How to Install a Steam Game on an External Drive in Windows 10

Yes, you can install Steam games on an external drive in Windows 10. The current Steam client lets you add another library under Steam > Settings > Storage, then choose that library when you install a game. You can also move games that are already installed without downloading them again.

For the most reliable setup, keep the Steam client itself on your internal drive and use the external SSD or hard drive only as an additional game library. Steam officially warns that external hard drives can cause performance or disconnect problems, so an internal drive remains the safer choice when a game is sensitive to storage speed or interruptions.

Before you start

• Connect the external drive and make sure Windows can see it in File Explorer.
• Check that the drive has enough free space for the game's installed size and future updates.
• Keep the drive connected while Steam is downloading, updating, verifying, moving, or running a game from it.
• If the drive contains important files, keep a separate backup before making large changes.

How to install a Steam game on an external drive

1. Add the external drive to Steam Storage

Open Steam, select Steam > Settings > Storage, and look for your available storage locations. Steam's current support documentation says you can create another installation path by selecting the + control at the top of Storage. If the external drive is not listed yet, add it and choose a folder for the Steam library.

You do not need to move the entire Steam program. A separate library on the external drive is enough for game content.

2. Create or select a Steam library folder

Choose the external drive and create a library location such as E:\SteamLibrary. The exact drive letter on your PC may be different. Steam needs write access to the folder so it can install and update game files.

3. Choose the external drive when installing the game

Return to Library, select the game, and click Install. In the installation window, choose the external Steam library under Install To, then start the installation. Steam will download and unpack the game directly into that library.

Steam's official Moving a Steam Installation and Games guide confirms that alternate library locations can be created on another drive and selected for future installations.

How to move an existing Steam game to the external drive

1. Make sure the external Steam library has already been added under Settings > Storage.
2. In Storage, select the drive where the game is currently installed.
3. Select the game you want to transfer, then click Move.
4. Choose the external library as the destination and let Steam finish the transfer before disconnecting the drive.

You do not need to uninstall and redownload the game. Steam's current support instructions specifically direct users to the Storage tab, the source drive, the game selection, and the Move command.

Will moving the game move my save files?

Not necessarily, and that is an important correction to older advice. A game's installation files and its save files are not always stored in the same place. Games that support Steam Cloud can synchronize supported saves and settings through your Steam account. Other games may store saves locally in Documents, AppData, a publisher-specific folder, or another location chosen by the developer.

Moving the installation through Steam normally does not require deleting your saves, but you should back up important local saves before major storage changes. If you are unsure where a particular game stores its progress, check the developer's support documentation.

What to do if Steam does not see the drive or game

• Reconnect the drive before opening Steam. If the external library is unavailable, Steam may show the game as not installed until the drive is accessible again.
• Check Steam Storage. If the library path is missing, add the external library again with the + control.
• Repair or verify when needed. Steam documents Settings > Storage > ... > Repair Folder for library-folder problems. For a specific game, use Library > right-click the game > Properties > Installed Files > Verify Integrity of Game Files. See Steam's Update & Installation Issues page.

Use the external drive safely

Do not unplug the drive while Steam is writing to it or while a game stored on it is running. When you need to disconnect it, close the game and Steam first, then use Windows' safe-removal option. Microsoft recommends using Safely Remove Hardware before unplugging external storage to reduce the risk of data loss.

An external Steam library is a practical way to free internal storage, especially for large games. The key is to add the drive through Steam's current Storage settings, install or move games with Steam's built-in controls, and treat save files as separate data unless you have confirmed where a particular game keeps them.