How to Move Torrents to Another Drive Without Downloading Again

Is your drive almost full, and you want to move your torrents somewhere else without downloading everything again?

Many people try to drag the folder to a new drive, and then qBittorrent shows Missing Files. Others remove the torrents, add them again, and wait through a long download. Neither step is needed.

You can move a torrent to another drive and keep seeding it, as long as you tell your client where the files went. In this guide, we’ll show the safe ways to do it in qBittorrent: using Set location, moving files by hand and pointing the torrent to them, moving many torrents at once, and moving your whole setup to a new drive or computer.

We’ll also cover drive letters, folder structure mistakes, the Missing Files status, and how to check that everything still works.

Why You Do Not Need to Download Again

A torrent file or magnet link does not contain your data. It contains the names of the files, the piece hashes, and the trackers. Your client stores two things: the torrent information and the save path, which is the folder where it expects to find the files.

If the files are in the folder that the client expects, it verifies them with a quick check and carries on, and you do not download anything. If you move the files and do not update the save path, the client cannot find them and shows Missing Files.

So the whole job is to do two things together: move the files, and update the save path. The methods below are different ways to do both.

Before You Start

A little preparation prevents most problems.

• Check that the new drive has enough free space for everything you plan to move, plus some extra.
• Check the file system. Use NTFS or exFAT for large files. A FAT32 drive cannot hold a single file over 4 GB.
• Make sure your account can write to the new drive. If it is an external drive, plug it in directly.
• Close or pause other programs that use the files, such as media players and backup tools.
• Do not move files from a folder that qBittorrent is still writing to. Pause or stop the torrents first.
• For a large move, keep the computer plugged in and set it not to sleep.

Method 1: Use Set Location in qBittorrent

This is the simplest and safest method for most people, because qBittorrent moves the files and updates the save path in one step.

Step 1: Select the torrent

Click the torrent in the list. To move several, hold Ctrl and click each one, or press Ctrl and A to select all in the current view.

Step 2: Choose Set location

Right-click the selected torrent or torrents and choose Set location. In some versions it sits in a submenu such as Advanced. A window opens and asks for the new folder.

Step 3: Pick the new folder

Choose the folder on the new drive, for example E:\Torrents. This is the parent folder. For a torrent with multiple files, qBittorrent keeps the torrent’s own folder inside it and moves everything in the right place.

Step 4: Wait for the move to finish

qBittorrent starts moving the files. The status may show Moving while it works. A move between two drives copies the data first and then removes the old files, so it takes about as long as a normal file copy. A large torrent can take a while.

Do not close the client or unplug a drive until the status changes back. When it returns to Seeding or Completed, the move is done.

Step 5: Check the result

Open the new folder in File Explorer and confirm the files are there. In qBittorrent, check that the torrent shows the new save path in the General tab. Then check that the status says Seeding, not Missing Files.

Method 2: Move the Files Yourself and Then Point the Torrent to Them

You can also move the files with File Explorer, which is useful if you want to use a faster copy tool or move files in bulk.

Step 1: Pause or stop the torrents

Select the torrents and pause them. In newer versions the paused state is called Stopped. Do not move files while a torrent is active, because the client may try to write to them.

Step 2: Copy or move the files

Copy the torrent folders or files to the new drive. Copying first and deleting later is the safer choice, because you can compare the result before you remove the originals.

Keep the folder structure the same. A multi-file torrent has a main folder named after the torrent, and its files are inside. The folder name must remain the same, or qBittorrent will not match the files.

Step 3: Set the new location

Right-click the paused torrent and choose Set location. Pick the parent folder that holds the torrent’s main folder on the new drive. If your files are in E:\Torrents\My Torrent, choose E:\Torrents, not E:\Torrents\My Torrent.

Depending on your version, qBittorrent may see that the files are already there and just update the path. If it reports an error, use Method 3 below, which is reliable in every version.

Step 4: Force recheck

Right-click the torrent and choose Force recheck. qBittorrent verifies the files at the new location. If everything is in place, it reaches 100 percent and goes back to normal without any download.

Step 5: Resume the torrent

Resume it. The torrent should say Seeding or Completed.

Method 3: Remove the Torrent and Add It Again at the New Location

This method works in every version and is very reliable. It does not delete the files. You only remove the torrent entry and add it again with the right path.

Step 1: Export the torrent file

Right-click the torrent and choose Export .torrent, and save the file somewhere safe. This keeps the torrent information so you can add it again. If you only have a magnet link, you can keep it instead, but it needs to download the metadata again first.

