Learn About Installing Epic Games Launcher Elsewhere

Understanding the Epic Games Launcher and Alternative Installation Locations

The Epic Games Launcher is a desktop application developed by Epic Games that serves as a centralized platform for managing and running games on your computer. Rather than purchasing games through physical media or downloading them individually from various websites, the launcher acts as a hub where users can access titles, manage their libraries, and stay updated with the latest game versions. The launcher has grown significantly since its introduction; as of 2024, Epic Games reports millions of active users accessing games through this platform monthly.

By default, the Epic Games Launcher installs to your primary drive—typically your C: drive on Windows or the Applications folder on macOS. However, many users find reasons to install the launcher to a different location. These reasons might include having a secondary storage drive with more available space, wanting to keep gaming applications separate from work files, managing multiple user accounts on a single computer, or organizing software across different partitions for performance reasons.

Understanding where the launcher can be positioned on your system relates to how your computer's file structure works. Your computer contains one or more hard drives or solid-state drives. Each drive can be divided into sections called partitions. When you install software, the installer typically suggests a default location, but many applications—including the Epic Games Launcher—allow you to specify a different destination during the setup process.

Practical takeaway: Before beginning any installation, identify which drive or partition has sufficient free space. Most users need at least 50 GB of available space to install the launcher and at least one game, though some games require significantly more storage.

Pre-Installation Planning and System Requirements

Before installing the Epic Games Launcher to an alternate location, it's important to verify that your computer meets the necessary specifications and to plan your storage strategy. The Epic Games Launcher itself requires relatively modest system resources compared to the games it runs. On Windows, the launcher requires Windows 7 or later (though Windows 10 or 11 is recommended for optimal performance), a 64-bit processor, and approximately 30-50 GB of storage space depending on how many games you plan to store alongside it.

On macOS, the launcher requires macOS 10.13 or later, though newer versions of macOS work better with current launcher versions. Mac users should note that the launcher may not function optimally on older Intel-based Macs, and Apple Silicon Macs (with M1, M2, or M3 chips) have specific compatibility considerations that may affect installation location options.

Planning your storage locations involves understanding your current disk usage. You can check this by opening File Explorer on Windows and right-clicking your drive to see properties, or on macOS by clicking the Apple menu, selecting "About This Mac," and then checking "Storage." This information shows how much space is currently used and how much remains available. A good rule of thumb is to never fill a drive beyond 80-90 percent capacity, as this can slow down your computer's performance.

Consider also whether your alternate installation location is on an internal secondary drive or an external drive. External drives connected via USB 2.0 may result in slower game loading times compared to external drives with USB 3.0+ connections or internal secondary drives. Some users prefer installing the launcher and game libraries on faster solid-state drives while keeping other files on slower mechanical drives.

Practical takeaway: Create a checklist before installation that includes your current Windows or macOS version, your total available storage space on each drive, the connection type of any external drives you might use, and a list of games you plan to store. This preparation prevents installation problems and regret about location choices later.

Step-by-Step Installation to an Alternate Location on Windows

Installing the Epic Games Launcher to a location other than the default C: drive directory on Windows involves using the custom installation option during setup. Begin by navigating to the Epic Games website using your web browser and locating the launcher. You'll find a button labeled "Get" or "Install" on the launcher page. This typically directs you to another page where you can proceed with obtaining the installer file.

Once you've obtained the installer file (usually named something like "EpicGamesLauncherInstaller.exe"), locate it in your Downloads folder or wherever your browser saves files by default. Double-click this file to start the installation process. A window will appear asking you to confirm that you want to allow the installer to make changes to your computer—this is a security feature called User Account Control, and you'll need to click "Yes" to proceed.

The Epic Games Launcher installation wizard will then open. After reading any introductory information and clicking through initial screens, you'll reach a screen asking where to install the launcher. This screen typically shows a file path (the address of the folder where the launcher will be placed) and a "Browse" or "Change" button next to it. Click this button to open a folder browser window where you can navigate to your preferred location.

In the folder browser, navigate to the drive and folder where you want the launcher installed. For example, you might navigate to your D: drive or to a folder labeled "Games" on your secondary storage. Once you've selected your desired location, click "Select Folder" or "OK" to confirm your choice. The installer will then display the new path you've selected. Review this path to ensure it's correct before proceeding.

After confirming your installation location, continue through the remaining setup screens. The installer will then copy files to your chosen location. This process typically takes 5-15 minutes depending on your computer's speed and the speed of your storage device. Once installation is complete, you may be asked whether to launch the launcher immediately. You can choose to do this or close the installer and launch the launcher later from your Start menu or by navigating to your installation folder.

Practical takeaway: Write down or take a screenshot of the exact installation path you selected during setup. This information is useful if you ever need to uninstall the launcher, move it to a different location, or troubleshoot problems related to file locations.

Step-by-Step Installation to an Alternate Location on macOS

Installing the Epic Games Launcher to a location other than the default Applications folder on macOS follows a similar but slightly different process than Windows. Begin by visiting the Epic Games website and navigating to the launcher page. Look for the button to obtain the installer for macOS. This will direct you to a page where you can initiate the process to get the launcher on your Mac.

Once the installer has been obtained, it typically appears as a disk image file with a ".dmg" extension in your Downloads folder. Locate this file and double-click it to mount the disk image. This creates a virtual disk that appears on your desktop and in Finder. Open this disk image to reveal the Epic Games Launcher installer inside. You'll typically see an application icon labeled "Epic Games Launcher" along with an arrow or shortcut pointing to your Applications folder.

Unlike Windows, macOS doesn't provide a built-in option to choose an alternate installation location during the standard installation process. However, you have alternative approaches. One method involves dragging the Epic Games Launcher application directly to a different folder instead of the Applications folder. You can create a new folder on your secondary drive or partition and drag the launcher application there. Before doing this, connect any external drives you plan to use and ensure they're formatted correctly (macOS Extended or APFS formats work with the launcher).

Another approach involves using Terminal, macOS's command-line interface, to copy the launcher to your desired location. Open Terminal (found in Applications > Utilities), and use the "cp" command to copy the launcher. For example, typing a command like "cp -r /Volumes/YourDriveName/Epic\ Games\ Launcher.app /Volumes/SecondaryDrive/Games/" would copy the launcher to your secondary drive. This method requires some familiarity with command-line operations but offers more control over the installation location.

Regarding external drives on macOS, be aware that the launcher may experience performance issues if installed on certain types of external storage. USB 2.0 external drives will be significantly slower than internal drives or USB 3.0+ external storage. Some Mac users report the best experience when using an external Thunderbolt drive or a high-speed USB 3.1 drive, as these provide performance closer to internal storage.

Practical takeaway: On macOS, note that the launcher must have read and write permissions to function correctly. If you move the launcher to a new location, verify in Finder that your user account has full access permissions to both the launcher application and the folder containing it. You can check this by right