How Do I Manually Transfer Steam Games?
Manually transferring Steam games can be a convenient and space-saving way to manage your game library, especially if you have multiple devices or need to move games between PCs. In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps to manually transfer Steam games.
Before You Begin
Before you start transferring your Steam games, make sure you have the following:
- Steam installed on the computer you’re transferring the games from and to.
- Steam cloud syncing enabled to ensure your game saves and settings are synced across devices.
- A compatible USB drive or external hard drive with enough storage space to hold your game files.
Step 1: Locate Your Steam Games
To manually transfer your Steam games, you need to locate the game folders on your computer. Navigate to the following location:
- Windows:
C:Program Files (x86)Steamsteamappscommon - Mac:
/Users/YourUsername/Library/Application Support/Steam/steamapps/common
Find the folders for the games you want to transfer. Each game folder typically contains a subfolder called game or assets that contains the game’s files.
Step 2: Create a Backup
Before transferring the games, create a backup of your Steam game folders. Create a new folder and move the game folders to it. This will ensure you have a backup of your game files in case something goes wrong during the transfer process.
Step 3: Transfer the Games
Transfer the game folders to the compatible USB drive or external hard drive. You can do this by:
- Copying and pasting the folders into the USB drive or external hard drive.
- Using a file transfer program like File Explorer, Dropbox, or Google Drive to transfer the files.
- Using a cloning software like EaseUS or Macrium to clone your entire Steam game folder.
Step 4: Access the Transferred Games
Once the games are transferred, you can access them on the new device. To access the transferred games:
- Launch Steam on the new device and log in to your Steam account.
- Create a new library or add the transferred games to an existing library.
- Find the transferred games in the Steam library and start playing.
Additional Tips and Considerations
- Make sure you have enough storage space on the new device for the transferred games.
- Check the system requirements for each game to ensure it’s compatible with the new device.
- Transfer game saves and settings separately, as they may not transfer automatically.
- Be aware of any game updates that may be required to run the transferred games smoothly.
Troubleshooting Tips
- Game won’t launch: Try restarting Steam or the game, or check the game’s system requirements to ensure they’re compatible with the new device.
- Game files missing: Check that the game files are fully transferred and that the folders are correctly located on the new device.
- Game won’t transfer: Check that the USB drive or external hard drive has enough storage space, or try transferring the game files using a different method.
By following these steps, you can manually transfer your Steam games between devices. Remember to always backup your game files and take precautions to ensure a smooth transfer process.