Step 2: Remove the torrent without deleting files

Right-click the torrent and choose Remove. In the window that opens, do not tick the option to also remove the files. Confirm.

Step 3: Move the files

Copy or move the files to the new drive, keeping the same folder structure.

Step 4: Add the torrent again

Open the exported torrent file in qBittorrent. In the Add Torrent window, set Save at to the parent folder on the new drive.

You can choose to start the torrent or add it stopped. If you want to check the files first, add it stopped, and then use Force recheck.

Step 5: Let it verify

qBittorrent checks the files. If they match, the torrent shows as complete and begins to seed. You download nothing.

You can use the option to skip the hash check in the Add Torrent window to start seeding right away, but only when you are sure the files were copied correctly. A normal check is safer. Our guide on the qBittorrent hashing error explains why a check is worth the time.

The Most Common Mistake: A Nested Folder

The save path is the parent of the torrent’s folder, not the folder itself. If you choose the torrent’s own folder as the save path, qBittorrent looks for My Torrent inside My Torrent, finds nothing, and may start downloading into a second nested folder.

If you see a new folder with the same name inside the old one, stop the torrent right away and fix the path.

• Torrent folder: E:\Torrents\My Torrent
• Correct save path: E:\Torrents
• Wrong save path: E:\Torrents\My Torrent

For a torrent with a single file, the save path is the folder that contains the file.

How to Move Many Torrents at Once

If you have dozens or hundreds of torrents, doing them one by one takes too long.

Option 1: Select all and use Set location

If all the torrents should end up in the same folder, select them all, right-click, and use Set location. qBittorrent moves each one. This is simple, but a large move may take a long time and heavy disk use, so do it overnight.

Option 2: Use categories and Automatic Torrent Management

If you use categories, you can give each category its own save path. In Automatic Torrent Management mode, torrents follow the save path of their category. Recent versions can also move torrents when a category’s save path changes, depending on the option you choose in Tools, Options, Downloads. Check the setting before you change a path, so you know whether it will move files.

Option 3: Copy with a fast tool, then update paths

For very large libraries, copy the folders with a tool built for it. On Windows, Robocopy is built in. A command like this copies a folder with its contents and keeps timestamps:

robocopy “D:\Torrents” “E:\Torrents” /E /COPY:DAT /R:1 /W:1

Run it from a Command Prompt with the torrents paused. When it finishes, select all the torrents in qBittorrent, use Set location to point at the new folder, and force a recheck. Do not delete the old files until the recheck finishes and everything shows as complete.

Keep the Same Drive Letter and Skip All the Work

If you are replacing a drive and the old one used D:, you can give the new drive the letter D:. Then the paths that qBittorrent saved still work, and you do not need to change any torrent.

• Right-click the Start button and open Disk Management.
• Right-click the old drive’s partition and choose Change Drive Letter and Paths. Give it another letter or remove it.
• Right-click the new drive’s partition, choose Change Drive Letter and Paths, and assign the letter that the old drive had.
• Copy the files to the new drive with the same folder structure.
• Open qBittorrent and recheck a few torrents to confirm.

This is the easiest way to move a whole library when you only want a bigger drive.

Move Your Entire qBittorrent Setup to a New Drive or Computer

If you move to a new computer, you also want your torrent list, categories, and settings.

On Windows with a normal installation, qBittorrent keeps its files in two places:

• Settings and the main configuration: the qBittorrent folder inside %APPDATA%
• Torrent data, including the saved torrent files and resume data: the qBittorrent folder inside %LOCALAPPDATA%, in a folder called BT_backup

In recent versions you may also store resume data in a database, depending on a setting in the Advanced options, so check your own version before you copy only the folders.

The process is:

• Close qBittorrent on both computers.
• Copy those folders to the new computer in the same locations.
• Make sure the drive letters and folder paths for your downloads match the old ones, or update them afterwards with Set location.
• Open qBittorrent and recheck a few torrents.

Because each torrent stores the absolute path of its files, keeping the same paths saves a lot of work.

Moving Torrents in Other Clients

The same idea applies to every client. The menu names are different.

• Transmission: select the torrent, open Properties or the right-click menu, and choose Set Data Location. Tick the option to move the data if you want the client to move the files.
• Deluge: right-click the torrent and choose Options, then Move Storage.
• uTorrent and BitTorrent: right-click the torrent, choose Advanced, then Set Download Location. If you move the files by hand, stop the torrent first and use this option to point it to the new folder.
• Docker setups: update the volume mapping so the container sees the new drive at the same path it used before. If you change the container path instead, update each torrent’s location.

