Tracy King updated on Dec 25, 2020 to PC Transfer|How-to Articles
For transferring games from PC to PC, Here we’ve gathered four reliable and straightforward methods for you to try:
Play your Steam games on your phone, tablet, TV, or other PC. With touch control schemes newly-optimized for hundreds of top titles, you can now access and play games from your PC while on the couch, or on the go. Many Steam games are already optimized. Would this still work for if that game was bought on the Mac App Store? Does Apple's DRM allow compatibility with this other system or is there something that the developer of that game does to allow activation of that game on Steam? I will accept 'No' as an answer to this question because I am not sure myself if this is possible.
Workable Solutions | Step-by-step Troubleshooting |
---|---|
Case 1. Transfer Steam Games to Another PC | Backup Steam games to external hard drive > Transfer Steam to new PC...Full steps |
Case 2. How to Transfer Epic games to new PC | Backup Epic games > Reinstall Epic on the new...Full steps |
Case 3. How to Move Origin games to new PC | Copy the Origin game file > Transfer Origin via EaseUS Todo PCTrans...Full steps |
Case 4. How to Move Uplay games to new PC | Copy Uplay games folder > On the new PC...Full steps |
If you are a Steam/Epic/Origin/Uplay lover and looking for a practical method to transfer your Steam and games to another new computer without reinstalling Steam, you are at the right place.
For Your Information:
Download your game from Steam, using the included Steam (PC) app. This is essentially the Windows version of Steam, allowing you to download Windows games. Right-click (or control-click) Steam (PC).app and select “Show Package Contents”, and do the same for Target.app.
1. Please log in to your Steam or another platform account before starting or during the Steam transferring.
2. And make sure that your external hard drive has enough space for saving the games.
3. You'll need a powerful EaseUS Todo PCTrans Pro to help you move the Steam platform to the new PC without reinstallation in these methods. EaseUS Todo PCTrans Pro can easily do this job for you without any payment, and it's available for you to download and install on both of your PCs:
Case 1. Transfer Steam Games to Another PC
For changing Steam game location, the Backup and Restore feature of Steam is worth to try. It is available for backup all Steam game data. The backup speed depends on the size of your game data. The steam backup will create a zip file for saving portable drive space.
#1. Backup Steam games to an external hard drive.
1. log in with your Steam account on Steam on your old PC > Click on Steam and select 'Backup and Restore Games...' > Check 'Backup currently installed programs' and click 'NEXT>'
2. Select a game or multiple games you want to bring over to the new PC and click 'NEXT>' again.
If you select several games, they will be backed up and transferred at one time.
3. Click 'BROWSE...' to choose the exact location where you want to back up the selected games > Create a folder named 'Steam Games' on the external hard drive, select the folder and click 'NEXT>'.
4. Choose 'Files size - CD or DVD' and click 'NEXT>'. Usually, DVD is recommended (since DVD will be quicker to compress).
Wait for the process to complete, and once done, click 'Finish'. And unplug the external hard drive from your old PC.
# 2. Transfer Steam to new PC without reinstallation.
Instead of wasting time re-downloading Steam from its official site, EaseUS Todo PCTrans Pro will be a more efficient choice.
Note: If you want to transfer more than two files or programs to another computer, please activate it first for further more transferring capacity:
Run EaseUS Todo PCTrans on both PC > Click 'PC to PC' mode > Choose Steam to transfer
# 3. Restore backups of Steam games to new PC.
1. Connect the external hard drive with Steam games back up to the new PC and log in Steam with your account. > Open up the Steam platform on the new PC and select Steam >Backup and Restore Games... > Select 'Restore a previous backup' and click on 'NEXT>'.
2. Click 'BROWSE..' and select the folder on your external hard drive to find the Steam game backup, then click 'SELECT' > 'NEXT'.
3. Locate and choose a location where you want to restore the games on the new PC and click 'NEXT>'. > Click 'I AGREE' to accept restoring games to the new PC and wait for the process to complete.
4. Last, click 'Finish' when the process completes.
Sometimes, if the games don't launch smoothly, restart the PC, and things will go all right.
Manual Copy: Copy Steam folders,transfer Steam and install games to new PC
Unlike Steam games backup, it is suitable for moving several games to another pc. The second method is much faster than the first one.
