The fastest way to transfer a Unity project is to copy the entire project folder to an external drive or cloud storage, then paste it on the new computer with Unity already installed

Unity stores everything your project needs in a single folder on your hard drive. That folder contains your scenes, scripts, assets, and all the settings Unity needs to rebuild the project. Moving the whole folder is simpler and more reliable than trying to pick individual files, because you avoid accidentally leaving behind hidden configuration files that Unity depends on.

The process takes about 15 minutes for a small project, longer for large ones with many gigabytes of assets. You will need enough storage space on your transfer device (external hard drive, USB stick, or cloud folder) to hold the entire project folder. The new computer must have the same version of Unity installed, or at minimum a version newer than the one that created the project.

Key Takeaways

  • Copy the entire project folder (not individual files) from your source computer to an external drive or cloud storage.
  • The new computer must have Unity installed before you paste the project folder there.
  • If the new computer has a different version of Unity, open the project in the newer version and let Unity upgrade the files automatically.
  • After pasting the project, open it in Unity by selecting the folder through the Hub's "Open" button, not by double-clicking a file.
  • The Library folder inside your project will rebuild itself the first time you open the project on the new computer, which takes a few minutes.

Locate and copy your entire project folder

Open your file explorer (File Explorer on Windows, Finder on Mac) and navigate to where your Unity project lives. On Windows, this is usually C:\Users\[Your Username]\Documents\ or wherever you saved it. On Mac, check ~/Documents/ or ~/Desktop/. The project folder is the one that contains subfolders named Assets, Library, ProjectSettings, and Packages.

Right-click the project folder and select Copy. Do not open the folder first — copy the folder itself. This ensures you capture all the hidden files and configuration folders that Unity needs. If you copy only the contents of the folder, you will leave behind critical files.

Plug in your external drive or open your cloud storage folder (Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, or iCloud). Paste the project folder there. On an external drive, this usually takes a few minutes for a small project and much longer for projects with large asset files. On cloud storage, the upload happens in the background, but do not unplug or close the folder until the upload finishes.

Install Unity on the destination computer

Before you move the project folder to the new computer, that computer must have Unity installed. read Unity Hub from unity.com and install it. Unity Hub is the launcher that manages all your Unity versions and projects.

Open Unity Hub and install the version of Unity that matches the one you used on your original computer. You can find which version you used by opening the original project in Unity Hub — it displays the version number next to the project name. If you do not remember the exact version, install a newer version instead. Unity can upgrade projects automatically, but it cannot downgrade them.

Installation takes 10 to 30 minutes depending on your internet speed and which modules you include. You only need the base Unity Editor for most projects, though you may want to add platform support (Android, iOS, WebGL) if your project targets those platforms.

Paste the project folder and open it in Unity Hub

On the new computer, navigate to where you want to store your projects. This is usually Documents on both Windows and Mac, but you can use any folder. Paste the project folder there. Wait for the paste operation to finish completely before moving to the next step.

Open Unity Hub. Click the Open button (or the folder icon) and navigate to the project folder you just pasted. Select the folder itself, not a file inside it. Unity Hub will recognize it as a valid project and display it in your projects list. Click the project name to open it.

The first time you open the project on the new computer, Unity rebuilds the Library folder, which contains compiled versions of your scripts and processed versions of your assets. This rebuild takes a few minutes and happens automatically — you will see a progress bar in the bottom right corner of the editor. Do not close Unity during this process.

Handle version mismatches if the new computer has a different Unity version

If the new computer has a newer version of Unity than the original project, Unity will ask whether you want to upgrade the project. Click Upgrade. This updates the project files to work with the new version. The upgrade is usually safe, but Unity creates a backup of your project first, so you can revert if something breaks.

If the new computer has an older version of Unity than your project, you cannot open the project. You must install a newer version on the new computer. This is a safety feature — older versions of Unity cannot read files created by newer versions.

After upgrading, test your project by opening a scene and pressing Play. Check that your scripts run, your assets display correctly, and your UI responds to input. Most projects work without changes after an upgrade, but occasionally a script or asset needs adjustment.

Transfer using cloud storage for easier syncing

If you use Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, or iCloud, you can skip the external drive step entirely. Install the cloud storage app on both computers. On your original computer, move your project folder into the cloud storage folder. The folder uploads automatically.

On the new computer, install the same cloud storage app and sign in with the same account. The project folder downloads automatically. Once the read finishes, open Unity Hub, click Open, and navigate to the project folder in your cloud storage. Open it as you normally would.

Cloud storage has one advantage: if you make changes to the project on the new computer, those changes sync back to the original computer automatically. This is useful if you work on the same project from multiple machines. However, cloud storage is slower than an external drive for the initial transfer, especially for large projects with many gigabytes of assets.

Avoid common mistakes that break the transfer

Do not copy only the Assets folder. The Library, ProjectSettings, and Packages folders are just as important. If you copy only Assets, the new computer will not know which version of Unity the project uses, what plugins are installed, or how scenes are configured.

Do not open the project folder in the file explorer and then try to open a scene file (.unity) directly in Unity. Always open the project through Unity Hub by selecting the folder. If you open a scene file directly, Unity creates a new temporary project instead of opening your real project.

Do not delete the Library folder before transferring. Some people think the Library folder is temporary and can be deleted to save space. It is temporary in the sense that Unity can rebuild it, but rebuilding takes time. Transfer the entire folder as-is, and let Unity rebuild the Library on the new computer if needed.

Do not assume the project will work on a different operating system without testing. A project created on Windows usually works on Mac and vice versa, but platform-specific code or assets sometimes cause problems. Open the project and test it thoroughly before relying on it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer a project between Windows and Mac?

Yes. Copy the entire project folder to your transfer device and paste it on the Mac (or Windows computer). Open it in Unity Hub the same way. Most projects work without changes, but test your scenes and scripts to make sure nothing broke. Platform-specific code or assets sometimes need adjustment.

What if the new computer does not have enough storage space?

Delete unnecessary files from your project before transferring. The Library folder can be deleted safely — Unity rebuilds it automatically when you open the project on the new computer. You can also delete the Temp folder if it exists. Never delete Assets, ProjectSettings, or Packages.

How long does the Library folder take to rebuild?

Rebuilding usually takes 2 to 10 minutes depending on how many assets your project contains. Large projects with thousands of textures and models take longer. Do not close Unity while the rebuild is happening — you will see a progress bar in the bottom right corner.

Can I transfer a project using a USB stick?

Yes, if the stick has enough storage. Copy the project folder to the stick on your original computer, then plug the stick into the new computer and paste the folder there. USB sticks are slower than external hard drives, so the transfer takes longer for large projects.

What happens if I open the project in a much newer version of Unity?

Unity upgrades the project automatically and usually works without problems. However, very old projects (more than three or four versions behind) sometimes have scripts or assets that need updating. Test the project thoroughly after opening it in a much newer version.