How to Completely Move Minecraft from C Drive to D Drive

Introduction

Minecraft, a global phenomenon, has captivated millions with its blocky charm and endless possibilities. From building elaborate castles to surviving perilous nights, the game’s allure is undeniable. As players explore expansive worlds and dedicate hours to crafting their digital empires, the efficient management of game files becomes increasingly important. For many, the limited storage space on their primary drive, often the C drive, can create a bottleneck, hindering performance and leading to potential frustrations. This is where moving Minecraft to a secondary drive, such as the D drive, becomes a wise decision.

This guide is designed to provide you with a comprehensive walkthrough on how to completely move Minecraft from your C drive to your D drive. This process involves not just the game files themselves, but also ensures that the Minecraft launcher correctly recognizes the new location, allowing for seamless gameplay and uninterrupted access to your cherished worlds. We’ll cover essential preparations, step-by-step instructions, troubleshooting tips, and everything you need to know to ensure a smooth transition, freeing up valuable space on your C drive and potentially boosting your Minecraft experience. We will cover both Java and Bedrock editions in our guide.

Preparing Your System Before You Start

Before diving into the process, taking a few preparatory steps is crucial. These actions will safeguard your valuable game data and make the transition as smooth as possible.

Back Up Your Minecraft World

The most important step is to create a backup of your Minecraft worlds. Years of effort, countless hours of building, and cherished memories are all contained within your world save files. Losing these due to unforeseen circumstances would be devastating. Always create backups.

To find your Minecraft world save files, the location depends on which version of Minecraft you use (Java Edition or Bedrock Edition) and if you use the official launcher or a third-party launcher. We’ll cover the most common methods for both Java and Bedrock.

For Java Edition:

Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
Type %appdata% and press Enter. This will open the Roaming folder, which contains application data.
In the Roaming folder, navigate to the .minecraft folder. This folder holds the core Minecraft files, including your worlds, resource packs, and other game-related data.
Inside the .minecraft folder, look for the saves folder. This folder contains all of your singleplayer and multiplayer worlds.
Copy the entire saves folder (or individual world folders) to a safe location. This could be an external hard drive, a USB drive, or a cloud storage service like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive. Ensure the backup location is different from both your C and D drives initially, to be extra careful.
Consider zipping the saves folder or individual world folders to reduce their size and make them easier to manage.

For Bedrock Edition:

Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
Type %localappdata% and press Enter. This opens the Local folder.
Navigate to Packages.
Look for a folder named something like Microsoft.MinecraftUWP_somecharacterstring. It’s likely to be the folder with the biggest size.
Inside that folder, go to LocalState then to games and finally to com.mojang.
Inside com.mojang, you will find the minecraftWorlds folder. This contains your Bedrock Edition worlds.
Copy the minecraftWorlds folder to a safe location.

For Minecraft versions on other launchers such as Lunar Client and Badlion Client, you will need to find your Minecraft instance folders. The instructions may vary, but they can normally be found in the game client’s settings.

Regular backups are key. Consider backing up your worlds every few weeks, or even more frequently if you are actively building or creating in-game.

Close Minecraft and the Launcher

Before making any changes to the game files, it is imperative that both Minecraft and its launcher are completely closed. This prevents potential errors during the file transfer and ensures that all changes are saved correctly.

Close Minecraft: Ensure that Minecraft is completely closed. Close the game entirely from the in-game menu and exit it.
Close the Launcher: After closing the game, also close the launcher. The launcher could be running in the background, using system resources and possibly interfering with the move. You can close the launcher by clicking the “X” button in the top right corner of the launcher window, or by right-clicking its icon in the system tray (near the clock) and selecting “Exit” or “Quit.”
Verify with Task Manager: To make sure that nothing is running in the background, open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc). In the “Processes” tab, check to see if any instances of “Minecraft” or the launcher are running. If you find them, select them and click “End task” to ensure they are closed.

Disk Space Check

Before initiating the move, verify the amount of free space on both your C drive and your D drive. This is a critical step to ensure that the process will succeed and to avoid any complications.

C Drive: Determine the amount of space currently occupied on your C drive. Right-click on your C drive in File Explorer and select “Properties.” The Properties window will show the used space and the free space. Ensure that your C drive has enough space to temporarily hold Minecraft files.
D Drive: Check the free space on your D drive using the same method. The D drive needs to have enough space to accommodate the entirety of the Minecraft installation, including all game files and any future worlds you create. A good rule of thumb is to have significantly more space than the current Minecraft installation size, for future expansion and updates.
If your D drive doesn’t have enough space, consider deleting unnecessary files, uninstalling programs you no longer use, or transferring files to an external drive before beginning the process.
Make sure to also consider the space the launcher takes up.

Moving the Minecraft Game Files

Once you have prepared your system, it’s time to relocate the core Minecraft files to your D drive.

Locate Minecraft Installation Folder General Method

The installation folder holds the game’s primary files. Its exact location varies based on the game edition, launcher, and how you installed it. We will describe the most common general method.

Using File Explorer, navigate to the path we mentioned in backing up your files. For the Java Edition, the general path is: C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft.
For Bedrock Edition, the general path is: C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.MinecraftUWP_somecharacterstring\LocalState\games\com.mojang.
For third-party launchers, you need to open the launcher to check their directory for the game files. They are normally located in the client’s settings or config.

Cut and Paste Method Simplest Method

This is the most straightforward and easiest method. It involves simply moving the entire Minecraft installation folder from the C drive to the D drive.

