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How to create additional Steam library folders

This section explains how you create more library folders via the Steam UI. It is explained with both a text walk-through and a video.

How to change the default install location for games

This section explains how to change the default drive/library folder that shows up when you install a game on Steam.

Transferring games between library folders on the same computer

This section explains how you move games to different drives/libraries using the tool that is built into Steam. It is explained with both a text walk-through and a video.

Transferring games between different computers

This section goes over the procedure of moving game files from one computer to another.
This is quite easy to do but many people get it wrong by forgetting to also copy the corresponding appmanifest.acf file.

Save files and configuration files

This section goes over how to locate save files and configuration files and then goes over the quick and easy process of transferring them to another computer.
Transferring these files is not necessary when you're moving game files to a different drive/Steam library folder on the same computer.

Creating additional Steam library folders means that if you have more than 1 drive on your computer you can create Steam game folders onto those other drives as well.

So an example: say you have 1 SSD for your OS, programs, etc. and an HDD that you use for storage. You can keep games you actively play on the SSD and create an additional library folder onto the HDD and use the HDD for games that do not require a fast drive, very big games you can't fit on your SSD or to keep games you're not currently playing. Once you start playing them or if you get more space on your SSD you can then transfer them over to the other library folder.


Step-by-step walk-through:

1. In the upper-left corner click on Steam and then Settings.
   
   
2. Click on the Downloads tab.
   
   
3. Click on the Steam Library Folders button.
   
   
4. Click on the Add Library Folder button.
   
   
5. Click the drop-down menu at the top and select the drive that you want to create a library folder on.
   
   
6. From here either select a folder you've already created, or click on the New Folder... button, name it and click on OK.

Now you can install games onto this new folder.
To install games onto to it you simply select it during the installation process of any game. This can be a little bit confusing for a new user, so here is a video that shows how to select the new folder.

Video walk-through:

Changing the default install location means that you change which Steam library folder is selected by default when you go to install a game on Steam.
Doing this obviously means you have multiple Steam library folders.

Step-by-step walk-through:

1. In the upper-left corner click on Steam and then Settings.
   
   
2. Click on the Downloads tab.
   
   
3. Click on the Steam Library Folders button.
   
   
4. Right-click the folder you want to make the default install location and select Make Default Folder.

Video walk-through:

Transferring a game between library folders means that if you have several Steam library folders on your computer, you can move your installed Steam games between those folders, whether to save space, to move it to a faster drive, etc.

Transferring games around on the same computer is very easy on Steam due to the built-in tool that does everything for you and just takes a few clicks to get to.

To do this you must obviously have more than 1 Steam library folder.

Step-by-step walk-through:

1. Navigate to your Steam Library.
   
   
2. Right-click the game you want to move.
   
   
3. Click on Properties..., then select the Local Files tab.
   
   
4. Click the Move Install Folder... button.
   
   
5. Select the drive you would like to move the game to, then click Move Folder.
   
   
6. Once it's finished moving you will be prompted to update the game in your Steam library. This is simply so Steam can validate the files and quickly check if anything is missing.

Video walk-through:

Transferring games between different computers means copying the games files from Computer 1 and moving them over to Computer 2.
Doing this can be very helpful if the owner of Computer 2 has very slow internet, or has a metered connection and does not want to use it up.

Path of Exile will be used as the example.

NB: For questions such as "How do I know which appmanifest file to copy?" and "How do I know how big my game is?", please read the FAQ below the step-by-step walk-through.

Step-by-step walk-through:

1. Plug in a portable storage device with enough capacity to hold the game files into Computer 1.
   
   
2. On Computer 1, locate the Path of Exile folder, which will be in: 'C: > Program Files > Steam > steamapps > common > Path of Exile'
   
   
3. Right-click the Path of Exile folder, copy it and paste it onto the portable storage device.
   
   
4. On Computer 1, go to 'C: > Program Files > Steam > steamapps and copy the corresponding appmanifest.acf file, which for Path of Exile is appmanifest_238960.acf
   
   
5. Right-click the appmanifest.acf file, copy it and paste it onto the portable storage device.
   
   
6. Now we move to Computer 2.
   
   
7. Exit Steam on Computer 2.
   
   
8. Copy the appmanifest.acf file from the portable storage device, go to 'C: > Program Files > Steam > steamapps' on Computer 2 and paste the appmanifest.acf file there.
   
   
9. Copy the Path of Exile folder from the portable storage device, go to 'C: > Program Files > Steam > steamapps > common' and paste the Path of Exile folder there.
   
   
10. Launch Steam on Computer 2.
    
    
11. Find the game in the Steam library, install it like you would do with any other game and now wait for Steam to detect and scan the existing files that you just copied over to the computer.
    NB: If it is a free-to-play game that this account has never played before you must find the game on the Steam Store and install it from there

NB: Steam should do it on it's own, but if you encounter any errors with the game it may be necessary to Verify the integrity of the game files on Computer 2 once the everything has been completed. This video shows how to do that.



Q: How do I know which appmanifest.acf file to copy?

