How to Detect Installed Games on the Epic Games Launcher

Having trouble trying to start your installed games on the Epic Games Launcher? Thankfully, there's a solution. Let's dive in.

If you re-downloaded the Epic Games Launcher but now can't play your already-installed games, don't worry. While this can be frustrating, there is a way to locate your games.

Although there is no in-built option to detect installed games on the Epic Games Launcher, we've come up with an easy and intuitive workaround.

Step 1: Start Downloading the Game in a New Directory

The Epic Games Launcher is well known for occasionally handing out free games on the Epic Store. Unfortunately, this might not be of much use to you if your launcher doesn't display installed games in the first place. Fret not, though, for this minor inconvenience can be fixed in three simple steps.

To begin with, fire up the Epic Games Launcher and start a fresh installation of the game you want to detect. But, this time around, select a different directory, ideally inside a different partition.

Select the game you want to install by clicking on its game tile in the Library. You should see a pop-up prompting you to set the installation directory and confirm the download.

Select a directory in a different partition than the one where it is currently already installed. Confirm the download by hitting on Install.

Step 2: Pause the Download and Quit the Epic Games Launcher

As the game begins downloading, pause it and quit out of the Epic Games Launcher. Here's how to do this:

1. Pause the game download otherwise the Epic Launcher will refuse to shut down.
2. Click on the caret button (^). This will display the hidden icons of running processes.
3. Right-click on the Epic Launcher icon and hit on Exit.
4. Additionally, use the Windows Task Manager or Activity Monitor on Mac to kill any Epic launcher instances that are running in the background.

Once you're sure that the Epic Launcher is completely shut off, move on to the next and final step.

Step 3: Copy Game Files to New Directory and Resume Installation

This step is pretty intuitive. After you've shut off all instances of the Epic Games Launcher, proceed to copy the already installed game files into the new installation directory.

Resume the download process, wait for a few seconds, and the progress bar should shoot up to 99 percent. The download will finish successfully, and your game will be ready to launch.

No More Hidden Games on the Epic Launcher

Now you should be able to play your Epic Games without a problem! And, if any new titles exhibit this behavior, you know just how to fix it.

It should be that much easier when you next use the Epic Games Launcher. Though the platform can be tricky to use, it helps to know some quick fixes, such as relocating your Epic Games titles to a different directory without needing a fresh download.