Running out of storage is a common problem for PC gamers, especially when modern games can easily take up more than 100 GB of space. Thankfully, Steam makes it simple to move installed games from one drive to another without downloading them again. Whether you are upgrading to a faster SSD, adding a new hard drive, or simply trying to free up space on your main drive, the process is quick and safe when done correctly.
Why Move Steam Games to Another Drive?
There are several reasons why players choose to relocate their Steam library instead of reinstalling every game.
Some of the most common reasons include:
- Freeing up space on your primary SSD.
- Moving games to a larger hard drive.
- Taking advantage of a faster NVMe SSD for better loading times.
- Organizing games across multiple storage devices.
- Replacing an old drive without downloading everything again.
Steam supports multiple library folders, making it easy to keep games wherever you have available storage.
Create a New Steam Library Folder
Before moving any game, you need to create a Steam Library Folder on the destination drive.
Follow these steps:
- Open Steam and sign in to your account.
- Click Steam in the top-left corner.
- Select Settings.
- Open the Storage section.
- Click the drop-down menu showing your current drive.
- Choose Add Drive.
- Select your desired drive or create a new folder.
- Confirm your selection.
Steam will now recognize the new location as another library where games can be installed or transferred.
Move a Steam Game to Another Drive
Once the new library has been created, moving a game takes only a few minutes.
Follow these steps:
- Open Steam Settings.
- Go to Storage.
- Select the drive that currently contains the game.
- Find the game you want to move.
- Check the box beside its name.
- Click Move.
- Choose the new Steam Library Folder.
- Confirm the transfer.
Steam will copy the necessary files to the new drive and automatically update the game’s installation path. The transfer time depends on the game’s size and the speed of both drives.
How to Move Multiple Steam Games
If you need to move several games, Steam allows you to transfer them one after another through the same Storage menu.
For large collections, it is often best to prioritize games you play frequently on a fast SSD while moving older or less demanding titles to a traditional hard drive. This balance helps save premium storage space without sacrificing performance where it matters most.
Can You Move Games Without Reinstalling?
Yes. Steam’s official Move feature transfers the existing installation files instead of downloading everything again.
This offers several advantages:
- Saves internet bandwidth.
- Preserves downloaded updates.
- Keeps save files that are stored through Steam Cloud.
- Reduces installation time significantly.
If a game stores save data locally instead of using Steam Cloud, those saves are usually located in your Windows Documents folder or AppData rather than inside the Steam installation folder, so they remain unaffected by the move.
What If the Move Option Is Missing?
If you cannot find the Move button, try the following fixes:
- Update Steam to the latest version.
- Make sure a second Steam Library Folder exists.
- Restart Steam.
- Verify that the destination drive has enough free space.
- Ensure the drive is properly connected and accessible.
Older versions of Steam did not include the built-in transfer feature, so keeping the client updated is important.
Does Moving Games Improve Performance?
Moving a game does not increase its frame rate. However, transferring a game from a mechanical hard drive to a SATA SSD or NVMe SSD can noticeably reduce loading times, improve texture streaming, and shorten fast-travel or level-loading screens.
If you move a game from an SSD to a slower hard drive, expect longer loading times, although gameplay performance usually remains the same once the game is fully loaded.
