Transferring Steam Game Files Efficiently: A Comprehensive Guide

Are you one of those gamers who has an entire library of games on one computer but now need to set up a new gadget and want to avoid redownloading all the games? Or perhaps you are using external storage to run your games directly from the drive. Either way, this guide will help you seamlessly transfer your Steam game files to another computer or an external storage device.

How to Copy Steam Game Files to Another Computer

Copying your Steam game files to another computer is a straightforward process. Here's how you can do it:

Locate the Game Files

Open Steam on your original computer. Go to your Library and right-click on the game you want to copy. Select Properties. Switch to the Local Files tab and click on Browse Local Files. This will open the directory where the game is installed.

Copy the Game Files

Make sure Steam is closed to avoid file use issues. Copy the entire game folder, typically found in C:Program Files (x86)Steamsteamappscommon on Windows, to your thumb drive or external storage device.

Transfer to the New Computer

On your new computer, install Steam and log into your account. Go to the Library and initiate the download for the game. This will create the necessary folder structure. Pause the download once it starts. Navigate to the game’s installation directory (same as above) on the new computer.

Paste the Game Files

Paste the copied game files from your thumb drive into the game’s folder on the new computer. If prompted, replace any existing files.

Final Steps

Resume the download in Steam. This process will help Steam recognize the copied files and perform the necessary verification, significantly saving you from having to redownload the entire game.

Additional Tips

Backup Save Files: If your game save files are stored in the same directory as the game files, they will be copied too. However, some games store save files in different locations like Documents or AppData. Make sure to check the specific game’s save location and transfer them as necessary.

Steam Library Folders: You can create a new Steam Library Folder on the new computer to easily manage game installations. This feature allows you to keep your files organized and accessible.

Compatibility: Ensure that the game version is the same on both computers to avoid compatibility issues. Playing on a different version might cause the game to crash or not function as expected.

Running Games from the External Drive

If you want to run your games directly from an external storage device:

Configuring Steam to Use an External Drive as Storage

Open the Steam menu and click on Settings. Choose Storage on the left side. Click on the Drive dropdown. The gold star is your primary location, and you can add a new drive by clicking Add Drive. Select your external drive from the little popup that appears. Steam will create the folder structure and allow you to move your games there. Simply click on the checkboxes alongside the games and click the Move button at the bottom.

Storing Game Files for Future Use

Locate the steamappscommon folder on your new computer and cut or copy the game folder to your external drive. The steamapps folder contains .acf files that will automatically detect the game as installed even if the folder is moved to an external drive. If you ever wipe your PC, you can drop the game folders you backed up back into the steamappscommon folder. Steam will detect the files already present and only update the necessary parts. If you haven’t played a backed-up game in a while, it's a good idea to use the Verify Integrity option in a game's properties to check all the files are still good. This also triggers an update check.

By following these steps, you can efficiently transfer your Steam game files and ensure a smooth gaming experience on any new device or external storage.