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Open Library in the Steam client to see the games associated with your account. Use Steam > Settings > Storage to choose where games are installed or move existing installations. If a game seems missing, check the signed-in account, Library filters, and hidden games before reinstalling.
Find your games and recover a missing title
Select Library in the Steam client. If a game you expect to see is missing, work through these checks:
- Confirm Steam is signed into the account that owns the game or has access to it.
- Check the Library filters to make sure they are not excluding the title.
- Open View > Hidden Games. To restore a hidden game, right-click it, select Manage > Remove from Hidden. Steam Support: “Games are missing from my Library”.
- If you recently bought the game, check the purchase receipt and purchase history. If an installed game says Pre-Load Complete, check whether the signed-in account owns it or still has access through Family Sharing.
Choose where Steam installs games
Steam can use more than one library location. To add a location for future installations, open Steam > Settings > Storage and use the plus button to create another library path. When installing a game, choose an available 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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Compare your storage options
| Location | What to consider |
|---|---|
| Existing internal library | Use it if it has enough free capacity and you want to keep the installation where it is. |
| Another internal library | Add a location in Storage when you need more room or want installations on a different internal drive. |
| External drive | Steam supports library locations on other drives, but Steam Support does not recommend installing Steam on an external hard drive because of possible performance issues. An external drive can also disconnect at an inconvenient time; Steam advises using an internal drive if that is causing problems. |
Steam’s guidance does not establish a performance benchmark or a preferred drive model. Choose based on available capacity and whether the drive will remain reliably connected.
Move an installed game to another library
Moving an installed game through Steam avoids downloading the game again. You can use either of these routes:
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- Storage: Open Steam > Settings > Storage, add the destination library if needed, select the source drive, select the games to move, and choose Move.
- Game properties: In Library, right-click the game and open Properties > Installed Files > Move Install Folder.
For Steam’s instructions, see Moving a Steam Installation and Games and Managing Steam Downloads & Updates.
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Check that the game folder is where you expect it to be, then add the folder’s library location through Storage. Steam says the game may reappear in the Library once it recognizes that location. If it still is not recognized, Steam’s guidance recommends reinstalling: Installed games are appearing as uninstalled.
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Protect files and saves when moving Steam
Before moving a full Steam installation, back up the steamapps folder. Moving game files does not guarantee that every save will move with them: save locations vary by game. Steam notes that many third-party saves are in DocumentsMy Games, but directs users to the game’s developer or publisher when save locations are unclear. See the same Steam Support guidance on installed games appearing as uninstalled.
Track downloads and control updates
Open the Download Manager from Downloads at the bottom of the client, View > Downloads, or Library > Downloads. It shows current progress and completed updates, and lets you reorder queued downloads.
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- Open Steam > Settings > Downloads to set bandwidth limits or schedule when automatic updates may run.
- For a specific game, open Library > right-click the game > Properties > Updates. Depending on the available options, you can have it always kept updated, updated only when launched, or given high priority.
For details, see Managing Steam Downloads & Updates.
Understand hidden games, private games, and shortcuts
Hidden games affect your Library view
Hiding a game removes it from your visible game list until you restore it from Hidden Games. It is an organization feature, not a way to delete ownership.
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Private games affect what others can see
Steam’s private-game setting hides ownership, in-game status, playtime, and activity from other users in specified places, while the game remains visible to its owner. It is not complete anonymity: Steam notes, for example, that a matchmaking game may expose a player’s Steam ID to others on the same server, and inviting a friend can reveal in-game status until the player exits or disconnects. Details: Steam Private Games.
Non-Steam games are shortcuts
Adding a non-Steam game puts a shortcut in the client; it does not provide Steam downloads or updates for that title or prove Steam ownership. Steam Support explains this in Add Non-Steam Games to a Library.
Family games can be grouped separately
Games available through Steam Families appear in the Library like your own games. Choose Group By Library to place family games in a separate section. Manage access and permissions through Steam Families: Steam Families.
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Steam Support says Remote Downloads can be started in a web browser or the Steam Mobile app while the Steam client is running on your home PC or Mac. Steam recommends doing this only on your own private, secured computer. See Remote Downloads.
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