Methods to Safely Move Programs from C Drive to D Drive in Windows 10/11 -

how to

When you run out of disk space on your Windows 10/11 system drive, it's a good idea to move installed programs from the C drive to another drive. This helps separate your installed applications from the operating system, freeing up and speeding up your computer.

By following this guide, you will learn how to effectively move programs from one drive to another without having to reinstall them, for example, from C to D.

The steps to move a program from the C drive to the D drive in Windows 10/11 are as follows: 1. Create a new folder: Make a new folder on the D drive, which will serve as the new location for the program. 2. Acquire the installation file: You'll need the program's installation file. If you downloaded the program online, you should still have the original installer. If it's no longer available, you may need to download it again. 3. Uninstall the program: Remove the program through "Control Panel" or "Settings" -> "Apps" -> "Apps & Features." Find the program and uninstall it, making sure not to choose "Keep personal files and settings" since we want a clean removal for the relocation. 4. Install the program to the D drive: Run the program's installation file. When prompted for the installation location, select the new folder you created on the D drive. This will install the program to the D drive. 5. Update shortcuts: After uninstalling and reinstalling, the desktop and Start menu shortcuts may still point to the old location on the C drive. Right-click these shortcuts, choose "Properties," modify the "Target" field to reflect the new D drive location, then click "Apply" and "OK." 6. Verify program functionality: Launch the program to ensure it runs correctly. If there are issues, some files might not have transferred properly, and you may need to contact the program's technical support for assistance. Please note that not all programs support changing the installation location, and some may automatically install on the system drive (usually C). Exercise caution when attempting to move such programs.

I'm using Windows 10, and I've noticed that my hard disk is running slower and slower, and sometimes it doesn't work properly. When I checked, I found that my C drive is full.

Some friends suggested me to merge C and D drive in Windows 10 to solve this issue. But I don't want to do this. I prefer to move programs from C drive to D drive. Is there a safe way to achieve this goal? Please help me!”

Many Windows users might have encountered the same issue on their computers. So, what should you do? According to Microsoft and professional administrators, there are basically two ways to achieve this goal – move programs from C drive to another disk:

1. Using a PC Transfer Tool or Software

2. Using Windows Settings - Apps & Features or Apps & Games

Any sensible Windows user would opt for either of these app migration solutions instead of manually uninstalling and reinstalling everything on the new drive. We'll show you how to move installed apps, programs, software, and even games from C: to D: without a reinstall, either with a PC transfer software, or with a manual method using Windows Settings.

Method 1: Move Programs from C Drive to D Drive Using PC Transfer Software

Applies To: Moving installed apps, programs, software, and even games from C drive to other local disks in Windows 11/10/8/7/Vista/XP.

Using professional Windows PC migration software or tools enables users to easily and quickly drag programs and files safely from the C drive to the D drive.

Tools like Todo PCTrans are utilities that allow you to perform an app migration on your local drive and transfer applications, data, and settings between computers with just a few clicks.

Moving programs from the C drive to D in Windows 10 can save you a great deal of time and effort. Install this 100% secure tool on your PC, and learn how to do it yourself with simple steps.

Step 1: Run the Todo PCTrans tool on your computer

Go to "App Migration" and tap "Start" to proceed.

Select Application Migration Transfer Mode

Step 2: Select the programs you wish to move from the C drive to another disk

1. Select the C drive and check the programs you want to move (labeled "Yes").

2. Click the triangle icon and select another disk on your computer as the destination. Then, click “Transfer” to start the process.

Select the apps to transfer select programs to transfer

Step 3: Complete the transfer

Wait for the transfer to complete, then click “OK.”

Finish moving apps from the C drive to another disk

When finished, restart your computer if necessary. This will preserve all of your changes and allow you to run the program from another hard drive without having to reinstall it.

Method 2: Move Programs from the C Drive to the D Drive Using Windows Settings

Applies to: Moving some apps and programs installed on the C drive in Windows 10 or 11 to the D drive. Not all installed programs are eligible for this.

According to Microsoft's support team and online tech gurus, the “Apps & Features” and “Apps & Games” in the Windows Settings can help you move some of your installed programs from the C drive to the D drive.

