Windows Store Game Install Location

For a gamer, this was baffling. You bought the game, you downloaded the data, but you didn't own the files. Modding became a nightmare. Creating desktop shortcuts required a degree in Windows architecture. Moving the game to a larger secondary drive? In the early days, that was often impossible.

You can redirect where games are installed by default through Windows Settings: Open Settings > System > Storage . windows store game install location

The Windows Store game install location was once a symbol of the disconnect between Microsoft’s vision of a secure, tablet-like future and the reality of what PC gamers actually wanted: control. For a gamer, this was baffling

Eventually, the community pushed back hard enough that Microsoft relented. Today, the Windows Store allows you to change your default install location, but it’s a setting buried in the Windows Settings app under . Creating desktop shortcuts required a degree in Windows

Do you need help of the WindowsApps folder to access specific game files?

The biggest casualty of the hidden install location was the modding community. PC gaming thrives on user-generated content. From simple texture swaps to total conversion mods, the lifeblood of many games is the ability to edit the .exe or the asset files.