You can move Steam's install folder before or after you download games
Steam stores games in a default folder on your main drive, but you can change this location at any time. You can point Steam to a different hard drive, an external SSD, or a second internal drive before you download anything. You can also move games you've already installed to a new location without losing your save files or progress.
The process differs slightly depending on whether you're setting up a new install location or moving existing games. Both take only a few minutes and don't require reinstalling Steam itself.
Key Takeaways
- Steam's default install location is usually C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam on Windows or ~/Library/Application Support/Steam on Mac, but you can add additional folders on any drive.
- You can create a new install location in Steam's settings before downloading games, or move already-installed games to a different drive using the built-in move tool.
- Moving games to an external drive or second hard drive does not delete your save files, achievements, or cloud saves — those stay tied to your account.
- If you're using an external drive, keep it plugged in whenever you play games stored on it, or Steam will show them as missing.
Adding a new install location before downloading games
The easiest approach is to set up a second install folder before you download anything new. Open Steam and go to Settings (the gear icon in the top right). Click Storage in the left menu, then select Add Drive. Choose the drive or folder where you want games to go — this can be a second internal drive, an external SSD, or even a USB drive, though external drives are slower.
Once you've added the location, Steam will ask you to confirm. The folder will appear in your storage list with the amount of free space available. From that point forward, when you download a new game, Steam will show you a dropdown menu asking which drive to use. Select your new location and the game will install there instead of the default folder.
This method is fastest because Steam doesn't have to move files around — it just puts new games where you tell it to. You can add multiple install locations this way and spread your library across several drives.
Moving games you've already installed
If you've already downloaded games to your main drive and want to move them, right-click the game in your library and select Properties. Click the Installed Files tab, then choose Move Install Folder. Steam will show you a list of available install locations — if you haven't added a new one yet, you'll need to do that first using the method above.
Select the destination drive and click Move. Steam will copy the game files to the new location while keeping your save data intact. The game will show as "updating" during this process, which can take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour depending on the game's size and your drive speed. Don't close Steam or unplug the drive while the move is happening.
Once the move completes, Steam will delete the old copy from your original drive, freeing up that space. Your achievements, playtime, and cloud saves all stay with your account and will be there when you launch the game from its new location.
Changing the default install location on Windows
If you want to change where Steam installs games by default — so new downloads go to a different drive without you having to choose each time — you'll need to move your entire Steam folder. This is more involved than adding a secondary location, so only do this if you're sure you want a different primary drive.
Close Steam completely. Navigate to your current Steam folder (usually C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam on Windows). Cut the entire folder and paste it into the new location — for example, D:\Steam if you're moving to a D: drive. Open Steam from its new location. It will recognize all your games and settings in the moved folder.
If Steam doesn't start from the new location, you may need to update your Windows shortcut or reinstall Steam to point to the correct folder. This approach is less common than adding secondary locations because it's riskier — if something goes wrong during the move, you could lose access to your games temporarily.
Using external drives and USB storage
Steam can install games on external USB drives and external SSDs, but there are important limitations. External drives are significantly slower than internal drives, so games may take longer to load and you might experience stuttering during gameplay. More importantly, the drive must stay plugged in whenever you want to play those games — if you unplug it, Steam will show the games as missing until you plug it back in.
External SSDs (solid-state drives) are much faster than USB hard drives and are a reasonable option if you need the portability. USB 3.0 or newer is required for acceptable performance. If you're using an external drive primarily to expand storage at home, a second internal hard drive is faster and more reliable.
What happens to your saves and achievements
Moving a game to a different drive does not affect your save files, achievements, or playtime. Steam stores this data separately from the game files themselves — most of it lives in the cloud tied to your account, and some stays in a local folder that doesn't move when you relocate the game.
The only exception is if a game stores saves in a non-standard location outside Steam's normal folders. This is rare, but some older games or games with custom launchers might do this. You can check by right-clicking the game, selecting Properties, and clicking Browse Local Files to see what's actually stored on disk. If you see a "Saves" or "My Documents" folder inside, those files will move with the game.
Troubleshooting when games show as missing
If you move a game's folder manually using Windows File Explorer instead of Steam's built-in move tool, Steam will show the game as missing or uninstalled. To fix this, right-click the game in your library and select Properties, then Installed Files, then Verify Integrity of Game Files. Steam will search for the game files and reconnect them if they're still on your system.
If you've moved an external drive to a different USB port or a different computer, Steam may also show games as missing. Plug the drive back into the same port, or if that's not possible, use the verify integrity tool to help Steam locate the files again. If the drive isn't recognized at all, check that it's powered on and that your computer can see it in File Explorer before trying to verify.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I install Steam games on a network drive or cloud storage?
No. Steam requires games to be on a local drive that your computer can access directly and quickly. Network drives, cloud storage like OneDrive or Google Drive, and remote servers are too slow and will cause crashes or freezing. Use only internal drives, external USB drives, or external SSDs connected directly to your computer.
What's the difference between moving a game and reinstalling it?
Moving a game copies the files to a new location and deletes the old copy — your saves and progress stay intact. Reinstalling means deleting the game entirely and downloading it fresh from Steam's servers, which takes much longer and serves no purpose unless the files are corrupted. Always use the move tool instead.
Do I need to uninstall Steam to change its main folder?
No. You can move the entire Steam folder to a new drive without uninstalling. Close Steam, move the folder, and launch Steam from the new location. It will recognize all your games and settings. If Steam doesn't start, you may need to create a new shortcut pointing to the new Steam.exe file.
Will moving games to an external drive slow down my computer?
Games on external drives will load more slowly than games on internal drives, especially if you're using a USB hard drive instead of an SSD. You may notice longer load times between levels or when entering new areas. This doesn't affect your computer's overall speed — only the specific games stored on that external drive.
Can I move games between Steam and another launcher like Epic Games?
No. Each launcher stores games in its own format and keeps its own records. You cannot move a game from Steam to Epic Games or vice versa. You would need to uninstall from one launcher and download through the other, which means re-downloading the entire game.