Open the Steam client and select Library to see your games. If a title is missing, check the account, Library filters, and View > Hidden Games. To choose where games are installed or move existing ones, use Steam > Settings > Storage—the Library is for browsing your collection; Storage manages installation locations.
Find the Library and recover a missing game
- Open the Steam client and select Library.
- If a game is absent, confirm that you are signed in to the account that owns or can access it. Check the Library filters to make sure they are not excluding the title.
- Open View > Hidden Games. To restore a hidden title, right-click it and choose Manage > Remove from Hidden, as described by Steam Support.
- If you recently bought the game, check your purchase receipt and purchase history. If an installed game says “Pre-Load Complete,” Steam Support notes that the account may not own it or may have lost access through Family Sharing.
Choose an install location or move installed games
Add a library location for future installations
Go to Steam > Settings > Storage, then use the plus button to create another library path. When installing a game, select the desired library location. Steam Support says, “You can create an alternate location on any drive, which you can choose in the future when installing games.” See Moving a Steam Installation and Games.
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Move a game that is already installed
Use either of these routes:
- In Steam > Settings > Storage, select the source drive, select the games, and choose Move.
- In Library, right-click the game and open Properties > Installed Files > Move Install Folder.
Steam documents both methods as ways to move installed files without requiring a new download. The current client may use slightly different labels.
Choose a drive that suits your setup
Steam supports multiple library locations. An existing internal drive is the simplest choice if it has enough space; adding another internal location can help when it does not. Steam Support cautions against installing Steam on an external hard drive because of potential performance issues, and notes that an external drive can disconnect at inconvenient times. If you use one, weigh available capacity against reliable connection and the possibility of performance or game-recognition problems. Steam publishes no product-level benchmark in its guidance, so these options cannot be ranked by a specific speed figure. See Moving a Steam Installation and Games and Managing Steam Downloads & Updates.
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Fix games Steam no longer recognizes on disk
If files are still on a drive but Steam shows the game as uninstalled, check that the game folder is in the expected location. Then add the relevant library path under Steam > Settings > Storage. Steam Support says the game may then appear in the Library; if it remains unrecognized, its guidance recommends reinstalling. See Managing Steam Downloads & Updates.
Before moving a full Steam installation, back up the steamapps folder. Do not assume that moving Steam folders will move every save: Steam says non-Steam Cloud save locations vary by game. Many third-party saves are in DocumentsMy Games, but Steam directs users to the game developer or publisher when the save location is uncertain. See Moving a Steam Installation and Games.
Rank #2
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Track downloads and control updates
Monitor and reorder downloads
Open the Download Manager from the Downloads link at the bottom of the client, View > Downloads, or Library > Downloads. It displays progress and completed updates, and lets you reorder queued downloads.
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Set download limits and update behavior
- For bandwidth limits and when automatic updates may run, open Steam > Settings > Downloads.
- For an individual game, open Library > right-click the game > Properties > Updates. Options include always keeping it updated, updating only when launched, and giving it high priority.
See Steam Support’s Managing Steam Downloads & Updates for these controls.
Rank #3
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Understand hidden games, private games, and family games
Hidden: change what appears in your own list
Hiding is an organization feature: the title leaves your visible game list until you restore it from View > Hidden Games. Steam Support describes the option as one “which prevents it from appearing to you.” Hiding does not delete ownership. See Steam Private Games.
Private: limit what other users can see
Private status keeps the game visible to you while hiding ownership, in-game status, playtime, and activity from other users in specified places. It is not complete anonymity. Steam’s guidance gives exceptions: a Steam matchmaking game can expose your Steam ID to others on the same server, and inviting a friend can reveal your in-game status until you exit or disconnect. See Steam Private Games.
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Family games: group them separately
Steam Families games can appear in your Library alongside games you own. Use Group By Library to put family games in a separate section. Steam Families also controls the associated games and permissions. See Steam Families.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Know what adding a non-Steam game does
Adding a non-Steam game puts a shortcut in the Steam client; it does not make Steam provide downloads or updates for that title, or establish that you own it on Steam. Steam Support states, “This will only add a shortcut to your game in the Steam client.” See Add Non-Steam Games to a Library.
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Start downloads remotely
You can initiate Remote Downloads from a web browser or the Steam Mobile app while the Steam client is running on your home PC or Mac. Steam Support recommends using this only with your own private, secured computer. See Remote Downloads.
Quick Recap
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