drive entirely (HDD to SSD upgrade), use a disk cloning tool like Macrium Reflect or Samsung Data Migration instead of moving games individually. Cloning preserves everything including Steam library paths
• Moving non-Steam games: Steam’s tools only handle Steam games. For Epic, GOG, or Xbox games, you need their respective launchers or manual file moves

Moving Games from Other Launchers

Steam is not the only game launcher that locks games to a specific drive. Here is how to handle the other major platforms:

Common Problems and Fixes

“Not enough disk space” even though the target drive has room

Steam checks for free space on both the source and destination drives. It needs temporary space on the source drive to create a compressed transfer package. Free up at least 1GB on the source drive, or use Method 2 (manual copy) to bypass this check entirely.

Move stuck at 0% or freezing mid-transfer

Close Steam completely (right-click tray icon > Exit Steam, not just close the window). Relaunch Steam and try again. If it still freezes, the game files may be corrupted. Verify file integrity first, then retry the move. As a last resort, use Method 2.

Game does not launch after moving

Right-click the game in Steam > Properties > Installed Files > Verify integrity of game files. This fixes 95% of post-move launch issues. If verification redownloads a large portion of the game, the transfer was likely interrupted or corrupted.

Steam does not see games on the new drive

Make sure the library folder is added in Steam Settings > Storage. If the folder is added but games are not detected, the manifest files (.acf files in the steamapps folder) are missing. Either copy them from the source drive or uninstall/reinstall the game – Steam will discover the existing files and skip downloading them.

“Content file locked” error during move

Another program is accessing the game files. Common culprits: antivirus software scanning the files, a game update downloading in the background, or a mod manager with an open handle. Close other programs, temporarily disable antivirus real-time scanning, and retry.

Decision Framework: Where Should Each Game Live?

• Put on NVMe SSD: Competitive multiplayer games (Valorant, CS2, Apex Legends) where load times affect matchmaking, and open-world games with streaming (Cyberpunk, Starfield) that load textures as you move
• Put on SATA SSD: Single-player games you play regularly, games with moderate load times (RPGs, strategy games)
• Put on HDD: Games you rarely play but want installed, indie games with tiny file sizes, visual novels, and retro games that load instantly regardless of drive speed
• Put on external drive: Games you play on multiple PCs (plug the drive in wherever you game), very large games that do not fit on internal drives

2026 update: Steam Deck OLED is now the baseline recommendation over the LCD model. Steam Remote Play has improved significantly for in-home streaming.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I move Steam games without redownloading them?

Yes. Steam’s built-in Storage Manager moves game files between drives without redownloading. Open Steam Settings > Storage, select games on your source drive, click Move, and choose the destination drive. Steam copies the files and updates internal paths automatically. The only download is a small verification check after the move completes.

Will moving a Steam game to another drive break my saves?

No. Most modern Steam games store saves either in Steam Cloud or in your Windows user folder (AppData), not inside the game’s installation directory. Moving the game only relocates the installation files like executables, textures, and assets. Your saves, settings, and progress remain untouched regardless of which method you use.

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

Moving between internal drives takes roughly 1-3 minutes per 10GB on SATA SSDs and under 1 minute per 10GB on NVMe drives. A 100GB game takes about 5-10 minutes on SATA or 2-3 minutes on NVMe. Moving to an external USB 3.0 drive is slower at 3-5 minutes per 10GB. HDD to HDD transfers are slowest at 5-8 minutes per 10GB.

Can I install Steam games on an external drive?

Yes. Add a Steam Library folder on your external drive through Settings > Storage > + button. Steam treats external drives like internal ones as long as the drive is connected. Games on external USB 3.0 or USB-C drives load slower than internal SSDs but faster than internal HDDs. Disconnect the drive and Steam grays out those games until you reconnect it.

Should I move games to an SSD or HDD?

Move games you play frequently to an SSD for faster load times. An NVMe SSD loads most games 2-5x faster than an HDD. Store games you play rarely or that have small file sizes on an HDD to save SSD space. Multiplayer games benefit most from SSDs because faster loading means you join matches before other players and avoid timeout disconnects.

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