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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsYes—usually you can copy a PC game’s installed files to another computer, but the folder alone is not enough. The new PC normally needs the same launcher, the account that owns the game, any required publisher login or DRM, and a file-verification step. Save files, settings, and mods may also need to be copied separately.
This can save you from downloading an entire game again, although the launcher may still download patches, missing files, prerequisites, shaders, language packs, or anti-cheat components.
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What copying a PC game does—and does not do
Copying a game folder transfers the software files. It does not normally transfer ownership, an activation key, an account entitlement, or permission for somebody else to use the game.
- Installation files: The large data files that make up the game.
- Launcher: Steam, Epic Games Launcher, the Xbox app, Microsoft Store, GOG Galaxy, EA app, Ubisoft Connect, or another required client.
- Ownership: Usually tied to a storefront account, publisher account, activation key, or license—not to the copied folder.
- Saves: Progress is separate and may be stored in Documents, AppData, a cloud service, or the game directory.
- Mods: These may be inside the installation folder or stored in a separate mod-manager profile.
A Steam game still requires Steam and the Steam account that owns it. An Epic game still requires Epic Games Launcher and the correct Epic account. Some games purchased through Steam or Epic also require a publisher launcher such as EA app, Ubisoft Connect, Rockstar Games Launcher, or Battle.net.
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Steam documents moving its installation and retaining folders such as steamapps and userdata in its support instructions. Epic likewise says you can use the same purchased game on another PC by installing its launcher and signing in to the purchasing account.
What you need before transferring the game
- The correct account for the game’s storefront.
- The same game edition and platform. Deluxe, demo, remastered, and standard editions may use different files.
- Enough free space on the destination drive.
- An external SSD, large USB drive, or a local network connection.
- A backup of local saves, settings, and mods.
- The required launcher installed on the new PC.
An external SSD is usually the most practical choice for large games and repeated transfers. A basic USB flash drive can work for smaller games and save backups, but modern games can be tens or hundreds of gigabytes and may copy slowly to inexpensive flash storage. Check capacity, USB compatibility, cable, warranty, and sustained write performance rather than relying only on advertised peak speed.
You can also transfer files over a local network if both computers are available. That avoids buying storage, but setup is more complicated and ordinary Wi-Fi may be slower than an external SSD.
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- Close the game and launcher on the old PC. Make sure no files are still being updated or written.
- Back up the game folder and saves. Keep the original installation until the new PC works.
- Copy the complete game folder to an external SSD, USB drive, or shared network location.
- Install the same launcher on the new PC and sign in to the account with the game entitlement.
- Start installing the game in the intended destination so the launcher creates its folder structure and metadata.
- Pause or cancel the installation after the destination folder exists. Exact behavior differs by launcher.
- Exit the launcher completely. Do not replace files while it is actively downloading or managing the game.
- Copy the backed-up game contents into the exact destination folder, replacing the partial files when prompted.
- Resume the installation or use Verify, Repair, or an equivalent command.
- Launch the game and install missing prerequisites. The launcher may still download updates or components.
- Restore saves and mods separately if cloud synchronization does not restore them.
Copying one folder level too high or too low is a common reason the launcher downloads everything again. The folder containing the game’s executable and data should be in the location the launcher expects, not nested inside an extra duplicate folder.
How to move a Steam game
Option 1: Move an entire Steam installation
Steam’s supported moving procedure preserves the installation structure, including the downloaded content in steamapps and user data in userdata.
- Exit Steam completely on the old PC.
- Open the Steam installation folder. A common default location is
C:Program Files (x86)Steam, although yours may be different. - Move or copy the Steam folder to the new PC, keeping the
steamappsanduserdatafolders intact. - Launch Steam from the new location.
- Sign in to the existing Steam account.
- If Steam does not immediately recognize the games, point Steam to the library location and verify the affected game files.