- Notice:
- If low space occurs in your portable drive, the Backup and Restore feature mentioned above is the better choice for compressing data but spending more time.
Step 1: Copy Steam folder
1. Plug your portable hard drive into the old pc.
If you tend to copy multiple Steam games, please make sure your external hard drive is larger than the Steam game library.
2. Find Steam game files and copy them to the portable drive.
In general, the default Steam library location consists of C:Program FilesSteamsteamappscommon.
The Steam games folders that you installed are here. Then you can start copying or pasting the game folders.
Step 2. Transfer Steam from PC to PC
The way to transfer Steam from PC to PC is the same as listed in Method 1. You can directly scroll back to Method 1 and follow the transferring guide there.
Step 3: Run Steam on the new computer and install the games.
1. Insert the portable drive.
2. Copy the same folder to the Steam library folder ( Steam steamapps common )on the new computer.
3. Click Install.
How to Transfer Epic Games to New PC
#1. Copy and paste Epic game folder to the external hard drive.
Copy your Epic games folder from the default location: C:Programs FilesEpic Games. (If your games are not installed on the location, you can move to the right place for copying.)
#2. Reinstall Epic Games Launcher on the new computer.
Install and Run games launcher > Click Library and select games you want to install > Choose game install location (You can select C drive and name folder as Epic Games.)and click Install >Click to pause the download process and exit the launcher.
#3. Paste the game folder to the new PC.
Connect your external hard drive to a new computer > Paste the folder to the game install location you set up ('Replace the files in the destination.') > Open Epic launcher again >Click Library and resume the game installation
Also read:
Here are two proven ways to do it. One is using EaseUS Todo PCTrans to move the epic game to another drive/PC without re-downloading, the other is manually re-install Fortnite to another drive/PC.
How to Move Origin Games to New PC
#1. Back up Origin games to the external devices on the old PC.
Find the folder by following the default install path: C:Program Files(x86)Origin Games. Copy and paste it to the external hard drive.
#2. Transfer Origin to another computer.
See the transfer steps of EaseUS Todo PCTrans on method 1.
#3. Move games on the new computer.
Put the copied game folder from the external device to the same location on the new computer. Name folder as Origin Games.
Open Origin and choose a game to download. Wait for a second to pause the download process. Right-click game and choose Repair.
Let's check the official answer from EA's Answer HQ if you have any questions about transferring Origin games to a new computer.
How to Move Uplay Games to New PC
The process of migrating the Uplay game is as same as the Epic game transfer.
#1. Copy game files.
Locate the location of your games in the C:Program Files(x86)UbisoftUbisoft Game Launcherdata.Copy the games you want to the USB drive or other devices.
#2. Reinstall Uplay on the new computer.
After installing, click game to download > Set the install location as the exact location as the old PC > When games start the download, you can stop it and exit Uplay.
#3. Move the Files to the new PC.
Plug USB drive and paste the files, choose 'Replace the files in the destination.'
Rerun Uplay and verify game files.
Stay calm when Steam deleted your favorite games or you carelessly deleted Steam game files. Practical and professional solutions provided by the Steam support team, YouTubers and EaseUS software are ready here help you bring lost Steam game and game files back with ease.
A brief guide on how to restore Steam missing downloaded files:
Open Steam and click on the Library button at the top of the window. Right-click on the game that doesn't run, and click on Properties. Click on Local Files, then click on Verify the integrity of the game cache. Re-try running/updating the game with the issue.
The following table displays the outlines of all the effective methods on how to restore missing downloaded files Steam. Go to each part to check details.
Workable Solutions | Step-by-step Troubleshooting |
---|---|
Fix 1. Restore from Steam library | Open the Steam game player and go to Library. Find the lost game name and select 'Properties'...Full steps |
Fix 2. Add installation libraries | Launch Steam. Go to 'Steam' > 'Settings' > 'Downloads'> Click 'Steam Library Folder'...Full steps |
Fix 3. Rename ClientRegistry.blob | Open your Steam installation folder and selecting 'Open file location'. Locate the ClientRegistry.blob file...Full steps |
Fix 4. Restore lost game files | Find Steam game files on PC, and then recover lost steam game files (including game videos, screenshots)...Full steps |
Fix 5. Remove content and reinstall | Remove local content on Steam by going to Steam Library > right-click it and select 'Delete Local Content'...Full steps |
Steam Games have gained a high reputation for that this powerful platform has brought so many wonderful games to worldwide game players. Windows users may carelessly delete or removed Steam game files or installing patches from their computers under Windows 10/8/7 etc.
