PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchTo choose where future Xbox PC games are installed, use the Xbox app’s install-location control when the title supports it. To set a Windows-wide default for new apps, open Settings > System > Storage > Advanced storage settings > Where new content is saved in Windows 11. Windows 10 uses Settings > System > Storage > Change where new content is saved.
These controls have different jobs. The Windows setting assigns a default drive for categories such as new apps; it does not relocate games that are already installed. The Xbox app’s Manage screen can provide move and repair actions for eligible games. Availability depends on the game and the Xbox app/Windows version, so do not assume every title can be moved or repaired.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Windows setting versus Xbox app control
Start by deciding whether you are changing a default for future content or handling one installed game. The distinction prevents the most common mistake: changing Windows’ default drive and expecting an existing Xbox game to move automatically.
| Question | Windows Storage setting | Xbox app controls |
|---|---|---|
| What does it control? | A default location for a content type, including new apps. | The installation or management of an eligible Xbox app game. |
| When does it apply? | Primarily to future installs and other new content. | During a supported game’s installation, or after installation through its Manage screen. |
| Can it move an existing game? | No. Changing the default does not itself move an installed game. | Sometimes. A supported title may expose Move through Manage. |
| What determines availability? | Windows edition/version and whether the drive is connected and available to Windows. | The individual title, its installation format, and the controls exposed by the current Xbox app. |
Microsoft’s current Windows support guidance documents the Storage routes. Xbox Wire described expanded install and management capabilities in its January 19, 2022 release notes, while Microsoft Learn’s Flat File Install documentation describes the supported directory and cross-drive workflow for compatible games. The 2022 announcement was a preview-era description, not a promise that today’s interface or every title has identical options.
#1 Best Overall
- Get NVMe solid state performance with up to 1050MB/s read and 1000MB/s write speeds in a portable, high-capacity drive(1) (Based on internal testing; performance may be lower depending on host device & other factors. 1MB=1,000,000 bytes.)
- Up to 3-meter drop protection and IP65 water and dust resistance mean this tough drive can take a beating(3) (Previously rated for 2-meter drop protection and IP55 rating. Now qualified for the higher, stated specs.)
- Use the handy carabiner loop to secure it to your belt loop or backpack for extra peace of mind.
- Help keep private content private with the included password protection featuring 256‐bit AES hardware encryption.(3)
- Easily manage files and automatically free up space with the SanDisk Memory Zone app.(5). Non-Operating Temperature -20°C to 85°C
Set a Windows-wide default drive for new apps
Use this route when you want Windows to prefer another drive for future apps and other listed content categories. The target drive must be connected before it can appear in the selector.
Windows 11
- Open Settings.
- Select System, then Storage.
- Open Advanced storage settings.
- Select Where new content is saved.
- For the content category you want to change, open the drive drop-down list and select the desired drive.
Windows presents separate selectors for the content types listed on that page. Choose the drive for new apps if your goal is to influence future Xbox app installations. Other categories, such as documents or media, can be assigned independently; changing them is not required for game installation.
Windows 10
- Open Settings.
- Choose System, then Storage.
- Select Change where new content is saved.
- Set the drive shown for new apps, or adjust another content category if that is what you need.
The wording differs from Windows 11, but the purpose is the same: a default destination for new content. If a drive is missing from the list, check that it is physically connected and visible to Windows, then reopen the page.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
What this change does not do
- It does not copy or move an already installed Xbox game.
- It does not override a title that does not support the Xbox app’s location controls.
- It does not create a per-game exception by itself; it changes a Windows content-category default.
After changing the setting, start a new installation and verify the destination offered by the Xbox app. If the app presents its own location choice, that per-game choice is the relevant setting for that installation.
Choose an install location in the Xbox PC app
The Xbox app can offer a location choice when you install a supported game. The exact button names and screens can change as the app is updated, so treat the following as the workflow rather than a guarantee of one fixed layout.
Rank #2
- Capacity Display Variance: 500GB external ssd often appears as around 465GB on Windows. MacOS can show full 500 GB capacity. This is binary calculation difference and doesn’t affect SSD hard drive actual physical storage
- 1050 MB/s Speed: Instantly access to your files with blazing-fast 10Gbps external SSD read up to 1050MB/s and write up to 1000MB/s. LED Light indicates USB SSD instant activity
- Data Security: Solid state drives S.M.A.R.T. health diagnostics and adaptive TRIM optimizing data block management ensures consistent write speeds and extends the longevity of the portable SSD
- USB-C & USB-A Cable: Both cables featuring rapid USB 3.2 Gen2, this USB SSD effortlessly bridges devices, enabling seamless cross-platform file transfers and backup between computers, smartphones, tablets and iPhone
- Always Fast: No slowdowns for large file transfers. With SLC caching (25% of current available capacity allocated as high-speed cache), this external SSD delivers steady 10Gbps for transfers within the cache capacity
- Open the Xbox app for Windows and sign in with the account that owns or accesses the game.
