How to Install Games on Different Storage Drives

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Desktop monitor showing two storage locations with external drives beside tower

When you first set up a computer for gaming, everything often installs to the same place without much thought. After a while, though, you may notice that some games take up a lot of space, while others don’t really need the fastest storage. That’s when many people realize they can be more intentional about where their games live.

Modern computers often have more than one storage drive. A smaller, faster SSD is commonly used for the operating system and important apps, while a larger HDD is used for files, media, and anything that doesn’t need speed. Games fall somewhere in between. Some benefit greatly from the speed of an SSD, while others run perfectly fine from an HDD.

Learning how to install games on different drives helps you use your storage more wisely. You keep your fastest drive from filling up too quickly, and you still get smooth performance where it matters most.

If you want a broader view of how games and storage work together, you can read more in the game installation and storage management guide.

Understanding Why Drive Choice Matters

An SSD (Solid State Drive) loads data very quickly. Games stored here usually start faster, load levels faster, and feel more responsive when moving between large areas.

An HDD (Hard Disk Drive) is slower but often much larger. It’s ideal for games that are smaller, older, or not as demanding when loading assets.

This means you don’t have to treat every game the same. You can decide:

  • Large open-world or graphics-heavy games go on the SSD
  • Smaller, casual, or older games go on the HDD
  • Games you play often stay on the SSD
  • Games you play occasionally can live on the HDD

The key is knowing how to tell your game platform where to install each game before you click the install button.

Checking Your Available Drives

Before installing anything, it helps to confirm how your drives appear in Windows.

  1. Open File Explorer
  2. Click This PC
  3. You will see drives such as Local Disk (C:), New Volume (D:), or similar

Typically, the C: drive is the SSD where Windows is installed. Another letter such as D: or E: is often the larger HDD. You don’t need to change anything here. You just need to recognize which drive you want games to use.

Choosing a Drive in Steam

Steam makes it very easy to install games on different drives by using something called Steam Library Folders.

Add a New Library Folder

  1. Open Steam
  2. Click Steam in the top left corner
  3. Select Settings
  4. Go to Storage
  5. Click Add Drive
  6. Select your second drive (for example, D:)
  7. Create or choose a folder for Steam games

Now Steam knows that this drive is another valid place to install games.

Choose the Drive When Installing

When you install a game:

  1. Click Install on the game page
  2. A window appears asking for the install location
  3. Select the drive you want from the dropdown list
  4. Continue with the installation

You can repeat this process for each game and decide case by case where it should go.

Choosing a Drive in Epic Games Launcher

The Epic Games Launcher allows you to choose the installation location for each game as well.

  1. Open the Epic Games Launcher
  2. Click Install on a game
  3. When the location window appears, click Browse
  4. Navigate to the drive you want (such as D:)
  5. Create or select a folder
  6. Confirm the location and start the install

Each game can be placed on a different drive depending on your choice at this step.

Choosing a Drive in Xbox App (Game Pass for PC)

The Xbox app lets you set a default drive for games, and you can also change it per installation.

Set a Default Drive

  1. Open the Xbox app
  2. Click your profile icon
  3. Go to Settings
  4. Select General
  5. Under Game install options, choose your preferred drive

Change Drive for a Specific Game

When installing a game, you can still select a different drive before confirming the download.

Deciding Which Games Go Where

As you install more games, you’ll start to notice a pattern that works for you. Many people follow simple habits like:

  • Put current favorite games on the SSD
  • Move completed or rarely played games to the HDD
  • Keep multiplayer or large-map games on the SSD
  • Store indie or small games on the HDD

This approach keeps your SSD from filling up too quickly while still giving you fast load times where you notice them most.

Moving a Game Later to Another Drive

You don’t have to get the decision perfect the first time. Most launchers allow you to move installed games between drives without reinstalling them.

In Steam, for example:

  1. Right-click the game in your Library
  2. Select Properties
  3. Go to Installed Files
  4. Click Move Install Folder
  5. Select the other drive

This lets you reorganize your storage whenever you want, based on what you’re currently playing.

What to Expect After Organizing Your Game Storage

Once you start installing games intentionally across drives, a few things become easier to manage.

Your main drive stays cleaner and has more free space for Windows and important programs. You know exactly where each game is located. And when you look at your drives in File Explorer, the storage usage makes more sense.

You’ll also feel more comfortable deciding where new games should go instead of accepting the default location every time.

Over time, this becomes a simple habit. Before clicking install, you naturally think, “SSD or HDD?” and choose accordingly. That small decision helps you use your computer’s storage in a much more organized and practical way.

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