Moving Google Play Games to a Different Drive

Google Play Games saves to your main drive by default, but you can move the game files to another drive to free up space. The process depends on whether you're using Windows or Mac, and whether the game launcher itself or just the game data needs to move. Most games store their files in a single folder that you can cut and paste, though some games need you to uninstall and reinstall on the new drive instead.

The fastest method is to move the entire Google Play Games folder to your second drive, then tell the launcher where to find it. This works for most games and takes about five minutes. If that doesn't work, you can uninstall the game, change the launcher's default storage location, and reinstall — this is slower but more reliable.

Key Takeaways

  • Google Play Games stores files in a folder you can locate and move manually, usually under your user folder or in Program Files.
  • Moving the folder works best when you cut and paste it to the new drive, then update the launcher's storage settings to point to the new location.
  • If the game won't launch after moving, uninstalling and reinstalling on the new drive is the most reliable fix.
  • External drives and USB drives can hold game files, but the drive must stay connected whenever you play.
  • Some games store settings and progress separately from game files, so moving files alone may not free as much space as you expect.

Locating Your Google Play Games Folder on Windows

Google Play Games typically installs to C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\process or C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome, depending on your Windows version and how you installed the launcher. The game files themselves live inside the Chrome folder structure, but the easiest way to find them is to open Google Play Games, go to Settings, and look for a "Storage" or "Installation Location" option that shows you the exact path.

If Settings doesn't show the path, open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local. You may need to show hidden files first — click View at the top, then check "Hidden Items". Look for a folder named Google, then Chrome, then look for a subfolder that contains your games. Game folders are usually named after the game title or a shortened version of it.

Write down or copy the full path before you move anything. You'll need it to tell the launcher where the games went.

Locating Your Google Play Games Folder on Mac

On Mac, Google Play Games usually installs to /Users/[Your Username]/Library/process Support/Google/Chrome. The Library folder is hidden by default. To see it, open Finder, click Go at the top menu, then hold Option and click Library. Navigate to process Support, then Google, then Chrome.

Inside the Chrome folder, look for a subfolder that contains your games — it may be labeled "Games" or named after individual game titles. Once you find it, note the full path. You can also right-click the folder and select "Get Info" to see the complete path at the bottom of the window.

Moving Game Files to a Second Drive

Before you move anything, close Google Play Games completely and make sure no games are running. Open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) and navigate to the game folder you located. Right-click the folder and select Cut — do not copy, because you want to remove it from the original drive.

Navigate to your second drive and paste the folder there. This may take several minutes if the games are large. Once the paste is complete, the folder should no longer exist on your original drive. If it does, delete the original folder to avoid confusion.

Open Google Play Games and go to Settings. Look for an option called "Storage Location", "Installation Path", or "Game Storage". Click it and browse to the new location of your game folder on the second drive. The launcher should recognize the games and list them as installed. If it doesn't, restart the launcher and check again.

Uninstalling and Reinstalling on a New Drive

If moving the folder doesn't work or the games won't launch after moving, uninstall them completely from the original drive. Open Google Play Games, find each game in your library, and select Uninstall. Wait for the uninstall to finish before moving to the next game.

Once all games are uninstalled, open Google Play Games Settings and change the default installation location to your second drive. Look for "Storage Location" or "Installation Path" and browse to a folder on the new drive. Click Save or explore.

Go back to your library and reinstall the games one at a time. The launcher will now install them to the new drive by default. This method is slower because you're downloading the games again, but it ensures the launcher knows exactly where everything is and reduces launch errors.

Using External Drives and USB Drives

You can move games to an external hard drive or USB drive using the same cut-and-paste method, but the drive must stay connected to your computer whenever you play. If you disconnect the drive, the launcher won't find the games and may show them as uninstalled.

External drives are useful for temporary storage or for moving games between computers, but they're slower than internal drives, which can cause longer load times in games. If you're moving games to free up space on your main drive permanently, an internal second drive is faster and more reliable.

If you use an external drive, format it as NTFS (Windows) or Mac OS Extended (Mac) before moving games to it. FAT32 drives have file size limits that can cause problems with large games.

What to Do If Games Won't Launch After Moving

If a game won't launch after you move it, the launcher may not have found the new location. Close the game and Google Play Games completely. Open the launcher again and check Settings to confirm the storage location is still pointing to the correct drive and folder.

If the path is correct but the game still won't launch, uninstall the game and reinstall it on the new drive. This forces the launcher to rebuild the game's configuration files in the new location. If the problem happens with multiple games, try moving the entire Google Play Games folder back to your original drive, then use the uninstall-and-reinstall method instead.

Some games store progress and settings in the cloud, while others store them locally. If you move files and lose your progress, check the game's settings to see if cloud save is available. You may be able to restore your progress by signing in with your game account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will moving games to another drive slow them down?

Internal hard drives and SSDs perform similarly, so moving to another internal drive won't slow games noticeably. External drives and USB drives are slower and can cause longer load times. If speed matters, keep games on your fastest internal drive.

Can I move games to a network drive or cloud storage?

Google Play Games doesn't work reliably with network drives or cloud storage like Google Drive or OneDrive. The launcher needs fast, direct access to game files. Use a local internal drive or external hard drive instead.

Do I need to move the Google Play Games launcher itself, or just the games?

You only need to move the game files, not the launcher. The launcher stays in its original location and points to wherever the games are stored. Moving just the games folder is faster and simpler.

What if I don't have enough space on my second drive?

Check how much space your games take up before moving them. Right-click the game folder and select Properties (Windows) or Get Info (Mac) to see the total size. Make sure your second drive has at least that much free space, plus 10% extra for safety.

Can I split my games across two drives?

Google Play Games works best when all games are in one location that the launcher points to. You can move some games to a second drive and leave others on the first, but the launcher can only have one default storage location. You would need to move games back and forth or use the uninstall-and-reinstall method each time you switch drives.