- Open the game’s page and select the command to install it.
- Before confirming the installation, look for the drive, folder, or install-location control. If a location selector is offered, choose the connected drive and directory you want to use.
- Confirm the installation and allow the Xbox app to create the game’s managed files in that location.
- After installation begins, check the game’s details or queue entry to confirm that the selected destination is being used.
Some games expose the selector while others do not. A missing location control is an eligibility or version limitation, not evidence that a hidden folder should be chosen manually. Do not cancel a supported installation merely because its screen does not match an older guide; look for the current install dialog and its available options.
Why the app may not show a folder picker
The Xbox app’s management features are not universal. Microsoft’s Flat File Install documentation covers titles that use the supported directory-based installation model. A game using another delivery or management arrangement may not expose the same controls. In that case, use the location the app provides rather than moving protected folders in File Explorer.
Move or repair an installed game through Manage
For an existing installation, check the game’s own management screen instead of changing the Windows default. Xbox’s documented workflow starts from the installed-game library and the game’s Manage command.
- Open the Xbox app and go to your installed games library.
- Find the game you want to handle.
- Open the game’s context menu or options menu. In interfaces that use a right-click action, right-click the game and choose Manage.
- Review the available installation or file actions. A compatible title may show an option to move the game to another drive.
- If you choose Move, select the destination offered by the app and confirm. Leave the app open while it transfers and registers the files.
- If the game is malfunctioning, use Repair when that action is available. Allow the check to finish, then launch the game from the Xbox app.
Move and Repair are separate operations. Move changes the registered location; Repair checks or restores the installation. A title can expose one action without exposing the other, and some titles expose neither.
Flat File Install limitations
Microsoft Learn’s Flat File Install overview describes selecting a game directory and moving supported games between drives through the Xbox app. It also specifies a limit of one folder per drive for this feature. That restriction matters when planning several libraries: the supported mechanism is not an unlimited set of independent Xbox-managed roots on the same drive.
Rank #3
- Solid state performance with up to 800MB/s read speeds in a portable drive. (Based on internal testing; performance may be lower depending on host device, interface, usage conditions and other factors. 1MB=1,000,000 bytes.)
- Back up your content and memories on a storage solution that fits seamlessly into your mobile lifestyle.
- Take it with you on your adventures—up to two-meter drop protection means this durable drive can take a beating. (Based on internal testing.)
- Secure it to your belt loop or backpack for extra peace of mind thanks to the tough rubber hook.
- From Sandisk, a brand professional photographers trust to take on assignments.
The documentation applies to supported games using that installation model. It should not be read as a promise that every game in the Xbox catalog can be moved, that every folder layout is valid, or that a move can be performed safely outside the app.
Do not relocate managed folders manually
Dragging an Xbox-managed game directory to another drive in File Explorer can leave the app unable to locate, verify, update, or repair the installation. The supported path is the Xbox app’s own install selector or its Manage actions.
If you already moved files manually and the game no longer starts, return the files to the location the app expects if you can do so without overwriting newer data, then reopen the Xbox app and inspect the game’s Manage screen. Use Repair if it is offered. If the app cannot recognize the installation, the practical fallback may be reinstalling through the supported location workflow; the exact recovery depends on the title and what files remain registered.
Troubleshoot the location you want
The destination drive is not listed in Windows
- Connect the drive before opening the Storage page.
- Confirm that Windows can see the drive, then close and reopen Settings.
- Return to Where new content is saved in Windows 11 or Change where new content is saved in Windows 10 and check the selector again.
The Microsoft support instructions specifically require the drive to be connected for it to appear. If Windows still does not list it, the problem is at the Windows storage-visibility level rather than an Xbox app per-game setting.
The Xbox app installs without offering a location
First determine whether the game is one of the titles that exposes the supported location workflow. The Xbox app does not promise identical controls for every title. If no selector appears, proceed only with the destination the app provides; do not substitute a manually created game folder.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesRank #4
- MADE FOR THE MAKERS: Create; Explore; Store; The T7 Portable SSD delivers fast speeds and durable features to back up any endeavor; Build your video editing empire, file your photographs or back up your blogs all in an instant
- SHARE IDEAS IN A FLASH: Don’t waste a second waiting and spend more time doing; The T7 is embedded with PCIe NVMe technology that brings fast read and write speeds up to 1,050/1,000 MB/s¹, making it almost twice as fast as the T5
- ALWAYS MAKE THE SAVE: Compact design with massive capacity; With capacities up to 4TB, save exactly what you need to your drive – from large working files to game data and everything in between
- ADAPTS TO EVERY NEED: Whether using a PC or mobile phone, count on the T7 for extensive compatibility²; It’s a true team player when it comes to heavy-duty application usage or file-saving
- HI RESOLUTION VIDEO RECORDING: Record Ultra High Resolution (4K 60fs) videos directly onto the T7 Portable SSD with your favorite camera or mobile devices; Supports iPhone 15 Pro Res 4K at 60fps video and more³
Manage has no Move or Repair button
Manage is the entry point, not a guarantee of every action. Open it for the installed game and use only the commands shown. Missing Move or Repair usually means that the title, installation format, or current app version does not provide that operation. The Windows default-drive setting cannot add those commands.