After any move, run a recheck to confirm the files match.

What to Do If the Torrent Shows Missing Files

If the status says Missing Files after the move, the client still points to a place where the files are not.

• Check the save path in the General tab and compare it with where the files are.
• Make sure the new drive is connected and has the same drive letter.
• Check for the nested folder mistake and move the files up one level if needed.
• Check that the torrent’s folder and file names have not changed.
• Use Set location to choose the right parent folder, then Force recheck.

Our guide on why qBittorrent keeps rechecking torrents also covers storage that is not ready when the client starts, which can cause the same message.

What to Do If the Move Gets Stuck or Fails

• If the status stays on Moving for a long time, check the disk activity. Large files take time. Wait before you cancel.
• If you see an error, read the Execution Log. An I/O or permission problem can stop the copy. Our guides on the qBittorrent I/O error on Windows and the access denied error explain the fixes.
• If the new drive runs out of space halfway, free space, then run Set location again.
• If the computer went to sleep, check that the drive is still connected, then resume the move.

What About Incomplete Torrents?

Torrents that are still downloading can also be moved. If you use the option to keep incomplete torrents in a separate folder, the files are in that folder until they finish, and then qBittorrent moves them to the save path.

When you move an incomplete torrent, pause it, use Set location, and then recheck. If the .!qB extension option is on, unfinished files keep their extension until the torrent completes. Do not rename them yourself.

You can change the incomplete folder for new downloads in Tools, Options, Downloads. Existing torrents keep their current location until you move them.

Do Seeding Stats and Ratio Stay the Same?

Yes, in the first three methods, as long as you keep the torrent entry. The uploaded and downloaded totals are stored with the torrent in the client, so Set location keeps them.

If you remove the torrent and add it again, as in Method 3, the totals for that torrent reset in the client. For a private tracker, the tracker keeps your ratio by itself, so your account statistics stay the same. But the tracker may need a few minutes to see the torrent announce again. If you use a private tracker, avoid doing this move at the same time for many torrents, and do not leave the torrents stopped for a long time.

Safety Tips Before You Delete the Old Files

• Wait until every torrent shows Seeding or Completed and not Missing Files.
• Run a Force recheck on a few torrents, picking both large and small ones.
• Compare the folder sizes of the old and new locations in File Explorer.
• Keep the old files for a day or two, if you have space.
• Only then delete the old folders.

If something goes wrong, you still have the originals, and you can try another method.

Which Method Should You Choose?

• You want the simplest option and qBittorrent can reach both drives: Method 1, Set location.
• You want to use a faster copy tool, or you already moved files: Method 2, then recheck.
• Set location reports errors or the torrent is confused: Method 3, remove and add again.
• You are replacing a whole drive: assign the old drive letter to the new one.
• You are moving to a new computer: copy the qBittorrent data folders and keep the same paths.

How to Check That the Copy Is Complete

Before you delete anything, compare the old and new folders. A simple check catches most copy problems.

• In File Explorer, right-click the old folder and choose Properties. Note the size and the number of files and folders.
• Do the same for the new folder. The numbers should match.
• For a stronger check on Windows, open PowerShell and count files with a command such as (Get-ChildItem “E:\Torrents” -Recurse -File | Measure-Object).Count. Run it for both folders and compare.

The best check is still a Force recheck in qBittorrent, because it compares every piece with the torrent hashes. If the recheck reaches 100 percent, the files are correct.

Moving Files on Linux, macOS, and NAS Devices

On Linux and macOS, the idea is the same, and the copy tool is often rsync. A command like this copies a folder and shows progress:

rsync -a –info=progress2 /mnt/old/Torrents/ /mnt/new/Torrents/

Run it with the torrents paused. When it finishes, run it again to confirm that nothing else needs copying, then use Set location in qBittorrent and recheck.

A few points apply to these systems.

• Permissions: the user that runs qBittorrent must own the new folder or be able to write to it. In Docker, this is the user set by the PUID and PGID values.
• Mount points: if the new drive mounts at a different path after a restart, qBittorrent will not find the files. Use a fixed mount point in your system’s mount table so the path never changes.
• Network drives: a NAS share works, but a brief network drop can cause errors. If you can, keep the active torrents on a local drive.

Pick the Right Kind of Drive for the New Location

Where you move the torrents affects how well they seed.

