Are you running out of storage space on your computer? Do you have a game library that’s overflowing with titles you no longer play? If so, it might be time to start deleting some games. Steam makes it easy to delete games, and there are a few different ways to do it. In this article, we will show you how to delete games on Steam using three different methods. So, without further ado, let’s get started!
The first step can be done in the Steam client. Once you’re in, go to your library tab and find the game you want to delete. Right-click on the game and select “Delete” from the menu. A confirmation window will pop up, asking you to confirm that you want to delete the game. Click on the “Delete” button again to confirm. Finally, once you follow these steps, the game will be deleted from your Steam library.
Alternatively, you can also delete games from Steam using the command prompt. To do this, open the command prompt and type the following command:
“`
steamcmd +login username password +app_info_update 1 +quit
“`
Replace “username” and “password” with your Steam username and password. Once you have entered the command, press enter and wait for the command to finish executing. Once the command has finished executing, the game will be deleted from your Steam library.
Finally, you can also delete games from Steam using a third-party program. There are several different programs available that can help you delete games from Steam. However, we recommend using the Steam Cleaner program. Steam Cleaner is a free program that makes it easy to delete games from Steam. To use Steam Cleaner, simply download the program and install it on your computer. Once the program is installed, launch it and select the games you want to delete. Then, click on the “Delete” button and Steam Cleaner will delete the games from your Steam library.
Uninstalling Games Through the Steam Client
Uninstalling games through the Steam client is a simple and straightforward process. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you remove unwanted games from your Steam library:
- Locate the game you want to uninstall: Open the Steam client and navigate to your “Library” tab. Locate the game you want to uninstall from the list of installed games.
- Right-click on the game: Once you’ve found the game, right-click on it and select “Properties” from the context menu.
- Go to the “Local Files” tab: In the “Properties” window, click on the “Local Files” tab to view the game’s installation details.
- Click on the “Browse Local Files” button: This will open the game’s installation directory on your computer.
- Delete the game’s folder: Navigate to the game’s folder and delete it using your preferred method (e.g., dragging it to the trash or using the “Delete” key). Once the folder is deleted, the game will be uninstalled from your system.
- Restart Steam: To complete the uninstallation process, close and restart the Steam client. This will allow Steam to update its records and reflect the uninstalled game.
Additional Tips for Uninstalling Games
Here are some additional tips and troubleshooting steps to consider:
- Ensure that the game is not running: Before uninstalling a game, make sure that it is not currently running in the background. You can check this by opening the “Task Manager” and looking for the game’s process.
- Delete any residual files: After uninstalling a game through Steam, some residual files may remain on your system. You can manually search for and delete any leftover files from the game’s installation directory.
- Contact Steam Support: If you encounter any difficulties or errors while uninstalling a game through Steam, you can contact Steam Support for assistance.
Removing Games from Your PC Directory
If you want to remove a game from your PC directory without affecting your Steam Library, you can do so by following these steps:
1. Find the Game’s Installation Folder.
- Open File Explorer.
- Navigate to the following location: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common
- Find the folder for the game you want to delete.
2. Delete the Game Folder
Right-click on the game folder and select “Delete”. Confirm the deletion when prompted.
Note: This will only delete the game’s files from your PC, not from your Steam Account. If you want to remove the game from your Steam Account as well, you will need to follow the steps in the previous section.
Deleting Games via the Settings Menu
Deleting games through the Settings Menu provides an alternative method to uninstall unwanted titles from your Steam account. Follow these steps to remove games using this method:
3. Confirm Game Deletion
Once you select the game you want to delete, Steam will display a confirmation window. This window provides important information to consider before proceeding with the deletion:
-
Game Size: Steam displays the size of the game being uninstalled, informing you of the amount of storage space that will be freed up.
-
Cloud Saves: If the game supports Steam Cloud saves, Steam reminds you that uninstalling the game will also remove any saved data stored in the cloud. If you wish to keep your progress, consider making a manual backup before deleting the game.
-
Shared Content: Steam checks for any shared content associated with the game, such as custom maps or mods. If you have shared content, you will be prompted to choose whether to remove it or leave it intact.
After reviewing the confirmation information, select the appropriate options for your cleanup preferences. Once you are satisfied with your selections, click the “Uninstall” button to proceed with the game deletion.
| Confirmation Window Options | Description |
|---|---|
| Delete Shared Content | Removes any shared content associated with the game, ensuring a more thorough cleanup. |
| Create Desktop Shortcut | Creates a desktop shortcut for the game after it is uninstalled. |
| Remove Content from Recycle Bin | Skips the Recycle Bin and permanently deletes the game files. |
Removing Downloaded Content (DLC)
DLC is additional content that can be purchased and downloaded separately from the main game. It can include new levels, characters, or other features. To remove DLC, follow these steps:
1. Open the Steam Library
Click on the “Library” tab in the top menu bar of the Steam client.
2. Right-click on the game
Find the game that you want to remove DLC from in the list of installed games and right-click on it.
3. Select “Properties”
A menu will appear. Click on the “Properties” option.
4. Go to the “DLC” tab
In the Properties window, there will be a tab labeled “DLC”. Click on this tab to view the list of DLC that is installed for the game.DLC that is marked as “Installed” can be removed by unchecking the box next to it. DLC that is marked as “Not Installed” can be removed by clicking on the “Uninstall” button. DLC that is marked as “Updating” cannot be removed until the update is complete. Once you have unchecked the boxes for all of the DLC that you want to remove, click on the “Close” button to save your changes.