Let's go through the steps in detail:

Moving an app in "Apps & Features"

Step 1: Right-click the Windows icon and select Apps & features. Or go to Settings > click Apps, then Apps & features.

Step 2: Select the program you want to move, and then click on “Move” to proceed. Next, choose another hard drive, for instance, D Drive, to move the selected application there and click on “Move” to confirm.

The program to be moved has been selected.

You just need to wait for the process to complete.

Move apps and games to SD card on Android

1. Open the storage settings by entering **Storage** in the search bar and selecting **Storage**.

Click “This PC (C:)” to view your C drive's storage usage, then click “Apps & Games” to proceed.

Open Apps and Games

Step 3: Scroll down in the “Apps & Games” section and click on “Apps & Features.” Select the app or program you want to move and hit the “Move” button.

Then select Disk D or other disk as the target location, and click “Move” to transfer the selected program.

Step 4: Wait for the migration to complete.

Then you can restart the program from Drive D and continue working with it.

Note: If there is only a "Modify" option next to the selected program, or both "Move" and "Modify" are grayed out next to the app you chose, it means the publisher doesn't allow moving it.

In short, if the selected app doesn't have a “Move” option next to it, you can't move it using the Windows Settings app.

Unable to move the application from drive C to drive D.

If you can't transfer the selected apps or programs via “Settings,” don't get frustrated. You can still seek help from a reliable PC transfer software – Todo PCTrans tool.

Additional Tip: How to Move a Program to Another Drive Using the Registry Editor To move a program from one drive to another, you can utilize the Registry Editor. However, be cautious as directly modifying the registry is an advanced operation that could impact your system. Before proceeding, ensure you've backed up important data. Here are the steps: 1. Backup the Registry: Press `Win + R` to open the "Run" dialog, type `regedit`, and click "OK" to open the Registry Editor. From the File menu, choose "Export" to save a backup of the registry for safety. 2. Find the Program's Installation Path: Navigate to `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall` (for 64-bit systems, also check `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall`. Here, you'll see a list of all installed programs. Locate the key for the program you want to move. 3. Modify the Installation Path: Right-click the program's key, select "Modify" or double-click the "DisplayName" value to confirm it's the correct program. Then, find and edit the "InstallLocation" value. Replace the old drive path with the new drive path. 4. Update Dependencies: You may also need to check other related registry keys, like `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Products` or `HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall`, to locate entries related to the program and update their installation paths. 5. Restart Your Computer: After making these modifications, restart your computer for the changes to take effect. 6. Manually Move the Program Files: In File Explorer, cut the program folder from the old drive and paste it into the new drive, ensuring the original file structure is maintained. 7. Verify Program Functionality: Launch the program. If everything is working correctly, it should run from its new location. If issues arise, you might need to reinstall or further adjust the registry settings. Please note that this is a general guide, and specifics may vary depending on the program. Exercise caution when dealing with the registry to avoid unintended system issues.

Applies to: Moving the program from the C drive to the D drive by changing the storage path. Misuse of the registry can cause system crashes.

In the following lines, we will show you how to move programs to another drive using a different method, which was mentioned by Microsoft. However, if you misuse the Registry, your system can become unstable.

Step 1: Create a folder on your C drive or any external drive and name it "Program Files (86)."

Step two: To move the “Program Files” folder, type CMD in the search box, and run the Command Prompt as an administrator.

Please enter the following command in your terminal and press Enter:

Robocopy "C:\Program Files" "D:\Program Files" /mir
Robocopy "C:\Program Files (x86)" "D:\Program Files (x86)" /mir

Step 3. Press "Windows + R" to run Regedit.exe.

Step 4: Locate the folder path and change the C: drive to another drive.

For Windows 7/8/8.1: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion

For Windows 10: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion"

Move programs to another drive via Registry

Bottom line, end result, ultimately

When you find Windows settings unable to move the selected program to another non-system drive, let the PC transfer software tool Todo PCTrans help you.

It supports moving more programs, apps, and software installed on the C drive to a non-system partition. To move programs installed on the C drive to D or another drive, see Method 1 for a detailed guide.

Even if the program you choose is currently unsupported by Todo PCTrans, you can submit a request. The Todo PCTrans engineers will collect your feedback and add it to the supported list, helping more people migrate the needed apps and free up C drive space.