Do not assume every save is in userdata. Steam notes that save locations are chosen by individual developers, and non-Steam-Cloud saves are often found under C:Users[Windows user name]DocumentsMy Games.
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Option 2: Move a single Steam game
- Install Steam on the new PC and sign in.
- Begin installing the game to the desired Steam library.
- Pause the download and exit Steam completely.
- Copy the existing game folder into the new library’s
steamappscommondirectory. - Reopen Steam and resume the installation.
- Let Steam discover and verify the files, downloading anything missing or changed.
Library locations and drive letters vary. If Steam begins downloading the full game, cancel or pause it, confirm the selected library path, and check that the copied game folder is inside the correct steamappscommon location.
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Epic’s documented workaround uses a small new installation to create the destination metadata, followed by replacing its partial files with a backup.
- Make a backup copy of the complete game folder.
- Open Epic Games Launcher and sign in to the account that owns the game.
- Open Library and start installing the same game.
- After approximately 2–3% has downloaded, cancel the installation.
- Exit Epic Games Launcher completely.
- Copy the backed-up game folder into the destination Epic created.
- Replace duplicate or partial files when Windows prompts you.
- Reopen Epic Games Launcher and resume the installation.
- Allow Epic to validate the files before launching the game.
To verify an Epic installation, open Library, click the three-dot menu beside the game, choose Manage, and select Verify. Epic says verification can repair changed or corrupted files without affecting saved data.
Epic warns that its workaround for previously installed games may not work for every title, and the launcher does not generally detect every existing installation automatically. If the game still starts a complete download after you have confirmed the account, edition, and folder path, reinstalling through the official launcher may be the most reliable recovery.
What about Microsoft Store and Xbox app games?
Treat Microsoft Store and Xbox app games differently from ordinary Steam or Epic folders. The new PC may need the Microsoft Store, the Xbox app, the Microsoft account with the relevant entitlement or Game Pass subscription, and the Windows services and permissions used by those apps.
Protected Windows app installations can involve licensing metadata, encryption, and restricted folders. A manually copied folder may not be recognized, and taking ownership of protected folders is not a general solution; it can create update and permission problems.
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The safer approach is:
- Sign in to the Microsoft Store and Xbox app with the correct Microsoft account.
- Open the app’s library and locate the game.
- Use any built-in move, repair, or verification option offered for that title.
- If the copied files are not recognized, reinstall through the Microsoft Store or Xbox app rather than modifying protected folders as a first resort.
A PC Game Pass entitlement is not necessarily ownership of a permanent PC copy. Similarly, a console purchase does not automatically grant a PC-store license. Supported Xbox Play Anywhere titles can carry saves, add-ons, and achievements between Xbox and Windows PC, but this applies only to participating games.
Microsoft’s guidance says owned apps and games can be found through the Microsoft Store’s Library, subject to device compatibility.
Standalone, DRM-free, and other launcher games
DRM-free or standalone games are often the simplest to move:
- Copy the installation folder.
- Copy the save and configuration folders.
- Install required prerequisites if the game needs them.
- Run the executable or installer on the new PC.
- Enter a product key again if required.
Older games may still depend on registry entries, a particular drive letter, DirectX or Visual C++ components, old DRM drivers, disc checks, or compatibility settings. A copied folder is not guaranteed to reproduce those system-level requirements.
For games with a third-party launcher, install that launcher even if the game files came from Steam or Epic. Copying the files does not remove publisher account, DRM, or anti-cheat requirements.
How to transfer saves and settings
Cloud saves can make the process easier, but they are not universal. Before moving:
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- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
- Open the game on the old PC and let the launcher finish synchronizing.
- Close the game normally.
- Back up local saves manually anyway.
- On the new PC, check the date of the cloud save before accepting a conflict prompt.
