Getting your games back after a reformat

Games are the biggest thing on the disk and the slowest to download. Set one folder aside and you never download them twice; forget the saves and they do not come back.

Last updated 2026-09-21

How to avoid downloading again: before you format

The launcher has to be reinstalled, but the game files do not have to be downloaded again, because every launcher has a way of recognising a game folder that already exists. Moving that folder out of harm’s way before the reformat is half of this guide.

1. 1

   Steam: the steamapps folder

   Default location C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps. The game files are in common inside it, and the .acf files next to them record what is installed. Copy the whole folder to D: or an external disk. If your library was already on D: (Steam → Settings → Storage), that drive is untouched by the reformat — leave it alone.

2. 2

   Epic Games: the game folders

   Default location is one folder per game under C:\Program Files\Epic Games. Copy them whole. Putting them back is one step fiddlier than Steam; it is described below.

3. 3

   Battle.net: the game folders

   Default location is a folder named after each game under C:\Program Files (x86) (Overwatch, World of Warcraft and so on). Copy them, and Battle.net’s "Locate the game" picks them up as they are.

4. 4

   Save files: these are not in the game folder

   Games with Steam Cloud keep saves on your account (the game page shows a "Steam Cloud" mark on the right). Others usually keep them in one of three places: Documents\My Games; a folder named after the game or publisher under %APPDATA% or %LOCALAPPDATA%; or %USERPROFILE%\Saved Games. Older games sometimes keep them inside the game folder. Searching the game’s name plus "save location" turns up the exact path on sites such as PCGamingWiki.

5. 5

   If the games are already on D:

   Format only C: and the game files on D: survive. Reinstall the launcher and point it at the folder using the methods below. For next time, keeping the game library on D: is a habit worth having.

Bringing them back after the reformat

The order is graphics driver → launcher → recognise the game folder → restore saves. Graphics first because launchers and games set their graphics options on first run.

Steam

Install Steam and, before launching it, drop the backed-up steamapps folder over the new Steam\steamapps. Start Steam and the games show as installed, with files verified on first launch. If the folder is on D:, go to Steam → Settings → Storage → Add Drive, pick that drive, and it recognises the games inside. If one or two are missing, click Install on that game and choose the same folder — it finds the existing files, verifies them and carries on.

Epic Games

Install the launcher, click Install on the game in your library and set the install location to the original folder. As soon as the download starts, cancel it, copy the backed-up files into that folder, then click Resume. The launcher checks the files and downloads only what is missing. Get the order wrong and it downloads from scratch, so keep to cancel → copy → resume.

Battle.net

Install the launcher, open the game’s page, and in the menu next to the Install button choose "Locate the game", then point it at the backed-up folder. It verifies and is ready to play. On games with large data folders, such as World of Warcraft, this saves the most time.

EA app, Ubisoft Connect, GOG Galaxy

All three have something similar: "Locate game" in the EA app’s game settings, "Locate installed game" in Ubisoft Connect, "Import folder" in GOG Galaxy. The exact wording shifts between versions.

Riot (League of Legends, Valorant)

You can copy the folders, but Valorant’s Vanguard needs a fresh install and a reboot, and the Riot client often fails to recognise a copied folder. For these, downloading again is the less painful route.

Xbox app and Microsoft Store games

The game folders are protected, so restoring from copied files rarely works. Plan on downloading them again. Saves live in the cloud on your Xbox account and return once you sign in.

Restoring saves

1. 1

   Install the game and run it once first

   The game has to create its save folder before you overwrite it. Do it the other way round and some games wipe the folder as they create it on first run.

2. 2

   Copy the backed-up saves to the same path

   It must be the same path as before. If your Windows username changed, paths like %APPDATA% now point at the new user folder — put them there.

3. 3

   If a cloud conflict appears, choose by date

   When Steam says the local and cloud files differ, pick the more recent one. If your last session before the reformat synced to the cloud, the cloud copy is newer. Not sure? Copy the local file somewhere else first, then choose.

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