Skip to main content

How to uninstall Steam games (and reinstall them later)

how to uninstall steam games 1
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Modern digital game distribution makes buying and installing games easier than ever. If you play games on a PC, there is a very good chance you’re using Steam. With many games requiring more and more storage space for all those HD textures and uncompressed audio tracks, most players don’t have space for every game they own on their hard drives. Plus, with those attractive Steam sales that are the source of the bulk of our libraries, it’s easy to amass a huge offering of games.

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

10 minutes

What You Need

  • PC

If you’re switching to buying games on the Epic Games store, you might not even want your older collection of Steam games installed on your system at all, and Epic is quickly building up its own library of digital titles. Luckily, we’ll show you how to uninstall Steam games so you can clear space on your hard drive.

Uninstalling games through Steam

The quickest and easiest method to uninstall a game is through Steam itself.

Step 1: Open the Steam client and log in, if required.

Step 2: Click the Library tab in the top navigation menu.

how to uninstall steam games 3
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 3: Locate and right-click the game you want to uninstall in your library, which should open a drop-down menu. From there, head down to Manage, and then a new drop-down menu will appear. On that drop-down, click Uninstall.

how to uninstall steam games
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 4: Click Uninstall again to confirm.

how to uninstall steam games 2
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Uninstalling Steam games through Windows

If you would rather not uninstall your games directly through Steam, you can delete the game at the system level. Much like any other Windows application, you can uninstall your Steam games through Windows’ own Programs and Features menu.

Although this process will still take you to the Steam interface for the final step, you might prefer this method if you’re cleaning out various parts of your system at once.

Step 1: Search for “apps and features” or navigate to the Control Panel shortcut in the Start menu, and click the Uninstall a Program option under Programs.

how to uninstall steam games 5
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 2: Find the game you want to uninstall. Listing every program by name or install date may help you find things quickly. When you’ve found it, click Uninstall from the menu above or right-click the game and click Uninstall from the resulting menu.

how to uninstall steam games 4
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 3: You will then be taken to the Steam interface. Log in, if needed. When presented with the final confirmation box, click Uninstall to finalize the uninstall. Your game will be deleted.

how to uninstall steam games 2
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Completely removing Steam game files from the computer

While all of the above methods should work for uninstalling Steam Games, it never hurts to double-check with a manual uninstallation. Manually deleting your game files is a bit more complicated, but it’s the best way to be sure you’ve entirely erased the game (and all of its files) from your system.

Don’t forget that the games you’ve uninstalled will still show up in your Steam library even if they’re no longer a part of your system.

Step 1: Under your computer’s file explorer, navigate to your Steam install folder. On Windows 10, your Steam folder is in C:Program Files (x86)Steam by default.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 2: Search for and select the Steamapps folder and then the Common folder.

Step 3: Once you’re in the Common folder, you’ll notice that there are several additional folders in storage. There should be one folder in place for every single game you installed on your computer. Find the name of the game you wish to remove, select the folder, and click the delete key. You could also always right-click on the specific folder and click Delete on the drop-down menu that appears on the screen.

Keep in mind that after you officially delete the folder, that corresponding game will be gone. Your saved items and progress will all be lost, so make sure you actually want to delete the game. If you decide that you’d like to play the game again after removing it, you’ll need to install it again. Your new game will default back to its original settings.

Steam likes to leave a backdoor, though, for players who delete games from their computer. The program allows gamers to access configuration and saved files on your device in case you do eventually decide to reinstall the game. To fully remove these files, too, you can navigate to the Saved Games folder, the Documents folder, or the AppData folder under C: Users[YourUsername].

How to reinstall deleted Steam games

After following the steps above, the game will now be uninstalled. The game will still appear in your Steam list on the left, but you’ll need to reinstall it to play.

Step 1: If you ever want to reinstall it, double-click the game’s name or right-click and choose Install from the pop-up menu.

Step 2: Follow the on-screen instructions. To save space on your main drive, you could consider installing the game in a secondary location.

Jon Martindale
Jon Martindale is the Evergreen Coordinator for Computing, overseeing a team of writers addressing all the latest how to…
How to charge a Nintendo Switch Joy-Con and Pro Controller
Nintendo Switch

The Joy-Con have become an iconic part of the Nintendo Switch console. Not only can they be connected to the Joy-Con Grip to create a traditional controller, but they can slot onto the sides of the console so you can play in handheld mode. For even more versatility, you can pass one to a friend, allowing you to partake in local multiplayer without needing to rush out and buy a second gamepad. Joy-Con typically last around 20 hours before needing to be charged – but if you're gaming frequently, you'll hit that threshold quite frequently. The same goes for the Switch Pro Controller, which offers a premium alternative to the default Joy-Con.

Read more
How to connect a PS5 controller to a PC without a dongle
A red and blue PS5 stands on a table with matching controllers.

The DualSense controller is one of the coolest console controllers (say that ten times fast) to ever hit the market. After years of fine-tuning, the PlayStation 5 accessory doesn’t disappoint, thanks to advanced haptics feedback, comfortable grips, and a streamlined design. When it comes to AV bravura, Sony just knows how to get things done! But did you know that your PS5 controller can be linked to your home computer?

Whether that’s a laptop or desktop, the DualSense controller can be connected to your PC via USB or Bluetooth, and we’re going to teach you how to set things up using both of these methods.

Read more
How to tame a cat in Minecraft (and where to find them)
Cat lying on bed in Minecraft

There's a lot of exploring and building to do in Minecraft, as the sandbox game has seen rapid growth over the years. But along with scavenging for resources and crafting new gear, Minecraft lets you tame a variety of animals. And one of the most popular animals you can tame is an adorable cat.

Read more