A: The numbers in the appmanifest.acf file is the AppID for the respective game. To identify what the AppID for the game you're moving is, simply find the game on the Steam Store and look at the numbers in the store link for that game. The numbers in the link is the AppID, which is the numbers that is in the corresponding appmanifest.acf file.
Here is an image with visual help:












Q: How do I find out the size of the game I'm moving?

A: To find the size of the game you're moving, right-click the game in your library, select Properties..., go to the Local Files tab. At the top of this tab it will say how big the game is by listing its disk usage.

READ ME: If you're moving a game to a different place on the same computer there is no need to move the save file or config file. Transferring these files is only necessary when you're moving a game from one computer to another and you would like to also have these files on the other computer.



The fastest and most convenient method is to use GameSave Manager[www.gamesave-manager.com].
GameSave Manager is a tool that you can use to quickly locate and export save files for games. Once exported via GameSave Manager you can paste the file onto an external storage drive or just send it to the recipient over the internet.

GameSave Manager also has cloud and back-up functionality so you can make a back-up and recover your save files if anything happens to your computer or storage drive.
Note: If you are playing a game with Steam Cloud support this is not anything to worry about.

You can download GameSave Manager here: https://www.gamesave-manager.com/

If you are unable to figure it out or otherwise need guidance regarding the program I recommend you read this How-To Geek Article[www.howtogeek.com], or look in the GameSave Manager Forum[forum.gamesave-manager.com].



Many games on Steam have Steam Cloud saving, if the game you're transferring has this then there should be no need to transfer the save/config file manually if the same Steam account will be playing the game.

You can see if a game has Steam Cloud by going to the store page of the game and looking for the Steam Cloud feature on the right-side. If the Steam Cloud tag is not there it means the game doesn't have Steam Cloud saving.
This video shows where it is located:












You can now also see the features of a game, including if it has Cloud Saving, in your library by clicking on the Show more details button:



When transferring save files and configuration files you need to identify where they are located for that particular game.

Unless you explicitly know where it is I recommend you quickly Google the question and see if there's a forum post or something similar about it because locating save and configuration files can take some time due to all the possible locations they can be.

Example Google search: civilization 5 save file location
Result: Reddit thread with the answer.

Finding them can be easy or difficult, it depends on the game and where the developer has decided to save them. Other than Googling it or asking the developer directly there is no way around it, you just have to spend some time and look in the common places that save files and configuration files are saved, so again I recommend you Google the question first as there will likely be an answer.

The most common places that save files are traditionally kept is:

• Within the game files of the game in the steamapps folder.
  
  
• Within 'C: > Program Files > Steam > userdata > [RandomNumbers] > [AppID]. The AppID is the app number for the game. You can find out which AppID your game uses by looking at the store link of the game.
  This video shows how, using This War of Mine as an example.
  
  
• In the Documents folder. If it is located here it will be inside of another folder. The folder it is inside of is usually the name of the respective game, the name of the developer of said game, or inside the My Games folder.
  
  
• In the AppData folder. The file will be inside another folder here like it would be in the Documents folder. The folder it will be inside of will be named after the game or the developer of the game.
  
  
• In the ProgramData or Program Files folders(this location is less common). Same as with the Documents and AppData folder, they will be inside another folder with a name relevant to the game(most commonly the name of the game or the name of the developer)

NB: Some games, although not many at all, allow you to see or open the save file location via the in-game UI.



When pasting the save files onto the new drive or computer you must paste them into the exact same place. If you do not paste it to the same place then the game simply will not recognize any existing save or configuration files.



If you copied the save file from this path: 'C: > Users > This PC > AppData > Local > SniperElite4 > PC_ProfileSaves' then the path you save it to on the new computer must look the same, so what you would do is copy the SniperElite4 folder and paste it to 'C: > Users > This PC > AppData > Local' on the new computer.


Step-by-step walk-through:

1. Once located on Computer 1, copy the folder that the files are in and paste them onto a portable drive or USB stick.
   
   
2. Remove the storage device from Computer 1.
   
   
3. Plug the storage device into Computer 2.
   
   
4. On Computer 2, browse to the location that you found the folder on Computer 1.
   
   
5. Copy the files from the storage device and paste them onto Computer 2 in the same place you found them on Computer 1.

This part is quite simple, just make sure you copy it to the same path.

NB: To see the AppData folder you may need to enable the viewing of hidden files and folders.
This video shows how on Windows 10:

The thumbnail is an image from Flaticon[www.flaticon.com] created by mynamepong[www.flaticon.com] and licensed by CC 3.0 BY.

Other Steam troubleshooting and help guides I've created:

• Steam Download Issues and How To Fix Them
  
  
• Webpage and Connection Issues and How To Fix Them
  
  
• How to Properly Transfer the Steam Mobile Authenticator
  
  
• How To Properly Reinstall Steam

This guide was originally created by me for /r/Steam in the form of a wiki page. You can view the original wiki page here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/wiki/transferringgames


If you have feedback regarding the guide, feel free to comment below! If you need help or have support questions feel free to post in the /r/Steam Monthly Support Thread.