Moving games between drives without losing saves or settings

You can move installed games from one drive to another without reinstalling them, but the method depends on whether you're moving between internal drives, external drives, or different operating systems. The fastest approach is to move the entire game folder if your platform allows it—Steam, Epic Games, and most standalone games store everything you need in one location. If that doesn't work, you'll need to uninstall from the old drive and reinstall on the new one, which takes longer but preserves your save files if you back them up first.

The key difference is between moving the game files themselves and moving your save data. Game files are the executable program and assets; save data is your progress, settings, and character information. Some platforms keep these together, others separate them. Knowing which you're dealing with saves you from the frustration of moving a game only to find your 40-hour save file still on the old drive.

Key Takeaways

  • Steam, Epic Games, and most PC platforms let you move game folders directly between internal drives without reinstalling, which takes minutes instead of hours.
  • Save files are often stored separately from game files—on console systems they're usually on the system drive, not with the game—so back them up before moving anything.
  • External drives work for storage but may cause performance issues with large games; internal drives are faster and more reliable for active play.
  • If direct folder moving fails, uninstall the game, back up your saves, then reinstall on the new drive—your save files will be found automatically when you launch the game.

Moving games on PC between internal drives

On Steam, the simplest method is to use the built-in library management tool. Open Steam, go to Settings > Storage, and you'll see your current drive listed. Click the plus icon to add a new drive, then right-click any installed game, select "Move Install Folder", and choose the new drive. Steam handles the entire transfer and verifies the files when done. This takes as long as copying the files would take anyway, but Steam checks that nothing corrupted during the move.

For Epic Games, the process is similar but slightly different. Open the Epic Games Launcher, go to Settings > General, scroll to "Installation Location", and click the folder icon to add a new drive. Then go to your library, click the three dots next to a game, select "Move", and choose the destination. Epic will move the game and keep your save data intact because Epic saves are cloud-synced by default.

If you're moving a game that isn't on Steam or Epic—something you bought directly from a developer or installed from a disc—you can often move the entire game folder manually. Right-click the game's installation folder (usually in Program Files or Program Files x86), cut it, navigate to your new drive, and paste it there. Then uninstall the game from your old drive using Control Panel > Programs and Features, but do not let it delete the folder—you've already moved it. This works for many games but not all; some games write registry entries that won't transfer with the folder. If the game won't launch after moving, you'll need to reinstall it on the new drive instead.

Moving games on console systems

PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S handle game movement differently than PC. Both systems let you move games between the internal drive and external USB storage, but external storage is read-only—you can store games there but must move them back to the internal drive to play them. This is useful for freeing up internal space when you're not actively playing a game, but it's not a permanent solution.

To move a game on PS5, go to Settings > Storage, select the game, and choose "Move". On Xbox Series X|S, go to Settings > System > Storage, highlight the game, press the menu button, and select "Move or Copy". Both systems copy the game to the new location and delete it from the old one automatically. The transfer speed depends on your drive's read and write speeds; moving a 100 GB game typically takes 10 to 30 minutes.

Save files on console systems are stored separately from the game files and are tied to your user account, not the game itself. They live on the system drive and sync to the cloud automatically if you have a PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass subscription. You don't need to do anything special to preserve them when moving a game—they'll be there when you launch the game on its new location.

Backing up save files before moving

On PC, save files are usually stored in one of three places: in the game's own folder (often in a subfolder called "Saves" or "SaveGames"), in your Documents folder, or in a hidden AppData folder. Before you move or reinstall a game, check the game's documentation or support page to find out where it stores saves. If saves are in the game folder itself, they'll move with the game. If they're elsewhere, you need to back them up separately.

The safest method is to copy your entire Documents folder and your AppData folder to an external drive or cloud storage before moving anything. On Windows, AppData is hidden by default—open File Explorer, click View, and check "Hidden items" to see it. Look for a folder with the game's name or the developer's name. Copy the entire folder to your backup location, then proceed with moving the game. If something goes wrong, you can restore the save file from your backup.

On console systems, saves are automatically backed up to the cloud if you have an active subscription, so you don't need to do this manually. If you don't have a subscription, you can back up saves to a USB drive on PS5 (Settings > System > Backup and Restore > Back Up Your Save Data) or use the cloud save feature on Xbox if you have a Microsoft account.

Using external drives for game storage

External USB drives work for storing games you're not actively playing, but they're not ideal for games you play regularly. Read and write speeds on external drives are typically slower than internal drives, which can cause longer load times, stuttering, or frame rate drops in demanding games. If you're moving a game to an external drive because you're out of internal space, consider it a temporary solution while you decide what to delete permanently.

On PC, you can install games directly to an external drive if it's formatted as NTFS (Windows) or ext4 (Linux). Connect the drive, format it if needed, then point your game launcher to that drive as an installation location. The game will work, but performance will suffer compared to an internal drive. For older games or games that don't demand high frame rates, this is usually fine. For competitive shooters, racing games, or anything where load time matters, keep the game on your internal drive.

On console, external storage is the intended method for overflow, and the systems are optimized for it better than a PC would be. You can play PS4 games from external storage on PS5, and you can play Xbox One games from external storage on Series X|S, though you still need to move current-generation games back to internal storage to play them. This is a reasonable long-term solution if you have a large external drive and don't mind moving games back and forth.

What to do if a game won't launch after moving

If you moved a game folder manually and it won't start, the most common cause is that the game's launcher or the operating system can't find the game's registry entry or configuration file. The quickest fix is to uninstall the game completely (making sure not to delete the folder you moved), then reinstall it on the new drive. The installer will create the necessary registry entries and configuration files, and when you launch the game, it should find your save files automatically if they're in the standard location.

If the game still won't launch after reinstalling, check that your new drive has enough free space—games need space not just for the installation but for temporary files and shader caches during play. Also verify that the drive is formatted correctly (NTFS on Windows, APFS on Mac) and that you have read and write permissions for the folder. If you're moving to an external drive, make sure it's connected and powered on before launching the game.

For games that use anti-cheat software or digital rights management, moving the game folder may trigger a re-verification process the first time you launch it. This is normal and can take several minutes. Let it complete without interrupting it. If the verification fails, uninstall and reinstall the game on the new drive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I move a game while it's running or while the launcher is open?

No. Close the game and the launcher completely before moving anything. If you try to move a game folder while files are in use, the operating system will either block the move or leave corrupted files behind. Make sure the game isn't running in the background either—check your task manager to be sure.

Will moving a game to a slower drive affect performance?

Yes, noticeably. Load times will increase, and in some cases you may see stuttering or frame rate drops, especially in games with large open worlds that stream assets from the drive during play. Internal SSDs are significantly faster than external USB drives. If performance matters for the game you're moving, keep it on your fastest internal drive.

Do I need to reinstall a game if I move it between two internal SSDs?

Not if you use your platform's built-in move feature (Steam's library management, Epic's move function, or console system menus). These tools handle the transfer correctly. Manual folder moves sometimes work but can leave registry or configuration issues behind, so use the platform's tool if it's available.

What happens to my game progress if I move the game to a different drive?

Game progress is usually safe as long as you move the entire game folder or use your platform's move feature. Save files stored in the game folder move with it. Save files stored elsewhere (Documents, AppData, cloud storage) are unaffected by moving the game. Back up your saves before moving anything if you're unsure where they're stored.

Can I move a game between a PC and a console?

No. Games are built for specific platforms and won't run on different hardware. A game purchased on Steam won't run on PlayStation, and vice versa. You would need to purchase the game separately for each platform. Save files also don't transfer between platforms, even if the game exists on both.