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Yes—supported Microsoft Store and Xbox PC games can be installed on a selected drive. The change behind that option was Microsoft Store version 22310, released on November 14, 2023, not a new August 2026 launch. It brought drive selection into the game-install flow and improved installation handling for MSIXVC titles. It does not give every Store game unrestricted access to any folder, and Windows already offered general app-location controls before the Store update.
What Microsoft changed in the Store
The 2023 update let eligible games use a drive selector during installation. Depending on the title and current Store build, you could choose a destination for one game, set a default drive, or ask the Store to prompt you each time. The update also targeted more reliable MSIXVC game installations.
That is primarily an interface and package-support improvement. It moved an important choice closer to the Store’s Get, Buy, or Install flow instead of requiring users to configure Windows first. Contemporary reporting on Store version 22310 describes the rollout and its MSIXVC focus in detail: Windows Central’s report.
In 2026, the underlying behavior still depends on Windows, Store or Xbox app version, Gaming Services, and the game’s packaging model. Button names and prompts can differ between fully updated systems.
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Choose a drive for a new Microsoft Store game
Use this path for a Store purchase or a game you already own. The exact prompt is not guaranteed for every title.
- Open Microsoft Store in Windows.
- Open the game’s listing.
- Select Get, Buy, or Install, according to your ownership status.
- When the installation prompt appears, look for a drive, location, or destination selector.
- Choose an eligible internal drive or game-library location.
- Confirm the installation and leave the selected drive connected until the download and registration finish.
If no selector appears, the game may use a package model that does not expose the feature, or your Store, Xbox, Windows, or Gaming Services components may need updating.
Set a default destination
Microsoft Store
The Store experience introduced a default-drive choice for supported game installations. In builds that expose it, choose a default location or enable the option to ask for a drive on every new installation. Microsoft’s Store interface has changed over time, so do not assume that every Windows 11 PC presents identical wording.
Xbox app for PC
For PC Game Pass and Xbox PC titles, the Xbox app is often the more relevant control panel. Open Xbox app → profile picture → Settings → General → Game install options. If your build supports selectable directories, choose the preferred drive and folder there. Microsoft’s Flat File Install documentation describes directory selection and related management features for compatible games.
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Windows default app location
Windows also has a general setting for where new apps are saved. That setting can influence Store behavior, but it is not the same thing as a per-game Xbox library setting. A Store purchase, an Xbox app installation, and a Windows app-location preference can therefore show different destinations.
Which games support drive selection?
Support is package-dependent, not universal. The 2023 Store change was specifically associated with MSIXVC games. Microsoft’s newer Flat File Install model can provide a selectable directory, moving, repair, and modding for games that implement it.
Older or differently packaged titles—including some UWP-era applications—may not expose those controls. A game appearing in Microsoft Store or PC Game Pass is not, by itself, proof that it supports arbitrary installation locations.
Flat File Install also has a structural limit: Microsoft documents one installation folder per drive for that model. The result is closer to an approved game-library location than to Steam’s unrestricted library-folder system.
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Is this the same as choosing any folder?
No. Microsoft Store and Xbox installations can require an eligible drive, approved permissions, and a package-managed folder. Windows may create or use directories such as XboxGames, WindowsApps, or WpSystem.
Do not take ownership of, rename, or delete those folders to reclaim space. In particular, manually removing an MSIXVC, WindowsApps, or WpSystem directory can break registration, permissions, or other installed titles. Uninstall games through the Store or Xbox app instead.
Can you move an existing game?
Changing the default destination affects future installations; it does not automatically relocate games already installed.
For compatible Xbox app installations, use the app’s built-in move command. Open the game’s library entry, choose its Manage or … menu, and look for Move or an installation-location option. Availability depends on the title and package model. Microsoft documents moving supported games as part of Flat File Install.
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Do not drag protected Store or Xbox folders between drives in File Explorer. Manual movement can leave the package registered to the old path. If a title has no supported move command, uninstalling and reinstalling it to the new eligible location is safer.
Which drive should you use?
| Drive | Best use | Advantages | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal NVMe or SATA SSD | Main game library | Fast loading, stable drive letter, low setup friction | Uses an internal slot and may cost more per terabyte |
| Internal hard disk | Large or rarely played library | High capacity at lower cost | Slower loading and potentially longer texture-streaming delays |
| External SSD | Systems without internal expansion | Portable and simple to add | Disconnects, cable issues, drive-letter changes, and launch problems are possible |
| System drive | Small number of games or simplest setup | Usually the most compatible destination | Consumes space needed by Windows, applications, and updates |
An internal SSD is the safest default for a large modern library. Microsoft has warned that some games installed on external drives may have launch problems; see the Xbox installation-management guidance. If you use an external drive, keep it connected, preserve its drive letter, avoid intermittent sleep or disconnection, and verify its file system and free space before starting a large download.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the option may be missing or fail
The game has no location selector
That usually means the title does not support the relevant MSIXVC or Flat File Install behavior, although an outdated app can produce the same symptom.
The drive is visible but unavailable
The drive may not be configured as an eligible app destination, may lack sufficient space, or may have permissions or file-system problems. Use the folder suggested by Windows or Xbox rather than inventing a protected path.
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The Xbox app forgets the chosen drive
Users have reported locations reverting, folders being rejected, or settings failing to persist in the Xbox app and Store. These are community-reported failure modes, not a universal Microsoft-confirmed bug; examples appear in Microsoft Q&A.
The game installs but will not launch
Check for an external-drive disconnect, a changed drive letter, incomplete Gaming Services registration, or package incompatibility. Reconnect the drive, confirm its letter, restart Windows, and retry the app’s repair option if one is offered.
Recommended recovery sequence
- Install all pending Windows updates.
- Open Microsoft Store → Library → Get updates and update Store, Xbox, and Gaming Services components.
- Restart Windows.
- Confirm the target drive is online, uses a stable letter, and has enough free space.
- Try the system-approved game folder on that drive.
- Check Xbox app → Settings → General → Game install options.
- If the Store flow fails, try the Xbox app; if the Xbox flow fails, try Microsoft Store, recognizing that the two apps do not support identical titles.
- Only then use Windows’ repair or reset controls for the affected app, after recording your intended location.
Never delete WindowsApps, WpSystem, or MSIXVC folders as a troubleshooting shortcut.
What Windows 10 users should expect
Microsoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025. A current Windows 11 Store or Xbox interface is therefore not guaranteed to behave the same way on Windows 10, where updates and feature availability may be limited. For the most predictable 2026 experience, use a fully updated Windows 11 installation and current Store, Xbox, and Gaming Services components. Microsoft’s support notice records the Windows 10 end date: Microsoft Support.
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The Store change solved a real storage problem for people with a small system SSD, a larger secondary drive, or a fast NVMe drive reserved for games. It is especially useful when installing large Store or PC Game Pass titles, but it is not a promise that every game can use every folder.
Think of the feature as package-aware library management: choose an eligible destination for supported games, use the Xbox app’s move command where available, and leave protected folders under Microsoft’s control.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: Microsoft Store version 22310 made drive selection much easier for supported games, particularly MSIXVC titles. In 2026, prefer an internal SSD, use Store or Xbox controls rather than File Explorer, and expect package-specific limits instead of Steam-style unrestricted folder selection.
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