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To free up space without downloading games again, add another drive as a Steam library and move installed games to it. In Steam, open Settings > Storage, add a library location, select games on the full drive, and choose Move. If you do not have another suitable drive, uninstall games you no longer want installed; for a Steam Deck, manage storage and format a microSD card through Steam’s settings.
First, find what is using space
Open Steam > Settings > Storage to view the drives and library locations Steam is using. Check which drive is nearly full, then identify installed games you can move or remove. Moving games to another drive preserves their local installation files; uninstalling removes those files and means you will need to download the game again if you want to play it later.
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Move installed games to another drive
If a second drive is available, Steam can move a game between library locations without making you download its installed files again. Steam’s guidance is in Moving a Steam Installation and Games and Managing Steam Downloads & Updates.
- In Steam, open Settings > Storage.
- Add a library location on the drive where you want the games stored.
- Select the drive containing the games to move, then select the games.
- Choose Move and select the destination library.
You can also move an individual game from Library > right-click the game > Properties > Installed Files > Move Install Folder. For future installations, choose the alternate library location when installing a game.
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Choose a destination that fits your setup
Use an existing internal drive
Moving games to a compatible internal drive is a no-purchase option if you already have one with enough free space. If you are considering an internal SSD to add capacity, first check that your PC supports the drive’s form factor and interface; Steam’s instructions do not determine what is compatible with a particular computer.
Use an external drive cautiously
Steam supports alternate library locations on other drives, but warns that external hard drives can cause performance issues or unexpected disconnections. Consider the reliability of the connection and how you use the games before making an external drive their home. Steam specifically advises against installing the Steam application itself to an external hard drive because of potential performance issues; that warning is not proof that every external game library will fail.
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Use a microSD card on Steam Deck
On Steam Deck, manage installed games at Steam > Settings > Storage. To prepare a card, go to Steam > Settings > System > Format SD card. Steam supports UHS-I cards rated class 3 or better; it says the faster transfer rates of UHS-II and UHS-III are not supported. See Steam’s Steam Deck – Basic Use & Troubleshooting Guide.
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If there is no other suitable destination, uninstalling a game frees the space used by its installed content. In your Steam Library, open the game’s management options and choose to uninstall it. You can install it again later, but its files will need to be downloaded again. Before uninstalling, check whether the game’s saves are protected by Steam Cloud: some games keep saves elsewhere, and their locations vary by title.
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Protect game files and saves before a larger cleanup
If you are moving the entire Steam installation or uninstalling Steam, back up the steamapps folder first if you want to keep installed game content. Steam’s Uninstall Steam guidance warns that uninstalling removes game content and recommends moving steamapps elsewhere if you want to preserve installs.
Do not assume every save is in Steam Cloud. Steam notes that saves outside Steam Cloud may be in DocumentsMy Games on Windows, but locations depend on the game. Check the game’s own save location before deleting files or moving the full installation; Steam’s moving-installation guidance explains the relevant caveats.
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Reduce surprise downloads with update settings
Update controls can help limit when Steam downloads game updates, but they do not reclaim space already occupied by installed games. In a game’s Properties > Updates, Steam offers automatic-update scheduling during specified hours and the option Only update this game when I launch it. Use these settings to manage download timing, not as a substitute for moving or uninstalling games. Steam documents the controls in Managing Steam Downloads & Updates.
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If a moved library or game has problems
If a library folder needs attention or a game does not behave as expected after a move, Steam’s Update & Installation Issues page covers library repair and verifying game files. Use those checks for installation problems rather than making registry edits or reinstalling Steam as routine disk cleanup.
Quick Recap
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