Downloaded game onto my external hard drive, but Steam won't let me play the game? [duplicate]

Downloaded game onto my external hard drive, but Steam won't let me play the game? [duplicate] - White Jigsaw Puzzle Illustration

Steam is saying I have to download the game all over again, but I have already done so. It is on my external hard drive instead of my SSD in my laptop, to save space. I haven't really had this problem before, any ideas what may have happened?



Best Answer

The game needs to be in the correct folder.

It has to be in your <Steam Directory>\Steam\SteamApps\common folder. If it is in one, make sure Steam recognizes it.




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Can you play Steam games stored on an external hard drive?

What type of external drive to use for your Steam library. The good news is that you can run your Steam library from virtually any external drive. You'll probably be best avoiding a USB flash drive, but a USB HDD or SSD will be just fine. The limitations on performance will be the same as on an internal drive.

How do I get Steam to recognize a game already installed?

Launch Steam and go to Steam > Settings > Downloads and click the Steam Library Folders button. This will open a window with all your current Steam Library folders. Near the top of the window click the "+" button and select the folder with your installed games.

Can you download a game on an external hard drive and play it?

Yes, you can. The best external hard drives are extremely easy to use. All you need to do is plug them in. Besides, an external hard drive can be a great way to install games on multiple computers.



How to Play Steam Games from an External HDD or SSD




More answers regarding downloaded game onto my external hard drive, but Steam won't let me play the game? [duplicate]

Answer 2

I would try clearing some space and installing Skyrim on your SSD.

Steam tends to be picky about which folders it'll pick from.

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