Common Windows save locations include:
%USERPROFILE%DocumentsMy Games
%USERPROFILE%Documents
%USERPROFILE%Saved Games
%APPDATA%
%LOCALAPPDATA%
%USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowEpic also identifies an Epic-specific local-save path:
%LOCALAPPDATA%EpicGamesLauncherSavedSaves[EpicGamesAccountID][YourGameFolder]Some games store saves inside the installation directory, while others use a publisher-specific folder. Search the game’s official support page for “save location” if the common folders do not contain your files.
Settings and extras that may not transfer automatically include key bindings, graphics settings, screenshots, ReShade files, controller profiles, launch options, mod profiles, dedicated-server files, and locally stored achievements. Copy saves only while the game is closed, and keep an untouched backup before replacing anything.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can I move a game between Steam, Epic, Xbox, or console?
Usually, no—not as a license transfer. The same software files may exist on different storefronts, but the entitlement is normally tied to the platform where you bought the game.
- A Steam purchase is generally a Steam entitlement.
- An Epic purchase is generally an Epic entitlement.
- A Microsoft Store or Xbox PC entitlement is tied to the relevant Microsoft account and ecosystem.
- A console purchase does not automatically become a PC-store purchase.
- Cross-save, cross-play, and cross-buy are separate features.
Epic explicitly says games purchased from another platform cannot simply be played through Epic Games Launcher and that ownership does not transfer between platforms. Its license terms also describe the software as licensed rather than sold and restrict unauthorized copying, transfer, and distribution. Those terms are an example of one platform’s rules, not universal legal advice for every game or country.
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One purchase can usually be used on another PC when both computers use the same supported storefront account and the license permits it. That does not necessarily allow simultaneous play on both computers, and some games impose additional device, publisher-account, or online-service restrictions.
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If the launcher starts downloading the entire game
Work through these checks in order:
- Confirm the account. Sign in to the account that actually owns the game or has the active subscription.
- Confirm the edition. Standard, deluxe, remastered, beta, and region-specific editions may use different identifiers.
- Confirm the destination. The copied files must be in the launcher’s exact library path.
- Check the folder nesting. Avoid a duplicate structure such as
GameGamewhen the launcher expects the inner folder directly. - Exit the launcher before replacing files. Running clients can overwrite or ignore copied data.
- Resume or verify. Use the launcher’s Verify, Repair, or equivalent function.
- Reinstall if detection is unsupported. Some launchers cannot reliably adopt existing files.
Do not delete the original copy until the new installation launches successfully and your progress is confirmed.
Other common problems
Missing DLL or runtime errors
Repair or install the game’s bundled prerequisites, such as Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable, DirectX, .NET components, the publisher launcher, or anti-cheat service. Do not download individual DLL files from random websites.
The game launches but the save is missing
Check cloud synchronization, Documents, Saved Games, %APPDATA%, %LOCALAPPDATA%, and AppDataLocalLow. Confirm that the new PC uses the same account and game edition. Some games encrypt or sign saves, so manually copied files may not be accepted.
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Mods stop working
Test the unmodded game first. Then reinstall the same mod manager, restore its profiles and mod directory, and check whether file verification removed modified files. Mods may also depend on a particular game version or runtime.
The game says it is not owned
Sign out and back in to the correct storefront account, check the subscription status, install any required publisher launcher, and confirm that the purchase was made on that platform. A copied folder cannot grant another person a license or bypass account authentication.
The new PC cannot run the game
File copying does not bypass CPU, GPU, RAM, operating-system, driver, architecture, region, or online-service requirements. Check the game’s current system requirements and publisher support information.
Quick Recap
Final transfer checklist
- Install the correct launcher.
- Sign in to the account with the game entitlement.
- Confirm the same storefront and game edition.
- Copy the complete installation folder.
- Back up local saves, settings, and mods.
- Place the files in the launcher’s exact destination.
- Resume installation or run file verification.
- Install missing runtimes, launchers, and anti-cheat components.
- Launch the game successfully.
- Confirm cloud-save progress and restore local saves if necessary.
- Keep the original backup until everything works.
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