Once you have removed the DLC, it will no longer be available to play. If you want to play the DLC again in the future, you will need to re-purchase and download it.
Uninstalling Multiple Games Simultaneously
For those who wish to clear a significant amount of space or remove multiple games they no longer play, Steam provides a convenient option for simultaneous uninstallation.
To do this:
- Launch the Steam client and browse through your library.
- Hold down the “Ctrl” key on your keyboard.
- Click on each game you want to uninstall to select them.
- Right-click on any of the selected games and choose “Uninstall” from the context menu.
A confirmation dialog box will appear, asking you if you’re sure you want to uninstall the selected games.
Click “Uninstall” to proceed with the uninstallation process. Steam will then remove all selected games from your computer.
Sorting Games by Size
To make it easier to identify and select large games for uninstallation, you can sort your Steam library by size:
- Click on the “Games” menu in the Steam window.
- Choose “Sort by size” from the drop-down menu.
- Your games will now be arranged in descending order, with the largest games appearing at the top.
| Size | Game Title |
|---|---|
| 25 GB | Game A |
| 15 GB | Game B |
| 5 GB | Game C |
This will help you quickly identify the games that are taking up the most space and make your uninstallation process more efficient.
Restoring Deleted Games
If you’ve accidentally deleted a game from your Steam library, don’t panic! You can restore it with a few simple steps:
- Log in to your Steam account and click on the “Library” tab.
- Click on “View Games” and then on the “Deleted” tab.
- Select the game you want to restore and click on “Install”.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process.
- Once the installation is complete, you can launch the game from your Steam library.
| Note: If you’ve deleted a game that was linked to your Steam account, you may need to contact Steam Support to restore it. |
Managing Game Files Manually
If the above methods don’t work, you can manually delete game files by following these steps:
1. Locate the Game Folder
Open File Explorer and navigate to the following directory:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common
2. Find the Game Directory
Look for a folder with the name of the game you want to delete. For example, if you want to delete The Witcher 3, you would look for a folder called “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt”.
3. Delete the Folder
Right-click on the game folder and select “Delete”. This will delete the game files from your computer.
4. Remove Steam Registry Keys
Once you’ve deleted the game files, you need to remove the registry keys associated with the game. To do this, open the Registry Editor by pressing Windows Key + R and typing “regedit”.
5. Navigate to the Following Key:
| HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Valve\Steam |
|---|
6. Delete the Subkey
Look for a subkey with the name of the game you deleted. For example, if you deleted The Witcher 3, you would look for a subkey called “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt”. Right-click on the subkey and select “Delete”.
7. Restart Steam
Once you’ve deleted the registry key, restart Steam. Steam will rebuild its library and the game will no longer be listed as installed.
Utilizing Third-Party Tools
While the methods described above are effective for deleting games from Steam, third-party tools can offer additional functionality and convenience.
One such tool is Bulk Delete Games, a free and open-source application available on GitHub. It allows you to view a list of all installed Steam games, filter them by name, genre, or platform, and select multiple games for deletion in a single operation.
Steps for Using Bulk Delete Games:
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Download and install Bulk Delete Games from GitHub. |
| 2 | Open the application and sign in to your Steam account. |
| 3 | The application will display a list of all your installed Steam games. |
| 4 | You can filter the list by name, genre, or platform using the search bar. |
| 5 | Select the games you want to delete by clicking on their checkboxes. |
| 6 | Click on the “Uninstall Selected” button. |
| 7 | The application will start uninstalling the selected games. |
| 8 | Repeat steps 3-5 until all desired games have been selected and uninstalled. |
Bulk Delete Games offers the following benefits compared to the built-in Steam uninstaller:
- Bulk Selection: Uninstall multiple games simultaneously, saving time and effort.
- Filtering: Filter the list of games by criteria to make it easier to find and select the ones you want to delete.
- Progress Tracking: Monitor the progress of the uninstallation process in real-time.
Overall, Bulk Delete Games is a valuable tool for Steam users who need to delete multiple games efficiently and conveniently.
Delete Games from Steam HD
To delete a game from your Steam library, follow these steps:
1. Open the Steam client.
2. Click on the “Library” tab.
3. Right-click on the game you want to delete and select “Delete”.
4. Click on the “Delete” button in the confirmation dialog box.
Troubleshooting Game Deletion Issues
If you’re having trouble deleting a game from Steam, try the following:
1. Make sure that you’re logged into the correct Steam account.
2. Check that you have enough disk space to delete the game.
3. Try restarting the Steam client.
4. Verify the integrity of the game files.
5. Delete the game folder manually.
6. Uninstall Steam and then reinstall it.
9. Game is still listed in my library after deleting it
Open the Steam client and click on the “View” menu. Select “Settings” and then click on the “Downloads” tab. Under the “Game Library Folders” section, click on the “Add Library Folder” button. Select the folder where the game is installed and click on the “OK” button. The game should now appear in your library.
| Error Message | Solution |
|---|---|
| Could not delete the game. The game is currently running. | Close the game and then try deleting it again. |
| Could not delete the game. The game files are being used by another program. | Close the other program and then try deleting the game again. |
| Could not delete the game. The game folder is locked. | Unlock the game folder and then try deleting the game again. |
| Could not delete the game. The game folder is not empty. | Delete the files in the game folder and then try deleting the game again. |
