How to Uninstall a Steam Game on Windows 10 & 11
Steam is an extremely popular digital platform to access PC games. The sheer number of game titles is overwhelming, in a good way. That said, it’s easy to go a little overboard, and before you know it, your PC is running low on storage space. If you are keen to learn how to uninstall Steam games, we have multiple methods and steps for each. We’ll even cover how to back up or reinstall them, too, so all your bases are covered.
How to Uninstall a Steam Game
There are a few methods on how to uninstall a game on Steam, including using the Steam client, using the Windows Control Panel, the Windows Settings app, or uninstalling manually. Pick whichever suits you best, we have instructions for each of them. If your PC doesn’t meet a game’s requirements, consider upgrading with one of the best budget GPUs from our list and get back to enjoying your favorite games.
1. Through Steam
A Steam game can be uninstalled directly from the Steam client. This will apply only to Steam games and not non-Steam games that you’ve added to your library.
- Open the Steam app.
- Go to the Library.
- In the column on the left, look for the game you want to uninstall and right-click it.
- From the context menu, go to Manage and Uninstall.
- The game will be uninstalled, and in most cases, its folder will be deleted too.
- Open File Explorer and navigate to the Steam folder.
- Go to Steam\steamapps\common and delete the folder for the game you just uninstalled if it’s still there.
2. Control Panel
The steps for how to uninstall a game on Steam through the Windows Control Panel will be similar with both the 10 and 11 versions.
- To open the Control Panel, press the Windows button and R at the same time (Win + R).
- The Run box will open; type Control Panel in the field and push the Enter key.
- Select Programs and Features.
- From here, find the Steam game you wish to uninstall, right-click on it, and select Uninstall.
3. Start Menu
One of the easiest ways to delete games and any app on your system is via the start menu. Follow these simple steps to uninstall your Steam games:
- Press the Windows button on your keyboard.
- Enter the name of the game you want to uninstall from your system.
- Now click on the Uninstall button.
- Now, the Programs and Features window will open. Find the game in the list, right-click on it, and select Uninstall.
4. Windows Settings App
Here’s how to uninstall Steam games (and non-Steam games) on Windows 10 and 11:
- Open the Settings app (Win +I keyboard shortcut).
- Go to the Apps.
- Look for the game you want to uninstall and select it.
- Click the Uninstall button.
- Once the game has been uninstalled, you have to manually delete its folder from the Steam Library folder.
5. Manually Deleting Steam Files
If you want to be particularly aggressive with uninstallation, you can manually delete your game files. This will totally remove them from your PC, but they will likely still appear in your Steam Library. Here are the steps:
- Go to File Explorer and find your Steam install folder. By default it is often in C:Program Files (x86)Steam. It also might just be labeled Program Files (x86).
- Go to your Steammaps folder.
- Go to the Common folder.
- There should be a folder for each installed game. Right-click the game folder you want to get rid of and select Delete.
- Now, that’s how to uninstall Steam games. To play it again, you’d have to reinstall it, and your previous progress will be lost
6. App Uninstallers
There are many third-party apps that offer uninstalling capabilities alongside other features such as managing apps, data migrations, and boosting system performance. So, taking advantage of a reliable third-party app can be the answer to how do I uninstall Steam games? The installation process on all of these apps is the same, and all you need to do is open the app and, find the game you want to uninstall, then click on the Uninstall option.
7. Command Prompt
Another easy but more technical method to uninstall and completely delete Steam games or any app is related to the command prompt. Follow these steps to uninstall a Steam game from your PC:
- First, find the location of the game files in your Steam installation directory. Take note of the path. Usually, the path is:
C: \Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common
- Now press the Windows button on your keyboard, type Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
- Type the following command and press Enter.
cd C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common
- To delete the game, enter the following command:
del /F /S /Q “Name of the Folder”
Instead of the Name of the Folder, you should type the exact name of the game’s folder. Then press Enter, and the game will be uninstalled.
How to Back Up a Game on Steam
If you want to back up your Steam game before uninstalling, we have the steps below. Note that you may have these saved to your Steam account already, but just in case, it’s never a bad idea to save them yourself.
- Go to File Explorer and find your Steam install folder. By default, it is often in C:Program Files (x86)Steam, unless you’ve installed it on another drive. It also might just be labeled Program Files (x86).
- Go to your Steammaps folder.
- Go to the Common folder.
- There should be a folder for each installed game. Right-click the game folder you want to back up and choose Copy. From there, you can paste it where you wish so that your game is properly saved.
Note: If your game files are saved elsewhere on your PC, you just need to access them and then copy and paste the file where you want it saved.
