You move iRacing to another drive for one of two reasons. The C drive is full, or you bought a faster SSD and you want shorter loading times.
Either way the job is the same, and it is not drag and drop. You save two folders, you uninstall, you install again on the new drive and you put the two folders back. Done right, it takes about 20 minutes and you download almost nothing. This is the method iRacing support gives its members. I checked it against their article on 5 October 2026.
Why you cannot drag the folder
Windows keeps a record of where iRacing is installed, and the updater and the services use that record. If you cut the folder from C and paste it on D, the files are there but nothing points to them. The sim does not start, or the updater installs a fresh copy in the old place.
So the install has to be done again. The trick is to not download your cars and tracks a second time.
The two folders
| Folder | What is in it | Does it move? |
|---|---|---|
C:\Program Files (x86)\iRacing | The sim and every car and track you downloaded | Yes. This is the folder you are moving |
Documents\iRacing | Setups, replays, paints, telemetry, controls and graphics settings | No. It stays in Documents and the new install finds it |
The first path is the default. If you chose another place when you installed, your folder is there.
This is the part that calms people down. Your setups and replays are not in the folder you are moving. And the cars and tracks you paid for are not on your disk at all: they belong to your account. The worst thing that can happen today is a long download.
Step 1: copy the cars and tracks folders
Close iRacing and everything that talks to it: overlays, SimHub, Crew Chief, telemetry tools.
- Open File Explorer and go to
C:\Program Files (x86)\iRacing. - Right click the
carsfolder and choose Copy. - Paste it on the new drive, outside of any iRacing folder. A folder called
iracing-backupis fine. - Do the same with the
tracksfolder.
These two are almost the whole size of the install. If you own a lot of content they are tens of gigabytes, so the copy takes a few minutes. Check before you start that the new drive has room for the backup and the new install together. After the last step you delete the backup.
If your internet is fast and you do not mind the download, you can skip this step. Everything comes back from your account.
I would also copy the whole Documents\iRacing folder to a USB stick. The move does not touch it, but a copy of your setups costs you one minute.
Step 2: uninstall iRacing
On Windows 11 go to Settings, Apps, Installed apps. Search for iRacing, click the three dots and choose Uninstall. On Windows 10 it is Settings, Apps, Apps and features.
Then open C:\Program Files (x86) and delete the iRacing folder if it is still there. Look at your backup one more time before you do. Empty the Recycle Bin and restart the computer.
The restart is in iRacing's own instructions. It stops any iRacing service still running in the background.
Step 3: install on the new drive
- Log in to the iRacing members site and download the installer.
- Run it.
- When it asks where to install, change the path to the new drive. Something short like
D:\iRacingis fine. - Let it finish, but do not start the content update yet.
The full version of this part, with every screen, is in how to uninstall and reinstall iRacing.
Step 4: put the cars and tracks back
Open the new iRacing folder. You will find a new cars folder and a new tracks folder, both almost empty.
Replace them with the two folders from your backup. They must sit directly inside the iRacing folder, with the same names. Not iRacing\iracing-backup\cars.
Step 5: update and test
Open iRacing and log in. It will say that updates are needed. Run them.
With the folders in the right place the updater only checks the files and downloads what is new. It is quick. If it starts to download every car you own, stop it and look at step 4 again.
Then do one lap in a test session. Check that the wheel works, that your setups are in the garage and that the graphics look the way they did. They should, because all of that lives in Documents and was never moved. If you can do the lap, delete the backup folder and enjoy the free space on C.
If you have iRacing on Steam
Then you do not need any of the above. Steam moves games by itself.
- In Steam, open Settings, then Storage, and add the new drive as a library if it is not there yet.
- In your library, right click iRacing and choose Properties.
- Go to Installed Files and click Move install folder.
- Pick the new drive and confirm.
Steam copies the files and keeps the install working. If you are not sure which version you have, read iRacing on Steam vs the website.
What about the Documents folder?
It stays where it is, on the drive where Windows keeps your documents. For most people that is fine, because setups and settings are small.
Replays are the exception. A long race replay is a big file, and after a season the replay folder can be the reason the C drive is full in the first place. Before you move the whole sim, look in Documents\iRacing\replay and delete the old ones you will never watch. More on that in how to save an iRacing replay.
Which drive should iRacing be on?
- Internal NVMe SSD. The best place. Tracks and cars load fast, and joining a session with a full grid is much shorter.
- Internal SATA SSD. Nearly as good in practice.
- Internal hard disk. It works. You wait longer in every loading screen.
- External drive on USB. I would not. If the cable moves in the middle of a race, the sim loses its files.
A faster drive does not give you more frames per second on track. It only shortens loading. For frame rate, see how to get better FPS in iRacing, and for the loading side, why iRacing takes so long to load.
When something goes wrong
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| The updater wants to download everything again | The cars and tracks folders went into the wrong place. They must sit directly inside the new iRacing folder |
| The sim does not start after the move | You dragged the old folder across without reinstalling. Uninstall and install again to the new drive |
| My setups are gone | They are not. Look in Documents, iRacing, setups. The move never touches that folder |
| Windows says the old folder is in use | Restart the computer and delete it before you open anything |
| Loading is still slow | Check that the new drive is an SSD and not an external hard disk on USB |
FAQ
Can I just copy the iRacing folder to another drive?
No. Windows and the updater still look for it in the old place. Uninstall, install to the new drive, then copy your cars and tracks folders into the new install.
Will I lose my setups if I move iRacing?
No. Setups, replays, paints and control settings are in Documents, iRacing. That folder is not part of the move.
Do I have to download all my cars and tracks again?
Not if you copy the cars and tracks folders before you uninstall and put them back after the install. The updater then only downloads what changed.
Do I have to buy my content again?
No. Everything you bought belongs to your account. A new drive or a new computer changes nothing.
How do I move iRacing on Steam?
Right click iRacing in your library, choose Properties, Installed Files, Move install folder, and pick a library on the new drive.
Can I run iRacing from an external SSD?
It can work, but I would not race on it. One loose cable ends your race. Use an internal drive.
Does an SSD make iRacing faster?
It makes it load faster. It does not change the frame rate on track.
How long does it take to move iRacing?
About 20 minutes with the cars and tracks backup. Without it, as long as your connection needs to download all your content.