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Can You Transfer Your Steam Library? A Comprehensive Guide

Yes, you can transfer your Steam library, but the process isn’t as simple as dragging and dropping files. The key is understanding what you’re transferring and how Steam manages its game files. You can move your games to a new drive on the same computer, or even to a completely different computer. Transferring licenses or games between Steam accounts, however, is not directly supported, but there are always other options for sharing. This article will delve into the specifics of how to move your game files, explore Steam’s Family Sharing features, and answer common questions about managing your digital gaming collection.

Moving Your Steam Library: A Step-by-Step Guide

Moving Games Within the Same Computer

The easiest scenario is moving your games to a different drive on the same computer. Steam provides a built-in tool for this purpose:

Using the Steam Storage Manager:
- Open Steam, and go to Steam > Settings > Downloads > Steam Library Folders.
- Here, you’ll see a list of your current Steam library locations.
- Click the “+” button to add a new library folder on your desired drive.
- Once the new folder is added, right-click on the game you want to move in your library and select Properties > Local Files > Move Install Folder. Choose the new library you created.
Manual Method (If the Above Fails):
- Exit the Steam client completely.
- Navigate to your Steam installation folder (usually C:Program Files (x86)Steam).
- Go to the SteamApps folder.
- Within SteamApps, locate the common folder. This folder contains all your installed game files.
- Cut and paste the folder for the game you want to move to the common folder of your new Steam library location.
- Restart Steam. Steam will recognize the game files in the new location. If it doesn’t, initiate the download process for the game. Steam will then discover the existing files and verify them, saving you from redownloading the entire game.

Moving Your Entire Steam Installation

If you’re upgrading your operating system or moving to a new PC, you might want to move your entire Steam installation:

Exit the Steam client application.
Navigate to the Steam installation folder.
Delete all of the files and folders except the SteamApps folder and the Steam.exe file. This preserves your downloaded games and the Steam application itself.
Cut and paste the entire Steam folder to the new location on your new computer.
Run Steam.exe. Steam will update itself.
Log in to your account. Steam will recognize your installed games.

Moving Games to an External Drive

Moving games to a USB drive is similar to moving them to another drive on your computer:

Plug the external hard drive into your computer.
Open Steam and go to Settings > Downloads > Steam Library Folders.
Click the “+” button and add your external drive as a new library folder.
Follow the steps outlined in “Moving Games Within the Same Computer” to move individual games to the external drive.

Important Considerations

Storage Space: Ensure that your new drive has enough free space for the games you plan to move.
Drive Speed: Moving games to a faster drive (like an SSD) can significantly improve loading times.
Game Updates: After moving games, Steam may need to verify the files and download any necessary updates.

Sharing Your Steam Library: Family Sharing

Steam offers a feature called Family Sharing that allows you to share your game library with up to five other accounts on up to ten authorized devices. This is a convenient way to let family members or close friends enjoy your games without purchasing them individually.

Setting Up Family Sharing

Enable Steam Guard security via Steam > Settings > Security in the Steam client.
From the Steam Settings panel, select the Family tab.
Click the “Authorize Library Sharing on this device” switch.
Select the user accounts that have logged into the computer and that you want to authorize for sharing your library with.
The other user must also log into their Steam account on the same computer.

Limitations of Family Sharing

You can only play one game from your library at a time. If you are playing a game and someone else tries to play a game from your library, they will have a few minutes to either purchase the game or quit playing.
Not all games are eligible for Family Sharing.
If you violate Steam’s terms of service, Family Sharing privileges may be revoked, and your account may be banned.

Transferring Games Between Accounts: The Unfortunate Truth

Unfortunately, Steam does not offer a direct way to transfer games between accounts. Games are tied to the account they were purchased or activated on. This policy is in place to prevent fraud and piracy. Per the Steam Subscriber Agreement, Steam game subscriptions/CD keys are nontransferable.

Understanding Cloud Saves

Many Steam games support cloud saves, which means your game progress is stored on Steam’s servers. This ensures that you won’t lose your progress if you switch computers or reinstall a game. However, not all games support cloud saves, so it’s always a good idea to back up your save files manually, especially for older games.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I transfer a game from one Steam account to another?

No, Steam games cannot be directly transferred between accounts. Each game is tied to the account on which it was purchased or activated.

2. Can I use the same Steam library on two computers?

Yes, you can log in to your Steam account on any computer and access your library. However, you cannot play the same game on multiple computers simultaneously.

3. Can I play two Steam games at once?

Each Steam account can only run one game at a time, regardless of how many computers it is installed on. Family Sharing allows multiple users to access different games from the same library, but only one person can play a specific game at a time.

4. How do I merge Steam accounts?

Steam accounts cannot be merged. Game subscriptions and CD keys are nontransferable between accounts.

5. How do I reinstall Steam without losing my games?

Back up the SteamAppscommon folder (which contains your game files) before reinstalling Steam. After reinstalling, paste the folder back into the new SteamApps directory.

6. Can I share Steam games with family?

Yes, Steam Family Sharing allows you to share your library with up to five other accounts on up to ten devices.

7. Do I have to rebuy Steam games on a new computer?

No. Your Steam library is tied to your account, not your computer. Just log in on the new computer to access your games.

8. Will I lose my games if I uninstall Steam?

No, uninstalling Steam will not automatically uninstall your games. Your game files remain on your computer unless you manually delete them.

9. Will I lose everything if I uninstall a game on Steam and reinstall it?

If the game supports Steam Cloud, your progress will be saved. Otherwise, you might lose progress not saved locally.

10. Can I install a Steam game on multiple computers?

Yes, you can install a Steam game on multiple computers, but you can only play it on one computer at a time with the same account.

11. Why is Steam Family Sharing not working?

Ensure both accounts have enabled Family Sharing in Steam settings and that the shared library is visible to the other account.

12. Do you keep Steam games forever?

Yes, once you add a game to your Steam library, you own it indefinitely, even if you don’t download it.

13. How do I move Steam games to another computer via Reddit?

The “Reddit method” usually refers to copying the game files from the SteamAppscommon folder on one computer to the same location on another using an external storage device.

14. Can you play Steam games offline?

Yes, Steam’s Offline Mode allows you to play games without an active internet connection. However, some features requiring an internet connection will be unavailable. Make sure the “Remember Me” box on the login window is checked.

15. What happens if you have 2 Steam accounts?

You can access different Steam accounts from one computer, but only one account can be active at a time. Each account maintains its own custom content and configuration files. It’s important to purchase all games for yourself using a single account.

The world of gaming is dynamic and constantly evolving. To explore more about the educational aspects of gaming and learning, visit the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.

Can you transfer your Steam library?