You can usually move a Steam library to a fresh Linux installation without downloading every game again. Exit Steam completely, copy the entire library while preserving the steamapps directory and its manifests, install Steam on the new system, then add the copied library root in Settings > Storage. If a title still says Install, start the installation into that same library so Steam scans the files, and finish with Verify integrity of game files.
Copying only steamapps/common is the common mistake. The app manifests identify installed games, while compatdata, shadercache, and your separate userdata tree can contain Proton prefixes, settings, and saves.
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What must move for Steam to recognize the games
A Steam library is more than the visible game folders. The directory you add on the new installation must be the parent that contains steamapps. Inside that directory, retain the metadata and support files that Steam uses to reconstruct the installation.
| Item | Typical location | Why it matters | Copy it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game data | steamapps/common/ |
The installed Linux or Windows game files. | Yes |
| Installed-game records | steamapps/appmanifest_<APPID>.acf |
These records tell Steam which app IDs are installed and which library owns them. | Yes |
| Proton prefixes | steamapps/compatdata/<APPID>/ |
Windows-game prefixes, per-game settings, mods, and saves that live inside the prefix. | Yes when you need the existing Proton environment |
| Shader caches | steamapps/shadercache/ |
Compiled shader data that can reduce shader processing after the move. | Yes; it can be regenerated, but retaining it avoids unnecessary rebuilding |
| Steam account data | ~/.local/share/Steam/userdata/ |
Per-account, per-app local data and files associated with Steam Cloud synchronization. | Back up separately |
| Library configuration | Often config/libraryfolders.vdf under the Steam data directory |
Records library locations for that particular installation. | Do not depend on copying it; add the library through the Storage interface |
The app manifests are especially important. If they are absent, Steam may see ordinary folders but not classify the games as installed. A copied Windows library can also be incomplete on Linux: Steam uses different depots for native Linux and Windows builds, so Proton may need Linux-specific or platform-specific files even when much of the directory is reusable.
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Plan the move before touching the old installation
Choose a suitable destination filesystem
For a permanent library, prefer an internal SSD or another Linux-native filesystem. Unix ownership, permissions, symbolic links, and file-name behavior are much less troublesome there than on a filesystem mounted with restrictive or foreign ownership rules. Steam Support states: “It is not recommended that you install Steam to an external hard drive, due to potential performance issues.” An external disk is still useful as temporary staging when it is mounted read/write and the copy preserves ownership and permissions.
Check that the destination has room for the complete library, including hidden files and the compatdata and shadercache directories. If the old and new systems use different mount points, that is fine; Steam records the new location when you add it in Storage.
Keep an independent backup
Before changing or moving anything, make a second copy of the complete steamapps directory. If saves matter, also copy ~/.local/share/Steam/userdata and any game-specific save directories that are outside Steam Cloud. Do not delete the old installation until several games have launched successfully on the new system and your saves have been checked.
Know which library you are copying
Steam can have more than one library. Identify the exact directory that contains the relevant steamapps folder rather than copying only a visible game directory. If your library is on a separate partition, mount that partition before beginning and confirm that you can read and write files there.
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Copy the library safely
1. Fully exit Steam
- Close every Steam window, including download, friends, and settings windows.
- Wait for downloads, shader processing, and cloud synchronization to finish.
- Confirm that no Steam process is still writing to the library. A graphical system monitor can show remaining Steam processes; on systems with the usual process tools,
pgrep -a steamcan help you check.
Copying while Steam is running can leave an app manifest or download state only partly written. If in doubt, restart the old system, open no Steam windows, and begin the copy immediately after logging in.
2. Copy the complete library root
Copy the directory one level above steamapps. Preserve ownership, permissions, timestamps, symbolic links, and hidden files. A file-copy utility with archive support is appropriate; for example, an rsync transfer can be structured like this:
rsync -aHAX --info=progress2 /old/library/ /new/library/Use paths that exist on your machines and keep the trailing slash convention consistent with your chosen source and destination. If your filesystem or user account does not support one of the preservation flags, use a graphical copier or archive-capable tool that explicitly retains permissions, timestamps, links, and hidden files. Do not copy only /old/library/steamapps/common/; that omits the manifests and Proton data.
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3. Check the result before installing the new client
On the destination, verify that the copied root contains steamapps, that steamapps/common contains the game directories, and that files named like appmanifest_123456.acf are present. If Proton data is important, inspect steamapps/compatdata for the relevant app IDs. Compare the approximate size of source and destination and investigate an unexpectedly small copy before proceeding.
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Install Steam on the new Linux system
1. Install and sign in
Install the same or a newer Steam client on the fresh Linux installation, launch it once, and sign in to the same Steam account that owns the games. Let the client finish its first-run setup, then close any initial download prompts before adding the existing library.
2. Add the library through Storage
- Open Steam and choose Steam > Settings.
- Open Storage.
- Use the storage menu to add an existing library location.
- Select the copied library root—the directory that contains
steamapps. - Allow Steam to rescan the location.
Do not select the steamapps subdirectory itself as the library root. Steam expects the parent directory and looks inside it for steamapps, manifests, and the other library folders. Adding the location through the interface is safer than hand-editing config/libraryfolders.vdf, whose format and path ownership belong to the particular Steam installation.
3. Let the library finish indexing
Once the path is accepted, open the Library view and allow Steam time to read the manifests. Large libraries can take a while to populate, especially when the destination is an external staging disk. Avoid starting several installations while the initial scan is still in progress.
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An Install button does not necessarily mean that every byte is missing. It often means Steam has not associated the existing files with the current library record.