Locate the .minecraft folder (or relevant folder): Follow the instructions above to find your installation directory.
Cut the Folder: Right-click on the entire .minecraft folder (Java Edition) or its respective directory (Bedrock Edition) and select “Cut” from the context menu. This will remove the folder from its current location and place it in your clipboard.
Navigate to Your D Drive: Open File Explorer and navigate to your D drive.
Paste the Folder: Right-click on an empty area within the D drive and select “Paste” from the context menu. Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + V. This will paste the entire folder to your D drive.
Verify the Move: Once the transfer is complete, double-check to ensure that the .minecraft or the relevant folder now resides on your D drive.

Moving Minecraft Alternative Method for the Launcher

Rather than directly moving files, this alternative involves using the launcher to update the game’s installation directory.

Minecraft Launcher Official

This method works for the official Minecraft launcher.

Open the Minecraft Launcher: Launch the official Minecraft launcher.
Navigate to Installations: Click on the “Installations” tab at the top of the launcher window.
Find the Installation: Locate the installation you wish to move. It will normally list all of your current profiles, including the ones you created previously.
Edit the Installation: Click the three dots (…) to the right of the installation profile (e.g., “Latest Release”). Then select “Edit.”
Change the Game Directory: In the “Edit Installation” window, find the “Game directory” field. This field specifies the location of the game files. Click on the existing path to change it.
Browse to D Drive: Click the “Browse” button (usually an ellipsis or “…”) to open a file browser. Navigate to your D drive, and either create a new folder (e.g., .minecraft) or select the existing one you made from the previous methods. Select this new location. The path in the “Game directory” field should now reflect the new location on your D drive (e.g., D:\.minecraft).
Save the Changes: Click the “Save” button to save your changes. The launcher will now point to your new location for game files.
Restart the Launcher (Optional): It’s often a good idea to close and restart the launcher to ensure the changes take effect immediately.

Other Launchers If Applicable

If you’re using a third-party launcher like MultiMC, CurseForge, or similar, the method for changing the game directory will be slightly different. However, the underlying principle is the same: you need to configure the launcher to recognize the new location of your Minecraft files. Generally, you’ll find these settings within the launcher’s profile management options or configuration settings. Consult the documentation or support pages for your specific launcher for detailed instructions.

Verifying the Move

After you move the files and configured the launcher, it’s time to ensure everything works correctly.

Test Minecraft

Launch Minecraft and start playing. This is the most important test.

Launch Minecraft: Start the Minecraft launcher and launch the game.
Verify the Game Launches: If the move was successful, the game should launch without any errors. If you encounter problems, recheck the previous steps, checking each step for errors.
Create or Load a World: Load a world and test the gameplay.
Test Other Game Modes: Test other game modes such as multiplayer. Ensure that everything runs smoothly.

Check Save Files

Confirm that your save files are loading from the D drive.

Check the .minecraft Folder: If you moved the whole folder, verify that the .minecraft folder (or the appropriate folder) is now on the D drive.
Load a World: When you load a saved world, the game uses the files from the save folder. If everything works as expected, it will load from the new path on your D drive.

Troubleshooting

Moving Minecraft can sometimes introduce problems. Here are a few troubleshooting steps to address common issues.

Launcher Errors

Launcher errors can prevent the game from launching.

Game Not Found: This usually means the launcher can’t find the Minecraft installation.

Check the Game Directory: Carefully verify the game directory is correctly specified in the launcher’s settings. Make sure the path is accurate (e.g., D:\.minecraft).
Restart the Launcher: Restart the launcher to refresh its configuration.
Reinstall the Launcher: If the error persists, try reinstalling the launcher.

Corrupted Files: Sometimes, a corrupted game file can cause launch problems.

Verify Game Files: For the official launcher, in the “Installations” tab, click on the three dots (…) next to your profile and select “Repair” or “Verify.” This will check for any missing or corrupt files and attempt to fix them.
Reinstall the Game: If verification fails, the most reliable solution is often to uninstall and then reinstall Minecraft using the official launcher, ensuring you specify the correct installation location on the D drive.

Performance Issues

If the game performs worse after the move, it could be due to the D drive’s performance or related settings.

Drive Health: Ensure your D drive is healthy and not experiencing errors. You can check the drive’s health using the operating system’s disk tools or third-party utility.
Drive Full: Check if the D drive is full or nearly full. If it is, free up space by deleting unnecessary files or moving them to an external drive.
Hardware Configuration: Ensure that the D drive is properly connected and that its drivers are up to date.
Graphics Drivers: Verify that your graphics drivers are up to date, as they can impact performance.

Game Crashes

If the game crashes, the following methods may help.

Driver Update: Ensure that your graphics card drivers are up to date. Outdated drivers are a common cause of crashes.
Verify Game Files: Use the launcher’s built-in verification tool to check the game files.
Update or Reinstall: The game should be up-to-date. If the issue persists, uninstall and reinstall Minecraft, then test again.

Conclusion

Moving Minecraft to your D drive is a practical and beneficial step. This tutorial has provided a clear path to do so, including all the essential steps. By following these steps, you’ve learned how to not only relocate the game files but also correctly configure the launcher to recognize the new location and minimize any potential issues.

Always begin by backing up your precious world saves. This precaution will protect your hard work and valuable progress. Once the file transfer is complete, always test your game to ensure it runs smoothly. If you encounter any issues during the process, use the troubleshooting steps to resolve them.

If you have any further questions or if you run into unexpected problems, feel free to leave a comment below, and we’ll do our best to assist you. Happy gaming!