How to Backup Steam Games: The Complete 2026 Guide

What is the Steam Backup Feature?

The Steam backup feature is a built-in tool that compresses and saves your game files into a single, manageable folder. This allows you to easily reinstall games in the future without redownloading them from the internet. In 2026, with game file sizes frequently exceeding 150 gigabytes, this feature is incredibly useful for managing your storage limits and saving time. It is important to note that a game file backup simply saves the core installation files required to run the game, whereas a game save backup protects your personal progress and character data.

How to Backup Steam Games Using the Built-in Tool

To use the built-in backup tool, you just need to launch the client and access the properties of the game you want to save. This default tool is great if you want to compress files to save space on your hard drive.

Step-by-Step Steam Backup Process

Follow these steps to create a backup using the default client interface:

1. Open your client and go to your Library.

2. Right-click on the specific game you want to back up and select Properties.

3. Navigate to the Installed Files tab on the left menu.

4. Click the Backup game files button.

5. Choose the destination folder where you want to save your compressed backup, then click Next to start the process.

Steam Backup and Restore Games

When you are ready to play your game again, you need to use the restore function. This unpacks your compressed backup files back into your main library.

1. Click Steam in the top-left corner of the client window.

2. Select Restore Game Backup from the drop-down menu.

3. Browse to the folder where you previously saved your backup files.

4. Click Next and let the client unpack and install the game files.

How to Backup Steam Games Manually

Manually copying your files is often faster than using the built-in compression tool and is highly preferred by power users. Instead of compressing data, you simply copy and paste the raw game files from one folder to another.

Where to Find Steam Game Files

To back up your files manually, you first need to know where they are located. By default on Windows, you can find your game files in this exact path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common. Inside the common folder, you will see individual folders for every game you currently have installed.

How to Backup Steam Games to External Hard Drive

If you want to clear up space on your main drive, moving games to an external hard drive is a great solution.

1. Plug your external USB or SSD drive into your computer.

2. Navigate to your steamapps folder using the path mentioned above.

3. Right-click the common folder (or just the specific game folders inside it) and select Copy.

4. Open your external hard drive, right-click in an empty space, and select Paste.

How to Backup Steam Games to Another Computer

Moving files to a new PC or a friend's PC follows a very similar manual process. Once you have copied the game files to a portable drive, follow these steps on the new computer:

1. Plug the portable drive into the new computer.

2. Copy the game folders from the portable drive and paste them into the new computer's steamapps\common directory.

3. Open the client on the new computer and click Install on the game you just copied.

4. The client will say "Discovering existing files" and will verify the file integrity so it recognizes them without downloading everything again.

How to Backup Steam Games When Reinstalling Windows

Reinstalling or formatting your operating system can cause anxiety about losing data, but keeping your games safe is very straightforward. Before you wipe Windows, you need to copy a few critical folders to an external drive.

1. Copy the entire steamapps folder to save all of your downloaded game files.

2. Copy the userdata folder located inside your main installation directory. This folder holds many of your local screenshots, configuration files, and game saves.

3. Check your Documents and AppData folders on your C: drive, as many third-party games store their local save files there instead of the default directory. Copy these to your external drive as well.

How to Backup Steam Games Saves

Game installation files and your personal game saves are usually stored in entirely different places on your computer. Backing up the game application does not always guarantee your personal progress is safe.

Using Steam Cloud for Game Saves

If you are wondering how to backup steam games and keep your progress, you should use the cloud. For supported games, the cloud feature backs up your saves automatically. To check if a game supports this, select the game in your Library, click the Properties menu, and look under the General tab. Ensure the toggle next to Keep games saves in the Steam Cloud is turned on.

Finding Local Save Files

Older games or titles that do not support cloud synchronization require manual save backups. You will typically find these local save files in your Documents folder, inside AppData\Local or AppData\Roaming, or within the userdata folder in your main installation directory. Simply copy these specific folders to a safe location to protect your progress.

How to Backup Steam Games on Linux

With the massive growth of the Linux gaming and Steam Deck user base in 2026, knowing how to manage files on these systems is crucial. By default, your game files on Linux are located at ~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/.

1. Switch to Desktop Mode if you are using a handheld device.

2. Open your file manager and enable the option to view hidden files, then navigate to the path above.

3. Copy the game folders you want to save and paste them onto a connected external drive or microSD card. You can restore them later by pasting them back into the exact same folder path.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Does Steam backup game saves automatically?

Yes, but only if the specific game you are playing supports the cloud synchronization feature. You can verify this by checking the game's properties in your library and ensuring the cloud toggle is switched to the on position.

How to save Steam games offline?

To save your games while offline, you need to manually copy your steamapps folder to physical storage media like a flash drive or external SSD. This manual method does not require an internet connection, allowing you to secure your files instantly.

How to back up Steam games files safely?

To safely back up your files, always make sure the client is completely closed and no games are running in the background before you start copying. This prevents file corruption and ensures all data transfers to your new drive perfectly intact.