Fortunately, you can follow multiple Steam Game file recovery solutions provided by the Steam support team, experienced YouTubers, and EaseUS software here to bring all your lost Steam games back immediately.
Steam Game Files Lost Problems
Q 1. Steam doesn't recognize my games, help.
'It seems that the Steam stops working after I upgrade the computer system into Windows 10. It's located in D: drive, but it just cannot recognize my game files, what can I do?'
Q 2. Steam games appeared uninstalled, how do I get Steam to locate my games?
'Steam seems to lose the track of my installed games on my computer. I opened Steam but the game itself appears grayed out and I've checked that it's right there. How to make Steam to find my game files again? Do I need to download and reinstall the game again?'
Q 3. How do I restore deleted Steam game files?
'It seems that I lost my game files on Steam after a reboot of my computer. I tried to play the Dota 2 on Steam, it warned me that no game files were found. I don't know where to find the game files? Any solutions?'
You need to calm down when the Steam stops working or cannot read your Game files on your computer. And here below are detailed solutions for you to apply to recover lost Steam game files again.
Solutions for Lost Steam Games Recovery
The solutions towards different Steam games lost issues are varied. You need to be careful to choose the right solution to bring lost games back on your Steam.
Method 1. Restore Lost Games from Steam Library
Applies to: Resolve Steam games shows greyed out or not recognizable issue.
Provider by: YouTubers, Steam game players
If Steam stops you from playing games, warning you that no files were found, or Steam games greyed out in Steam LIBRARY, you may follow steps below to verify game files and make your games playable again:
Step 1. Open up Steam game player on your device and go to Library.
Step 2. Find the lost game name on the left panel, such as Dota 2, right-click on it and select 'Properties'.
Step 3. On the Properties window, click 'LOCAL FILES' and select 'VERIFY INTEGRITY OF GAME FILES...'.
Wait for the verifying process to finish, then you can open your beloved game and play it on Steam again.
Method 2. Add Installation Libraries/Folders to Steam and Make Game Playable
Applies to: Steam games appear uninstalled when Steam no longer recognizes the installation files.
Provided by: Steam support team, Steam game players.
As long as the game folders are still in the right location, when you try to launch a game, Steam will redownload the game for you. You can follow the below path to check if the game folders are in the proper location on your PC:
C:Program Files (x86)SteamSteamappsCommon
If the game folder is in the Steam file location, you can relaunch the game to redownload it on your Steam. Or you can follow the steps below to add alternative installation libraries or folders to Steam:
Step 1. Launch Steam and go to Steam > Settings > Downloads > Click 'Steam Library Folder'.
This will open all your current Steam Library folders.
Step 2. Click 'Add Library Folder' to select the folder with your installed games.
Wait for the adding process to finish, your installed games that appeared uninstalled will show up in your Steam Library. And you can play games again.
If this doesn't work, try the following tips provided by a Steam player to make Steam game show up in Steam again:
Step 1. Move everything from the original steam folder to a new folder, rename the original (empty) parent folder into a library folder.
Step 2. Move everything from the new folder back to the library folder and restart the client.
Step 3. Start Steam, go to Steam > Settings > Downloads > Steam Library Folders.
Step 4. Click 'Add Library Folder' and select the newly renamed library folder.
Wait for the process to finish, your disappeared games would show up again.
Method 3. Rename the ClientRegistry.blob File to Restore Missing Steam Games
Applies to: Restore missing Steam game files that cause Steam games lost.
Provided by: Geeks, Steam game players.
The ClientRegistry.blob file contains information related to your steam installation and game installations. Once you reset the file, Steam will reset various settings to default, making missing games show up in Steam and work again.
Step 1. Open your Steam installation folder by right-clicking on the Steam shortcut on your Desktop and selecting 'Open file location'.
Step 2. Locate the ClientRegistry.blob file in the Steam folder, right-click on it and select 'Rename'.
Step 3. Change the ClientRegistry.blob to ClientRegistry.old.blob and confirm the changes.
Step 4. Restart your Steam client and check if your games are back.
Method 4. Restore Lost Steam Game Files - Recordings & Screenshots
Applies to: Restore lost or missing Steam game files, such as game installation files, or recordings, screenshots.