A game remains on the old drive after changing Windows settings
That is expected. The Windows setting applies to future content. Use the game’s Manage screen for a supported move, or reinstall it using the desired location if no move action is available.
A move or repair does not complete
- Keep both source and destination drives connected and available to Windows.
- Reopen the game’s Manage screen and verify whether the operation is still pending or has returned an error.
- Use Repair if it is offered and the problem concerns damaged or missing files.
- If the title still provides no usable recovery action, avoid repeated manual folder moves. Reinstall through the Xbox app’s supported destination workflow.
Because title-by-title eligibility is not universal, an unsuccessful operation does not establish that the drive itself is incompatible with every Xbox game.
Planning more than one game drive
For a simple setup, assign one preferred drive in Windows and let the Xbox app handle individual exceptions. If you use the Flat File Install workflow, account for its one-folder-per-drive limit before creating a library structure.
Recommended Free Tools
| Situation | Best first action | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| You want all future app installs to prefer another drive. | Change the Windows new-content setting. | It sets the default for the content category. |
| You are installing one supported game and want a different drive. | Choose the location in that game’s Xbox app install flow. | The choice is per installation. |
| An installed game is supported and must be moved. | Open the game’s Manage screen and use Move if shown. | The app updates its own registration of the files. |
| An installed game has errors. | Open Manage and use Repair if shown. | Repair addresses the installation without manually rearranging files. |
| No location or management action is available. | Keep the app-provided location or reinstall through its supported flow. | Controls vary by title and installation model. |
Using an external drive for Xbox games
An additional drive, including a portable external SSD, can provide more capacity when the internal drive is full. Treat it as an optional storage solution, not a universal compatibility fix. The Xbox app must recognize the drive, and the games you intend to use must expose supported installation or management options.
Best Value
- NEARLY 2X FASTER THAN OUR PREVIOUS GENERATION(8) – move 1,000 high-res photos in under 60 seconds(6) with up to 2000MB/s transfer speeds(2).
- IP65 RATING AND UP TO 3M DROP PROTECTION(3) – protects against spills and drops.
- POCKET-SIZED – fits easily in pockets and small bags.
- SPACE TO OWN YOUR AI CONTENT – speed and capacity to download your high-res clips and photo edits.
- 256-BIT AES ENCRYPTION(4) – helps keep private files secure with password protection.
- Connect the external drive before selecting a destination.
- Verify that Windows lists it before opening the Xbox installation dialog.
- Use the Xbox app’s location selector or Manage move action rather than copying folders yourself.
- Disconnecting the drive makes games installed there unavailable until it is connected again.
No particular drive model is required by the documented workflow, and no model has been tested or endorsed here. Supported options can vary by title, app build, and Windows configuration.
A practical example: moving from C: to D:
For a new installation
- Connect and verify the D: drive in Windows.
- Optionally set D: as the Windows default for new apps using the appropriate Windows 10 or Windows 11 path.
- In the Xbox app, start installing the game.
- If the install screen offers a location selector, choose D: and confirm.
For a game already on C:
- Open the Xbox app’s installed library.
- Open the game’s Manage screen.
- If Move is available, select D: as the destination and confirm.
- If Move is absent, leave the files in place or reinstall through a supported D: location; do not drag the folder from C: to D: manually.
The two examples use different controls because a future installation and an existing registered installation are different tasks.
Checklist before changing an install location
- Identify whether you are changing a Windows default or handling one installed game.
- Connect the destination drive before opening Settings or the Xbox app.
- Check the current game’s Manage screen before attempting any file operation.
- Use Move or Repair only when the Xbox app offers the command.
- Remember the Flat File Install one-folder-per-drive limit when organizing supported libraries.
- Do not assume that changing a Windows default moves existing games.
- Do not manually relocate Xbox-managed folders as a general workaround.
What the documented features do—and do not—promise
Microsoft’s Windows documentation establishes the default-save-location controls for Windows 10 and Windows 11. Xbox’s announcement and the Flat File Install documentation establish a supported path for selecting directories and managing eligible games. They do not establish a universal current menu layout, a single Xbox app build, or Move and Repair availability for every title.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Use the control that matches the job: Windows Storage for a future default, the Xbox app’s install dialog for a supported new game, and Manage for an eligible game that is already installed. When the relevant control is missing, treat that absence as a title or version limitation rather than a reason to bypass the app’s file management.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
