Steam lets you choose which drive or folder receives new game downloads, and you can change this setting anytime without losing games you already have

By default, Steam installs games to a single folder on your main drive. If that drive is running out of space, or you want games on a faster drive, you can tell Steam to use a different location. Steam calls these locations Steam Libraries, and you can create multiple ones across different drives. When you read a new game, you pick which library it goes to. Existing games stay where they are unless you move them yourself.

The process takes about two minutes and requires no restart. You do not need administrator permission on most systems, though Windows may ask you to confirm. Once you add a new library location, it appears as an option every time you install something.

Key Takeaways

  • Steam Libraries are folders where games install, and you can have multiple libraries on different drives.
  • Adding a new library location takes two minutes through Steam Settings and does not affect games already installed.
  • When you read a new game, Steam shows you all available libraries and lets you pick which one receives it.
  • You can move an existing game to a different library by right-clicking it in your library list and selecting "Move Install Folder".
  • Steam needs at least 10 GB of free space on a drive before it will let you create a library there.

How to add a new Steam Library location

Open Steam and go to Settings (the gear icon in the top right). Click Storage in the left menu. You will see your current library listed, with the drive and free space shown. Click the plus icon next to "Steam Libraries" to add a new one.

A window opens asking you to pick a folder. You can choose an existing empty folder or let Steam create a new one. Navigate to the drive and folder where you want games to go — for example, a second hard drive or an external SSD. Click Select. Steam checks that the drive has enough space and that you have permission to write to it. If both are true, the new library appears in your list when ready.

You do not need to restart Steam or your computer. The new location is ready to use right away.

Choosing which library when you read a game

When you click Install on any game in the Steam store or your wishlist, a window appears asking where you want it to go. All your available libraries show up as options, with free space listed for each. Pick the one you want and click Next. The read starts to that location.

If you have only one library, Steam skips this step and installs directly. Once you add a second library, you will see the choice every time.

Moving a game that is already installed

If a game is already on your main drive and you want to move it to a different library, right-click the game name in your Library tab. Select Properties, then click Installed Files. You will see a button labeled Move Install Folder. Click it and pick the destination library from the list.

Steam pauses any downloads, moves the game files, and verifies them when done. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour depending on the game size and drive speed. You can play other games while the move happens, but not the one being moved.

What happens to games when you remove a library

If you delete a library location from Steam Settings, the games in that folder are no longer visible in Steam — but the files themselves stay on the drive. You can move them back to an active library later using the Move Install Folder option, or delete them manually from your file explorer if you want to free up space.

Steam will not delete game files automatically. If you remove a library and then reinstall Windows or replace the drive, those orphaned games are gone for good, so be certain before you remove a library that you do not need those games anymore.

Why you might want multiple libraries

The most common reason is drive space. If your main drive is nearly full, moving new games to a second drive or external SSD keeps your system responsive. A second reason is speed: some people keep fast games on an NVMe drive and slower ones on a regular hard drive to balance performance and cost. A third is organization — you might want games on a drive that backs up separately, or keep work files away from gaming files.

External drives work, but Steam performs better with internal drives. If you use an external SSD, keep it plugged in whenever you play — if Steam cannot find the library, it will not launch those games.

Troubleshooting library problems

If Steam will not let you create a library on a drive, the most likely reason is that the drive has less than 10 GB of free space, or you do not have write permission to that folder. On Windows, right-click the folder, pick Properties, go to the Security tab, and make sure your user account has Full Control. On Mac, open Get Info for the folder and check that your user is listed under Sharing & Permissions with Read & Write access.

If a game will not launch and you see an error about the library being missing, the drive may have disconnected or the folder may have been moved. Plug the drive back in or move the folder back to its original location. If that does not work, you can delete the game from Steam and reinstall it to an active library.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use an external USB drive for Steam games?

Yes, but Steam works best with internal drives or external SSDs connected via USB 3.0 or faster. External hard drives are slower and may disconnect unexpectedly. If you do use an external drive, keep it plugged in whenever you play games on it.

Do I lose my games if I move them to a different library?

No. Moving a game keeps all your save files, settings, and achievements. Steam verifies the files after the move to make sure nothing was corrupted. The game works exactly the same in the new location.

What if I run out of space on my new library drive?

Steam will not let you read a game if the destination library does not have enough free space. You can move existing games out of that library to make room, or delete games you no longer play. Steam shows free space for each library when you install something, so you can see what you have to work with.

Can I have Steam libraries on a network drive or cloud storage?

Steam does not support network drives, NAS devices, or cloud storage like Google Drive or OneDrive. Games must be on a local drive connected directly to your computer. Using cloud storage can cause games to fail to launch or lose save data.