How to Completely Delete A Game on Steam

Steam is the world’s biggest gaming platform with over 120 million active users, but sometimes it’s necessary to delete a game from your Steam library. Whether it’s to free up space on your computer or to eliminate a game that you no longer play, it’s important to delete games properly because some games may leave behind files that take up space or cause issues. In this article, we will guide you through the process of completely deleting a game from your Steam library.

Video Tutorial:

What’s Needed:

Before we dive into the methods, you need to ensure that you have the following:

• Steam account and client installed on your computer
• The game you want to delete
• Internet connection

What requires your focus?

You must focus on these two things while deleting a game from your Steam library:

• Choose the right method that suits you well personally: different methods may apply to different situations and you should select the one that fits the best.
• Verify that you have the correct game before proceeding to delete

Methods to Completely Delete A Game on Steam:

Method 1: Delete a game normally

Deleting the game normally is the most straightforward method to delete a game on Steam. It’s important to note that this method might not remove all the files related to the game, and some game files or saved game progress may still be left behind on your hard drive, which can take up space.

1. Open the Steam client on your computer and log in to your account.
2. Go to your Library, then right-click on the game you want to delete, and select "Delete Local Content".
3. A pop-up window will appear to confirm the deletion. Click on the "Delete" button to remove the game from your Steam Library.

Pros:

• Quick and easy method
• Does not require any special technique or tools

Cons:

• Some game files may still be left behind on your hard drive
• You may lose saved game progress if the game manufacturer does not provide a cloud save option or a way to back up save progress

Method 2: Delete a game from the Steam folder

This method involves completely removing the game’s installation folder from your computer. It will remove all the files related to the game and free up the most space on your hard drive.

1. Exit Steam and ensure that it is not running in the background or minimized.
2. Navigate to the Steam installation directory, which is usually located at C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam.
3. Open the “steamapps” folder, and then locate the folder of the game you want to delete.
4. Right-click on the game folder, then click on "Delete".
5. Confirm the deletion process by clicking on "Yes" in the pop-up window that appears.

Pros:

• Completely removes all files related to the game and frees up the most space on your hard drive
• Easy to follow, even for beginners

Cons:

• You may lose saved game progress if the game manufacturer does not provide a cloud save option or a way to back up save progress.
• This method may take more time compared to deleting the game normally

Method 3: Use a third-party software

You can use third-party software to manage your games on Steam. These tools will enable you to delete games, see game files that are taking up the most space on your hard drive, and help you optimize your gaming library.

1. Install a third-party software such as CCleaner or Steam Mover on your computer.
2. Launch the software and navigate to the Steam Library folder.
3. Choose the game you want to delete and select "Uninstall" or "Delete".
4. Follow the instructions given by the software to proceed with the deletion process.

Pros:

• Efficient and saves time
• Some software may provide additional features to optimize your gaming library

Cons:

• You may need to pay for some advanced features in certain software
• Third-party software may contain malicious code that can harm your computer.

Method 4: Manually remove game files and folders

This method is recommended only if you know what you’re doing and have good knowledge of computer technicalities. If you delete the wrong files, you may harm the system.

1. Browse to the Steam installation directory and open "steamapps" folder.
2. Navigate to the folder that contains the game you want to delete, then delete it.
3. Open the “userdata” folder inside the Steam installation directory.
4. Locate the folder with the App ID of the game you want to remove and delete it.
5. Go to the registry editor and delete the game entries, but be careful not to delete the registry entries of other programs.
6. Finally, empty the Recycle Bin to ensure that all the game files have been deleted.

Pros:

• Completely removes all files related to the game and frees up the most space on your hard drive
• Can be a good option if you have technical skills of computers

Cons:

• It can be dangerous and should be performed only by someone with technical knowledge
• You may lose saved game progress if the game manufacturer does not provide a cloud save option or a way to back up save progress

Why Can’t I Delete A Game on Steam?

There might be several reasons why you can’t delete a game on Steam, including:

1. You are trying to delete the game while it’s running in the background, try to exit the game and then retry.
2. The game was not installed properly. You need to reinstall the game properly to remove it completely.
3. You do not have administrative privileges to delete the game. Make sure that you are logged in to the computer as an administrator.

Fixes:

1. Ensure that the game is not running in the background and then retry.
2. Reinstall the game and then try to delete it.
3. Log into the computer as an administrator and then try to delete the game.

Implications and Recommendations:

Deleting games from your Steam account can be a helpful way to manage your library, but you should ensure that you understand the implications involved before proceeding. Some games may leave behind save files, and progress, which may not be recoverable later.

We recommend taking some time to first back up your saved games before proceeding to delete any games on Steam. The best way to do this is by using a third-party backup tool that can save your game progress and data to keep it safe. Once you confirm that your saved games are backed up properly, you can then proceed with the deletion of the game by following any of the methods mentioned above.

5 FAQs:

Q1: Will deleting games on Steam remove the game from my computer?

A1: Yes, deleting games on Steam removes all files related to the game from your computer.

Q2: Can I reinstall a deleted game on Steam?

A2: Yes, you can reinstall a deleted game on Steam easily by visiting your library and selecting the game you’d like to reinstall.

Q3: Does deleting a game on Steam remove the achievements I’ve earned in that game?

A3: No, your achievements will stay with your Steam account and will not be removed when you delete a game.

Q4: Can I still play the game after I delete it?

A4: No, deleting a game removes all files related to the game from your computer and you cannot play it until you reinstall it.

Q5: Will deleting games on Steam affect my saved game progress?

A5: Yes, you may lose saved game progress if the game manufacturer does not provide a cloud save option or a way to back up save progress, so we recommend backing up your saved games before deleting any games.

In Conclusion:

Removing a game from your Steam library is a simple process, but it’s important to understand the implications involved before proceeding. Deleting a game normally might not remove all the files related to the game. Manually removing files without much knowledge about computers can be dangerous, so it should be performed only by someone with technical knowledge. Using third-party software or reinstalling the game is a more thorough option. Backing up your saved game progress is essential before proceeding with any of the procedures.