Modern digital game distribution has made buying and installing games easier than ever. If you’re a PC gamer, there’s a high chance you’re using Steam. With games requiring more storage space for HD textures and uncompressed audio tracks, it’s common for players to run out of hard drive space. Also, with the enticing Steam sales, gamers tend to accumulate a massive library of games.
If you’re transitioning to the Epic Games store, you might not want your old collection of Steam games on your system anymore. Thankfully, we’ll guide you on how to uninstall Steam games and clear up space on your hard drive.
Uninstalling Games with Steam
Steam simplifies the uninstallation and reinstallation process for any game you’ve purchased. It’s almost as easy as installing them in the first place. Follow our step-by-step guide on how to uninstall Steam games.
- Open the Steam client and log in (if necessary).
- Click on the Library tab in the top navigation menu.
- Locate the game you want to uninstall in your library, right-click on it, and select Manage. Another drop-down menu will appear; click on Uninstall.
- Steam will confirm whether you want to completely uninstall the game. When you’re ready, click the Uninstall button.
How to Reinstall Games
After following the above steps, the game will be uninstalled. It will still appear in your Steam list on the left, but you’ll need to reinstall it to play.
- To reinstall the game at a later time, double-click on the game’s name in your Steam library, or right-click and select Install from the pop-up menu.
- Follow the on-screen instructions. Consider installing the game in a secondary location to save space on your main drive.
Uninstalling Games through Windows
If you prefer not to uninstall your games directly through Steam, you can delete them at the system level. You can uninstall your Steam games through Windows’ Programs and Features menu.
- Search for “apps and features” or navigate to the Control Panel shortcut in the Start menu, then click on the Uninstall a Program option under Programs.
- Find the game you want to uninstall. Listing programs by name or install date may help you locate them quickly. Once found, click on Uninstall from the menu above or right-click on the game and select Uninstall from the resulting menu.
- You will be redirected to the Steam interface. Log in if needed. In the final confirmation box, click Uninstall to complete the process. The game will be deleted.
Reinstalling Games Purchased on Steam
To reinstall a game purchased on Steam, you must use the Steam interface. There is no other way to reinstall them.
- If you want to reinstall the game later, open Steam, select the game from your library, and double-click on the game name.
- Alternatively, right-click on the game name and select Install.
- Follow the on-screen instructions.
Manual Uninstallation
While the above methods should work for uninstalling Steam games, it’s always good to double-check with a manual uninstallation. Manually deleting game files is more complicated, but it ensures complete removal of the game and all its files from your system.
Please note that uninstalled games will still be visible in your Steam library, even if they’re no longer on your system.
- Open your computer’s file explorer and navigate to your Steam installation folder. By default, on Windows 10, the Steam folder is located in C:Program Files (x86)Steam.
- Look for and select the Steamapps folder, followed by the Common folder.
- Inside the Common folder, you’ll find additional folders corresponding to each game you’ve installed. Locate the folder of the game you want to remove, select it, and press the delete key. Alternatively, right-click on the folder and choose Delete from the drop-down menu.
Keep in mind that deleting the folder will permanently remove the game. Your saved items and progress will be lost, so ensure you really want to delete the game. If you decide to reinstall the game in the future, you’ll need to install it again, and it will revert to its original settings.
Steam provides a backdoor for players who delete games from their computers. The program allows access to configuration and saved files on your device in case you decide to reinstall the game. To fully remove these files, navigate to the Saved Games folder, the Documents folder, or the AppData folder under C: Users[YourUsername].
Conclusion
Now you know how to uninstall and reinstall Steam games with ease. Clear up your hard drive space or make room for new games by following the steps outlined above. Take control of your gaming library and enjoy an organized and clutter-free experience.
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