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- Select the game and click Install.
- Choose the copied library as the destination; do not create a second library on the new system.
- Begin the installation and watch the storage or download view. Steam should discover existing files and switch to checking or allocating rather than downloading the full game.
- After discovery completes, open the game’s properties, choose Installed Files, and run Verify integrity of game files.
If Steam immediately schedules a full download, cancel it and check the path. The selected destination must be the same library root that contains the copied steamapps directory, and the matching appmanifest_<APPID>.acf file must be present. A manifest from a different account or an incomplete copy can also prevent discovery.
Proton, compatdata, and platform differences
Preserve Proton prefixes when settings or saves matter
For a Proton game, the normal prefix is in the same library as the game: steamapps/compatdata/<APPID>/pfx/. It can contain the Windows-style registry, configuration files, mods, and saves under paths such as pfx/drive_c/users/.... Copying the game directory without its matching compatdata leaves Steam able to reinstall the files but not the old prefix state.
After the move, launch one Proton game as a test. If it reports that the prefix is not owned by you, inspect the destination mount and file ownership. The account running Steam must be able to read and write the prefix. Moving the library—or at least compatdata—to a Linux-native filesystem usually resolves ownership and permission failures caused by unsuitable mount options.
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Expect native and Windows depots to differ
A native Linux build and a Windows build are different depots. Steam may download Linux-specific files even when the Windows files are already present, or it may fetch a changed build, language pack, branch, or platform component. The migration avoids re-downloading files that match the selected platform and current manifest; it cannot convert incompatible files into a complete installation.
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Keep shader data, but know it is disposable
The shadercache directory can be copied with the library. If it is missing or invalid, Steam and the graphics stack can rebuild shader data. A rebuilt cache is not evidence that the game files failed to move.
Protect saves and Steam Cloud data
Back up userdata before the first launch
Steam’s standard local account tree is ~/.local/share/Steam/userdata. It contains account folders named by Steam ID and game data below them by app ID. Keep the old copy until the new installation has synchronized and you have opened the games whose saves matter.
Cloud synchronization is not universal
Steam Cloud is enabled per game and does not cover every title or every file. A Cloud conflict means Steam has different local and remote versions and cannot always choose the correct one automatically. Read the timestamps and sizes shown by Steam’s conflict dialog, and preserve both copies before choosing a replacement when the save is irreplaceable.
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Locate saves that are not in Cloud
For Proton titles, inspect the relevant compatdata/<APPID>/pfx/drive_c/users/... tree and consult the game’s documentation for its save location. Other games store saves in a Linux home-directory path outside the prefix. A successful game-file verification does not restore a missing save; save recovery requires the old userdata, prefix, or documented game-specific directory.
Flatpak Steam and sandbox access
If Steam was installed as a Flatpak, its sandbox can hide a correctly copied library. Before adding the location in Storage, grant the Flatpak read/write access to the destination path using your desktop’s Flatpak permissions tool or the Flatpak configuration method provided by your distribution. Restart Steam after changing access, then add the library root again. If the path is visible to the host system but absent from Steam’s folder picker, treat sandbox access as the first suspect.
Quick Recap
Verify the migration before deleting anything
- Launch one native Linux game and confirm that it reaches its main menu.
- Launch one Proton game and check that its prefix is created or reused without an ownership error.
- Open a save-dependent game and verify that the expected profile or save is present.
- Use Verify integrity of game files on any title that crashes, reports missing files, or downloads an unexpectedly large amount.
- Check that Steam Cloud shows the expected synchronization state for supported games.
- Only after these checks pass for several representative titles should you remove the old library.
Troubleshooting by symptom
| Symptom | Likely cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
| No games appear after adding storage | The selected folder is wrong, or Steam cannot read it. | Add the directory one level above steamapps; confirm the folder is mounted and readable, then restart Steam and rescan. |
| Games appear with an Install button | Steam has not associated the copied files with an installed-game manifest. | Start installation into the same copied library, let Steam discover existing files, then verify the installation. |
| Steam downloads the whole game | The manifest or files do not match the current platform, branch, language set, or build. | Confirm the app ID and library path, then allow only the unmatched data to download. A native Linux depot cannot be replaced by a Windows depot. |
| Proton says the prefix is not owned by you | Destination ownership or mount options prevent write access. | Correct ownership and mount behavior for the account running Steam, or move the library and compatdata to a Linux-native filesystem. |
| Flatpak cannot see the drive | The sandbox lacks permission for the destination path. | Grant the Flatpak access, restart Steam, and add the library again through Storage. |
| Saves are missing | The game does not use Cloud, synchronization has not completed, or saves reside in a prefix or separate directory. | Keep the old userdata backup, inspect the matching Proton prefix, check Cloud status, and follow the game’s documented save path. |
| Verification reports missing files | Files belong to another platform, branch, language selection, or build, or the copy was incomplete. | Let Steam replace only the files that fail verification and recheck the destination’s permissions and available space. |
Migration checklist
- Steam is fully closed on the old installation.
- A second backup of the complete
steamappsdirectory exists. common,appmanifest_*.acf,compatdata, andshadercachewere copied.- The separate
~/.local/share/Steam/userdatabackup is safe. - The destination is mounted read/write and has suitable ownership and permissions.
- The new Steam client is signed in to the same account.
- The library root added in Settings > Storage is the parent of
steamapps. - Any game still marked uninstalled was installed into that same root and verified.
- One native game, one Proton game, and the important saves have been tested.
- The old copy remains untouched until the new installation is proven reliable.
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