How to Reinstall a Steam Game
If you previously uninstalled your favorite games because your PC was underpowered but have now upgraded it with the best CPUs and GPUs for gaming, you can reinstall them without any worries. Just follow the steps below:
- If your game has been uninstalled from your PC but is still in your Steam library, you can simply reinstall it by right-clicking the game and selecting Install from the options.
- From there, you should have prompted instructions on how to finish the install. You can even choose to save it elsewhere if you don’t have the space on your hard drive.
- If you already saved a backup of a game, and you want to reinstall it, just copy and paste it from where you saved it or move the file to the folder you want to access it from.
FAQ
Will uninstalling Steam games free up space?
Absolutely. It will free up hard drive space, which can be bogged down with too many game titles. If this is a recurring problem for you, you can save your Steam games to a separate drive so you don’t have to keep uninstalling things to make room.
What is the fastest way to uninstall a game on Steam?
Uninstalling from the Windows Control Panel and Settings App are the fastest options to uninstall a game on Steam.
How do I completely uninstall a game on Steam?
To completely uninstall a game on Steam, first, you have to open the app, then go to your Library, and choose the game you want uninstalled. After that, select the gear icon and choose Manage from the drop-down options. Then, select Uninstall.
How do I permanently remove a game from the Steam Library?
To remove or uninstall a game from Steam Library, go to Steam, select Help at the top of the screen, and choose Steam Support from the menu options. You can use the search option to find the game you want to get rid of, or it may be in your recently played list. A few options will pop up. Click, I want to permanently remove this game from my account. Choose OK, and remove the listed games from my account permanently. The game is now deleted. To play it again, you’d have to repurchase it. Note: If you have owned the game for less than 2 weeks and played it for less than 2 hours, you may be eligible for a refund from Steam
Deleting a free Steam game permanently from the Steam Library is much easier. To do this, Go to the Steam LIBRARY and Select the free game you want to delete. Right-click the game and select Manage. From there, you can choose Remove from account. Confirm removal via the pop-up window.
Can I uninstall a Steam game without deleting my saved data?
Yes, it’s possible to uninstall a Stream game and keep its saved data. Usually, Steam keeps the save files after uninstallation, but it’s better to make sure of it manually. To do this, open the Steam app, click Steam at the top left of the window, and go to settings. Next, click on Cloud in the left menu. Now, make sure that the Enable Steam Cloud toggle is on. To ensure the saved files will stay on your system locally, go to the location of the saved file and back up the folders. The data is usually in the Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata or Users folder.
Can I reinstall a game after uninstalling it from Steam?
Yes, you can reinstall a game after uninstalling it from Steam. When you purchase a game, you will have the license to download and install it without any limitations. To do this, open the Steam app and select LIBRARY from the top menu. Click on the game that you want to reinstall from the left menu or the main shelf. Now simply click on the Install button and then once again select Install. After downloading, the game will be installed again and ready to play.
How do I check how much space a game is using before uninstalling?
The fastest way to check the file size is directly from the Steam client. These are the steps. Open Steam and Select LIBRARY from the top menu. Right-click on the name of the game or its picture and select Properties. Click on the Installed Files option from the left menu, and the file size will be visible in front of Size of installation option.
What happens to achievements after uninstalling a game?
The achievements are tied to the Steam account, and uninstalling a game won’t have any effect on them. So, when you reinstall any game, the previous achievement will be there again, and you can continue toward completing them.
Can I uninstall a Steam game on one device and keep it on another?
Yes, when you uninstall a Steam game from a device, the file data will be deleted only on that device, and the game will still be playable on other devices.
Do I need to be online to uninstall a Steam game?
No, you can uninstall games without connecting to the Internet. All the methods we have shared with you can be done completely offline. However, beware that your online Steam library and syncing with Steam Cloud won’t be updated until you connect your device to the Internet again.
Does uninstalling a game remove DLCs or additional content?
Yes, if you uninstall a base game, the DLCs will be removed alongside it. However, like the base game, you will have the option to reinstall all downloadable content anytime you like, and their ownership will belong to you.
Why can’t I uninstall a game from Steam?
The Steam game not uninstalling issue, can be due to different reasons. If you can’t uninstall your game, make sure that the game is closed and not running in the background. Your device won’t let you uninstall a game that is running. The next method is to restart the Steam client. You can also fix this problem by updating the Steam client. To check for an update, open Steam, click on Steam from the top-left corner, then select Check for Steam Client Updates. If the game’s files are missing or corrupted, you may not be able to uninstall it from the Steam client or the apps list on your computer. In these situations, you have to delete the game files manually from your computer.
