You can move Fortnite to another drive without reinstalling it, but the method depends on whether you use the Epic Games Launcher or Steam

Fortnite takes up roughly 90 to 130 gigabytes of space depending on your system and how many cosmetics you've downloaded. If your main drive is running low, moving the game to a secondary drive, external drive, or larger internal drive is faster than deleting and reinstalling it from scratch. The process differs slightly between Windows and Mac, and whether you launched Fortnite through the Epic Games Launcher (the most common way) or through Steam.

The key is that you need to tell the launcher where the game now lives before you try to play. If you just drag the folder to another drive and launch the game, the launcher won't find it and will either ask you to reinstall or show an error. The steps below walk you through moving the actual game files and then updating the launcher so it knows where to look.

Key Takeaways

  • Moving Fortnite through the Epic Games Launcher settings is faster and safer than manually dragging folders, because the launcher updates its own records automatically.
  • On Windows, you uninstall Fortnite from the launcher, add a new library location pointing to your second drive, then reinstall to that location — the launcher downloads only what's missing.
  • On Mac, the process is similar: remove the library location, move the folder manually to your new drive, then add the new location back in the launcher settings.
  • If you use Steam to play Fortnite, you move it through Steam's library settings, not the Epic Games Launcher.
  • The move takes 10 to 30 minutes depending on your drive speed and whether your internet connection needs to re-read missing files.

Moving Fortnite on Windows using the Epic Games Launcher

Open the Epic Games Launcher and select the gear icon in the top right corner to open Settings. Go to the Locations tab. You'll see a list of library locations — these are the folders where the launcher stores games. Your Fortnite installation is currently in one of these folders, usually the default one on your C: drive.

Click the folder icon next to the location where Fortnite currently lives. This opens a file browser showing you the actual folder. Note the path or leave this window open so you can see it. Now go back to the launcher and click the three dots next to that location, then select Remove. The launcher will ask if you want to remove the location or also delete the games stored there — select Remove Location Only. This tells the launcher to forget about that folder without deleting the files.

Now click Add Library Location. A file browser opens. Navigate to your second drive (D:, E:, or whatever letter your drive has) and either select an existing folder or create a new one for games. Click Select Folder. The launcher now knows about this new location. Go to your Library, find Fortnite, and click Install. The launcher will scan your old location, find the game files still sitting there, and move them to the new drive. This takes a few minutes. If the launcher can't find all the files, it will read the missing pieces, which may take longer depending on your internet speed.

Moving Fortnite on Mac using the Epic Games Launcher

The Mac process is similar but requires a manual step because Mac's file system handles library locations differently. Open the Epic Games Launcher, click the gear icon, and go to Locations. You'll see your library locations listed. Click the folder icon next to the location containing Fortnite to open Finder and see where it actually sits.

Open a second Finder window and navigate to your second drive. Drag the Fortnite folder from the first window to the second drive. This copies the entire game folder, which takes several minutes. Once the copy is complete and you can see the Fortnite folder on your new drive, go back to the launcher. Click the three dots next to the original location and select Remove Location Only. Then click Add Library Location, navigate to your second drive, and select the folder containing Fortnite. The launcher will recognize the game files and you're done.

Moving Fortnite on Steam

If you play Fortnite through Steam rather than the Epic Games Launcher, the move happens entirely within Steam. Open Steam, go to Settings, then Storage. You'll see a list of Steam library folders. Click the folder icon next to the library containing Fortnite to see where it is. Now click Add Library Folder, navigate to your second drive, and create or select a folder. Steam now knows about this new location.

Go to your Steam Library, right-click Fortnite, select Properties, then Local Files. Click Move Install Folder. Steam shows you the list of available library locations. Select your new drive and click Move. Steam transfers the game files to the new location, which takes 10 to 20 minutes. Once it's done, the game is ready to play from the new drive.

What to do if the launcher can't find Fortnite after moving it

If you see an error saying Fortnite is not installed, or if the launcher asks you to reinstall, the launcher lost track of where the files are. This usually happens if you manually moved the folder without updating the launcher settings. Open the launcher, go to Settings and Locations, and make sure the location you moved Fortnite to is listed there. If it's not, click Add Library Location and select the folder. The launcher will scan it and find the game.

If the launcher still doesn't recognize it, the folder structure may have been corrupted during the move. In this case, it's faster to uninstall Fortnite from the launcher (which deletes the files), then reinstall it to your new drive location. This takes 20 to 40 minutes depending on your internet speed, but it ensures all files are intact.

Using an external drive for Fortnite

You can move Fortnite to an external USB drive or Thunderbolt drive, but there are trade-offs. The game will run slower because external drives have slower read speeds than internal drives, which means longer load times and occasional stuttering in busy areas. This is noticeable on older external drives or USB 2.0 connections, but less so on newer USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt drives.

The process is the same as moving to an internal drive: add the external drive as a library location in your launcher, then reinstall or move Fortnite there. The main thing to remember is that you need to keep the external drive connected whenever you play. If you unplug it, the launcher won't find the game. External drives are useful for temporary storage if you're moving between computers or if you need to free up space on your main drive for a short time, but for regular play, an internal drive is better.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will moving Fortnite delete my account or cosmetics?

No. Your account and cosmetics are stored on Epic's servers, not on your computer. Moving the game files doesn't touch your account. When you log in after moving Fortnite, everything is exactly as you left it.

Do I need to uninstall Fortnite before moving it?

Not if you use the launcher's built-in move feature. The launcher handles the move for you. If you manually drag the folder, you should uninstall first through the launcher to avoid confusion, then move the folder, then add the new location back.

Can I move Fortnite to a network drive or cloud storage?

Technically yes, but it will run very slowly because the game needs to read files constantly during play. Cloud storage like OneDrive or Google Drive is even slower. Stick to a local drive — internal or external — for playable performance.

How much space do I need on the new drive?

At least 150 gigabytes free to be safe. Fortnite itself is 90 to 130 gigabytes, and the launcher needs extra space for temporary files during the move.

What if my internet cuts out during the move?

If you're using the launcher's move feature and your internet drops, the move pauses. When you reconnect, open the launcher and try to install Fortnite again — it will pick up where it left off and read only the missing files. If you were manually moving the folder and the copy was interrupted, delete the incomplete folder on the new drive and start over.