Windows still defaults everything — Downloads, Documents, program install locations, Steam library, OneDrive cache — to the C: drive, even when you paid for a bigger secondary SSD specifically to avoid this. The best apps for relocating Windows files to secondary storage on desktop stop the drift and keep programs working after the move, using junctions or symbolic links so paths that expect C:\Users\you\Downloads still resolve.
We tested seven tools that automate the move-and-link workflow without leaving orphaned shortcuts. Every pick is free, most are open source, and each one targets a specific type of relocation.
What to look for in a file-relocation tool
Moving files off C: is only half the job. The other half is making the old path still work:
- Junctions or symbolic links — Windows redirects file access transparently. Steam, Adobe, and most programs never notice.
- A visible move + link workflow — you want the tool to do both steps, so you don’t manually copy then delete then run
mklink. - Rollback — a good tool remembers what it did and lets you undo the move.
- Disk-usage visibility first — before moving anything, you need to see where the space is going. TreeSize or WinDirStat is the diagnostic that starts the workflow.
The wrong pattern is dragging a Program Files folder in Explorer. It breaks registered file associations, per-user registry entries, and shortcut targets.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Open source | Approach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FreeMove | Move a folder and link it in one step | Yes, fully | Yes (MIT) | Junction |
| Steam Mover | Move Steam games between drives with junctions | Yes, fully | No | Junction |
| DirLinker | Manage existing directory junctions | Yes, fully | Yes (MIT) | Junction |
| Symbolic Link Creator | GUI over mklink for symlinks |
Yes, fully | No | Symlink |
| TreeSize Free | Visualize what’s using your C: drive | Yes, fully | No | Diagnostic |
| WinDirStat | Classic disk-usage visualizer | Yes, fully | Yes (BSD) | Diagnostic |
| Steam Library Manager | Batch-move Steam games with resume | Yes, fully | Yes (GPL-3.0) | Steam-only |
The apps
1. FreeMove — Best for a one-step move-and-link
FreeMove is a small open-source tool that does exactly what the whole workflow should do: pick a folder on C:, pick a destination on another drive, click go. FreeMove copies the folder, deletes the original, and creates a junction where the original was so every program still resolves the old path.
Where it falls short: doesn’t undo. If you regret the move, you’ll manually copy back and remove the junction with rmdir.
Pricing:
- Free: full-featured
Platforms: Windows
Download: github.com/imDema/FreeMove
Bottom line: the first tool you should reach for. Handles any folder outside Program Files without surprises.
2. Steam Mover — Best for moving Steam games with junctions
Steam Mover by TrainerBoy was written specifically for old-style Steam library moves in an era before Steam had a native library-switch feature. Even now it’s the fastest way to move an individual game to another drive while keeping Steam’s install path pointing at the original location.
Where it falls short: development stopped years ago. Works fine on Windows 10/11 but no active maintenance.
Pricing:
- Free: full-featured
Platforms: Windows
Download: traynier.com/software/steammover
Bottom line: old but works. Prefer Steam’s own library-move feature when you can; use Steam Mover for edge cases and mods.
3. DirLinker — Best for managing existing junctions
DirLinker shows every junction on your system in a single list, and lets you create, edit, and remove them. If your C: drive has grown a tangle of junctions from years of manual relocations, DirLinker is how you audit and clean up without spelunking through the file system with dir /aL.
Where it falls short: doesn’t move files. Pair it with FreeMove for the move step, use DirLinker to keep the link list tidy.
Pricing:
- Free: full-featured
Platforms: Windows
Download: github.com/HeliumProject/DirLinker
Bottom line: the audit tool. Run it once a year and prune stale junctions.
4. Symbolic Link Creator — Best for a GUI over mklink
Symbolic Link Creator wraps Windows’ built-in mklink command in a form. Pick the source, pick the target, pick between symlink, hard link, or junction. Faster than remembering flag syntax for one-off links, and safer than typing mklink in an elevated shell if you’re prone to typos.
Where it falls short: just a GUI over mklink — no move-then-link workflow, no bulk operations.
Pricing:
- Free: full-featured
Platforms: Windows
Download: en.softonic.com/download/symbolic-link-creator/windows/post-download (verify the vendor before running)
Bottom line: convenient for one-shot links. Prefer FreeMove for full move-and-link work.
5. TreeSize Free — Best for finding what to move
TreeSize Free scans a drive and shows you the space usage as a sortable tree. Before deciding what to move, you need to know what’s eating the space. TreeSize highlights the folders — often three or four — that make up 80% of your C: drive.
Where it falls short: free tier is single-drive scans and skips advanced reporting. Fine for the diagnostic-then-move workflow.
Pricing:
- Free: full-featured
- Paid: TreeSize Professional from around $60
Platforms: Windows
Download: jam-software.com/treesize_free
Bottom line: run this before you touch any of the other tools. Fix the biggest folder first.
6. WinDirStat — Best for a visual disk map
WinDirStat is the classic visual disk-usage tool: colored tiles sized by file size, immediately spotting the massive log file, the forgotten VM image, the double-downloaded ISO. Slower than TreeSize on huge drives but the visualization pattern makes patterns obvious in a way a sorted list doesn’t.
Where it falls short: initial scan is slower than TreeSize. UI hasn’t changed in a decade.
Pricing:
- Free: full-featured
Platforms: Windows
Download: windirstat.net
Bottom line: the picture-first alternative to TreeSize. Pick whichever style clicks for you.
7. Steam Library Manager — Best for batch Steam moves
Steam Library Manager by RevoLand is a Steam-aware relocator that handles multiple libraries, resume-on-interrupt copies, and bulk moves across drives. If you have a dozen games to migrate from a full SSD to a new NVMe, this is dramatically faster than Steam’s own library-move UI.
Where it falls short: Steam-only. Doesn’t help with Documents, Downloads, Adobe caches, or user profiles.
Pricing:
- Free: full-featured
Platforms: Windows
Download: github.com/RevoLand/Steam-Library-Manager
Bottom line: if half your C: drive is Steam games, this is the batch tool.
How to pick the right one
- Start with TreeSize Free or WinDirStat to see where the space is going. Don’t move anything before you know what’s costing you.
- For user folders (Documents, Downloads, OneDrive cache): FreeMove, once per folder.
- For Steam libraries: Steam’s built-in library manager first, Steam Library Manager for batch, Steam Mover for edge cases like relocating a single Workshop mods folder.
- For managing years of accumulated junctions: DirLinker once a year.
- Skip Symbolic Link Creator unless you need a one-off link and don’t want to open a shell.
Avoid moving Program Files and AppData\Local. Both hold state that programs write to at path locations the registry knows about. Junctioning them works but breaks in unpredictable ways on Windows updates. Move the specific subfolders (Steam library, Adobe cache, browser profiles) instead.
FAQ
Is a junction the same as a symbolic link? Not quite. Junctions redirect only directories, work only for local drives, and don’t require admin rights to create. Symlinks handle files and directories, work across network paths, and need admin rights (or Developer Mode). For move-and-link, junctions are usually the right pick.
Will Steam get confused if I move a game with FreeMove instead of Steam’s own tool? No. FreeMove creates a junction where the game folder used to be, and Steam reads through it as if the game were still on the original drive.
Can I move OneDrive off C:? Yes. OneDrive supports moving its sync folder in the settings; use that instead of a junction to keep OneDrive’s file-hydration logic intact.
Does moving folders off C: void a Windows license? No. The license is tied to the installation, not to which physical drive holds user files.
What happens if I delete the drive with the moved files? The junction on C: still exists but points to nothing. Programs error out on read. Restore the drive, or move the files back before removing it.