• An SSD is fast for checking and for many small reads, which is good if you seed many torrents.
• A large hard drive is cheaper per terabyte and works well for long-term seeding.
• An external USB drive is fine for storage, but it must stay connected, and it can go to sleep. Turn off USB power saving for it.
• A network drive is convenient but slower, and it can cause errors on a weak network.

Many people use a small fast drive for active downloads and a large slow drive for finished torrents. You can set this in qBittorrent with the incomplete folder option and the option to move finished downloads to another location.

Move Finished Downloads Automatically

If you want new downloads to land on the fast drive and then move to the large drive when they finish, qBittorrent can do it for you.

• Open Tools, Options, Downloads.
• Set the default save path to the large drive, where you want finished files.
• Tick the option to keep incomplete torrents in a different folder, and choose a folder on the fast drive.

With this setup, a torrent downloads on the fast drive and qBittorrent moves it to the save path when it completes. You do not need to move anything by hand later. Make sure both drives stay connected, and keep enough free space on each one.

Check Permissions on the New Drive

A new drive may not give your account the same rights as the old one. If qBittorrent cannot write to it, you will see errors when you try to seed, check, or move files.

On Windows, right-click the new folder, open Properties, then Security, and check that your user has permission to modify files. If not, add your account and allow Full control or Modify. Our guide on how to fix the qBittorrent access denied error shows the steps in detail.

Also check that security software does not block the new folder. If you use Controlled folder access in Windows Security, add qBittorrent to the allowed apps.

How Long Will the Move Take?

The time depends on the amount of data and the speed of both drives.

• Between two internal SSDs, a move can run at several hundred megabytes per second, so even a few hundred gigabytes take a short time.
• Between hard drives, expect speeds in the range of 80 to 150 megabytes per second for large files, and slower for many small files.
• To or from a USB drive, the speed depends on the USB version and the drive. A slow USB port can limit it to a small fraction of those numbers.
• Over a network, the speed depends on your network and is often the slowest.

A recheck afterwards also takes time, because it reads every file again. It is usually quicker than the copy. If you have many torrents, run the move and the recheck at night.

Seeding While You Move

You cannot seed a torrent while its files are being moved, because they are not in one place. Pause the torrent, finish the move, and resume it. For a private tracker, a short pause is fine, but long gaps can lower your seeding time. Plan big moves for when you can finish them in one session.

If you must keep seeding some torrents during the move, move the others first in small groups. This keeps part of your library available at all times.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I move torrents to another drive without downloading again?

Yes. Move the files and update the save path in your client, then let it verify the files. If the files match, it continues without downloading.

How do I move a torrent in qBittorrent?

Right-click the torrent and choose Set location, then pick the new folder. qBittorrent moves the files and updates the save path.

Why does my torrent say Missing Files after I moved it?

The client still looks in the old place. Use Set location to point it to the new parent folder, and run Force recheck.

Which folder should I choose as the new location?

Choose the parent folder of the torrent’s main folder, not the torrent folder itself. For a single-file torrent, choose the folder that holds the file.

Will I lose my seeding ratio if I move a torrent?

Not with Set location. The totals stay with the torrent. If you remove and re-add it, the client’s own totals reset, but a private tracker keeps your ratio on its side.

Do I have to recheck after moving?

It is a good idea. A recheck confirms that every file was copied correctly. It does not download anything when the files are complete.

Can I move torrents to an external drive?

Yes. Use an NTFS or exFAT drive, connect it before you open qBittorrent, and keep it connected while you seed. Our guide on why qBittorrent keeps rechecking torrents explains what can go wrong if the drive is not ready at startup.

Can I move many torrents at once?

Yes. Select them all and use Set location, or copy the folders with a tool such as Robocopy and then update the paths. Do large moves when you do not need the computer.

Is it safe to use skip hash check after moving?

Only if you are sure the copy is complete and unchanged. A normal check is safer, and it finishes quickly on an SSD.

How do I move qBittorrent to a new computer?

Copy the qBittorrent settings and BT_backup folders to the same locations on the new computer, keep the download paths the same, and recheck a few torrents.

Final Thoughts

You never need to download a torrent again just because you changed drives. The data stays the same, and only the location changes.

For most people, Set location is the easiest way. If you moved the files yourself, point the torrent to the parent folder and run Force recheck. If anything seems confused, remove the torrent without deleting the files and add it again at the new location.

Keep the same folder structure, avoid the nested folder mistake, and do not delete the old files until every torrent shows as complete.