how to move steam game to another drive

How to Move a Steam Game to Another Drive

Moving a Steam game to a different drive is a straightforward process, and it avoids the time-consuming task of reinstalling the entire game. Here's how to do it:

1. Close the Steam client and the game you intend to move. This ensures that the game files aren't actively being used, preventing errors during the move.
2. Locate your Steam game files. The default location is usually C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common. However, you might have changed this during installation. If unsure, you can find the installation folder for each game within the Steam client itself. Right-click on the game in your library, select "Properties," then navigate to the "Local Files" tab. There you'll find a "Browse Local Files" button that will open the game's folder directly.
3. Copy the game folder. Once you've located the game's folder, copy the entire folder to your desired destination drive. Make sure you have enough free space on the new drive (see the answer to the final question for details on space requirements). It's recommended to use the copy-and-paste method instead of cutting and pasting to avoid potential issues if something goes wrong during the transfer.

4. Create a symbolic link (optional but recommended). This step is crucial for Steam to recognize the game in its new location. Open a command prompt (search for "cmd" in the Windows search bar) as an administrator. Use the following command, replacing "C:\path\to\old\game\folder" with the original game folder path and "D:\path\to\new\game\folder" with the new path:

   mklink /J "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\GameName" "D:\path\to\new\game\folder"

   Replace "GameName" with the actual name of the game folder. This creates a junction point, essentially a shortcut, that tells Steam where to find the game files. If you did not change the default Steam install location, you can skip this step and proceed to step 5. However, creating a symbolic link is generally preferred for a cleaner solution and easier management.

5. Verify the game files (Recommended). After moving the game, open the Steam client. Right-click on the game in your library, select "Properties," then go to the "Local Files" tab. Click on "Verify Integrity of Game Files." Steam will check the game files and replace any corrupted or missing files. This ensures the game works correctly in its new location.
6. Launch the game. If everything went correctly, you should be able to launch the game from your Steam library without any issues.

Can I Move a Steam Game to a Different Drive Without Reinstalling?

Yes, absolutely! As detailed in the previous answer, you can move a Steam game to a different drive without reinstalling it. The process involves copying the game files to the new drive and creating a symbolic link (or simply updating the path in Steam's configuration if you moved the entire Steam folder). This avoids the significant time and bandwidth overhead associated with reinstalling a potentially large game.

Will Moving My Steam Game to Another Drive Affect My Save Files?

No, moving your Steam game to another drive should not affect your save files, provided you follow the steps outlined above. Save files are usually stored separately from the game's main installation files, often in a dedicated "userdata" or "saves" folder within your Steam directory. These folders are not moved as part of the game folder relocation process and remain untouched.

How Much Free Space Do I Need on the New Drive to Move a Steam Game?

The amount of free space you need depends entirely on the size of the game you're moving. Steam displays the size of each game in your library. Make sure you have at least that much free space, plus some additional space for temporary files and the operating system's overhead. It's a good practice to have at least 10-20% more free space than the game's stated size to ensure smooth operation. For example, if a game is 50GB, aim for at least 60-65GB of free space on the target drive.

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