Instructions to move Steam games to a new hard drive without reloading

While SSDs are increasing in capacity, games are also getting heavier. These days, AAA games usually take up 20GB or more, some games even exceed 60GB, including downloadable DLC.

Obviously, such heavy games will greatly improve the game running speed from the SSD, but the small capacity in the SSD is quite a headache. Like 250GB SSD will only hold four GTA V games.

Fortunately, Steam now optimizes moving games from one folder to another, no longer requiring you to use the Windows command prompt or third-party software. Here are the steps for you to move each of your Steam game folders to the location you want:

Back up the game first

This is not required but is worth doing. The most convenient way is to copy your Steam or SteamApp folder (where the games are located) to a backup path. However, the Steam app also has built-in game backup and restore so you can select pre-installed games and store them as backups. This tool splits game data into CSM/CSD files that can fit CDs and DVDs, but you can also create a large save file.

To get in: Go to Steam Library > Right-click a game >Backup game files… > Select installed games to backup and follow the instructions.

To restore these files to Steam games, go to Steam > Backup and restore games… > Restore a previous backup > navigate to the files you backed up > Follow the instructions.

Move a game between hard drives

• Go to Steam > Settings > Downloads > Steam Library Folders
• Create a new Steam library folder on your desired hard drive (you can right-click one of those folders to set the default game installation path, but the next time you install the game, Steam will ask you if you want to install the game). where)
• Move previously installed game to new hard drive:
  Right-click the game in Steam Library > Properties > tag Local Files > Move install folder >Select path > Move folder

Move a game off an SSD

The best way is to repeat the above steps using Steam’s built-in feature of moving the installation directory, but the following also works:

• Using Windows Explorer, move the game folder from the SSD back to the old path steamappscommon or another library folder that Steam recognizes.
• From Steam, right-click the game in the library and select Delete its local contents – however there will be nothing to delete since you have already moved all the game files out.
• Install the game again, but select it to the place where the files were moved in the first step: it will force Steam to confirm the data without downloading anything else.

Move the whole Steam folder

• Close Steam and go to the Steam or library folder on Windows (default is C:Program FilesSteam (x86)).
• Copy and paste the Steam folder into the new location (rename the old folder and leave it alone for backup – or delete if desired).
• You can run Steam.exe from the new path or download the Steam Installer and point it to the new path.

There’s something wrong with the Steam folder!

• Copy and paste your SteamApps folder into the backup path
• Delete Steam
• Reinstall Steam and copy your SteamApps folder back to the path where Steam was installed

If a game fails, you can have Steam automatically find and replace corrupted files with the Verify integrity feature:

• Right-click the faulty game in your Steam Library > Properties > Local Files > Verify integrity of game files…

It can take time, but in the meantime you can still use the normal Steam app like chatting with friends, etc.

According to techspot