Provided by: Geeks, EaseUS software.
Usually, when Steam fails to read or recognize your game files, there might be something wrong with the files in the Steam file location. You may manually check the location of the Steam game files to find out whether those game files are there or apply EaseUS file recovery to fully scan and restore all lost game files.
# 1. Find Steam Game Files on PC
Where to find the Steam game files in PC? Here is the location that you can follow to check if the game files are there:
C:SteamUserdata55230Remote
C is the DriveLetter of the volume where Steam is installed onto.
Steam is the directory where Steam is installed into.
55230 is just the number Steam has assigned to your account.
If the files were not there, you may need to re-download the game files or follow the next tip to recover the lost Steam game files.
# 2. Recover Lost Steam Game Files (Including Game Videos, Screenshots)
Reliable file recovery software like EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard can find the lost Steam game files, including game videos, screenshot on your PC by fully scanning your computer hard drive.
You can try EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard to scan and restore lost Steam game files in 3 steps. All Windows systems including Windows 10 are supported.
Step 1. Choose the file location to scan.
Run EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard on your computer. Choose the drive where you lost files and click 'Scan'. If you lost files were on an external storage device, connect it to your computer firstly.
Step 2. Scan the lost files.
The software will start immediately a quick scan for deleted files, and later a deep scan will launch to scan more lost files all over the selected drive. After the scan, you can use the Filter to quickly filter a specific file type.
Step 3. Preview and restore files.
Double-click on a file allows for a full preview. Finally, select the desired files, click 'Recover' and browse a location to save all the files at once.
You can choose a safe location to save found Steam game files and then move the found game files back to the original Steam Game file location. After this, you can restart the Steam client to make your games playable again.
# 5. Remove Local Content and Reinstall Lost Steam Games
If you've tried or found lost Steam Game files, but it turned out that it still fails to work. You can try to remove the local content and reinstall the game on Steam:
Step 1. Remove local content on Steam
On Steam Library > Right-click it and select'Delete Local Content'.
Step 2. Reinstall beloved Steam games
Locate greyed out games in Steam LIBRARY, right-click on a specific game and select 'Install'.
Repeat the process until you have all the desired games installed. You can restart the Steam client to play games on your PC again.
Bonus Tips: Back Up and Restore Steam Games
Besides knowing remarkably efficient ways for lost Steam games recovery, you should also acquire reliable ways for backing up Steam games.
You can always survive whenever you lost Steam games or local saved game files including recordings, screenshots, etc. on your computer. Two reliable tips will help you fully back up Steam games and related game files on your own. Let's see the details:
# 1. Manually Back Up Steam Games
Step 1. Launch Steam on your PC, and go to the LIBRARY > Right-click on downloaded games that you want to back up and select 'Backup Game Files...'.
Step 2. Check the box in front of the games that you wish to backup, and click 'Next' to continue.
Step 3. Select the location to save your Steam games backup and click 'Next' to continue.
Usually, the default backup location is C:/programs files (x86)/steam/Backups/. If you want to specify another location for saving the games, click 'Browse' to choose a new location.
Step 4. You can rename the backup files or keep the default generated name, and click 'Next' to continue.
Wait until the backup operation finishes. The backup speed is based on the size of your selected games.
When you need to restore the Steam backups of your favored games, you can simply go to Steam > Backup and Restore Games and follow the onscreen guidelines to finish the backup recovery process.
# 2. Back Up Local Saved Steam Game Files
Don't forget to back up your saved files of Steam games on your local drive. To do so, you should first learn what files need to be backed up on your PC?
First. Find Game Files Location for Backup
- Game folders: C:Program FilesSteamSteamAppscommon
Next. Back Up Game Files
You need now specify another secure drive or an external hard drive to continue the backup process.
After this, you can manually copy each folder one by one the target device or use reliable file backup software such as EaseUS Todo Backup to fully backup all files at one time.
This backup software enables you to selectively back up all desired files in only 3 steps:
Step 1: Launch EaseUS Todo Backup software and then choose 'File Backup', 'Disk/partition Backup' or 'System Backup' for different backup purpose.
Step 2: Choose the system, disk partition, files or apps that you want to back up. Then select a destination where you want to store the backup file.
Step 3: Click 'Proceed' to start the data backup process.