Are you tired of having a cluttered Steam library, but worried about losing your hard-earned progress in your favorite games? Uninstalling a Steam game can be a daunting task, especially if you’re not sure how to keep your saves intact. Fear not, dear gamer! This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of uninstalling a Steam game while preserving your precious saves.
Why Uninstall A Steam Game?
Before we dive into the process of uninstalling a Steam game, let’s discuss why you might want to do so in the first place. There are several reasons why uninstalling a game from Steam might be necessary:
- Free up disk space: If you have a large game library, you might be running low on disk space. Uninstalling games you no longer play can free up valuable storage space on your computer.
- Remove old or unwanted games: If you have games in your library that you no longer enjoy playing or have outgrown, uninstalling them can help declutter your Steam library and make it easier to find the games you actually want to play.
- Improve system performance: Some games can be resource-intensive and may slow down your computer’s performance. Uninstalling them can help improve your system’s performance and speed.
The Importance Of Saving Your Saves
When uninstalling a Steam game, it’s essential to keep your saves intact. Your saves contain all your progress, achievements, and memories from playing the game. Losing them would be devastating, especially if you’ve invested countless hours into your favorite game.
Fortunately, Steam allows you to uninstall games without deleting your saves. By following the right steps, you can remove the game from your Steam library while preserving your precious saves.
How To Uninstall A Steam Game And Keep Your Saves
Uninstalling a Steam game while keeping your saves is a relatively straightforward process. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you do so:
Method 1: Uninstalling Through Steam
The easiest way to uninstall a Steam game and keep your saves is through the Steam client itself. Here’s how:
- Open the Steam client and navigate to the Library tab.
- Find the game you want to uninstall in your library and right-click on it.
- Select Uninstall from the dropdown menu.
- Steam will prompt you to confirm the uninstallation. Make sure the box next to Keep game files is checked. This will ensure that your saves are preserved.
- Click Uninstall to complete the process.
Method 2: Uninstalling Through The Steam Folder
If you’re having trouble uninstalling the game through the Steam client, you can try uninstalling it through the Steam folder. Here’s how:
Step 1: Locate the Steam Folder
First, you need to locate the Steam folder on your computer. The default location is:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam
Step 2: Find the Game Folder
Inside the Steam folder, find the folder corresponding to the game you want to uninstall. The folder name should match the game’s ID or title.
Step 3: Delete the Game Folder
Delete the game folder, but do not delete the saves folder. The saves folder is usually located in the following directory:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\
Make sure to leave the saves folder intact, as this contains your precious saves.
Step 4: Update Steam
After deleting the game folder, restart Steam and let it update. Steam will recognize that the game is no longer installed and remove it from your library.
Additional Tips And Considerations
When uninstalling a Steam game, there are a few additional tips and considerations to keep in mind:
Cloud Saves
If the game uses cloud saves, you might not need to worry about keeping your saves locally. Cloud saves are stored on the game’s servers, so you can uninstall the game without worrying about losing your progress.
Third-Party Save Managers
Some games use third-party save managers, such as GameSave Manager or SaveGame Manager. These programs can help you backup and manage your saves, making it easier to transfer them between installations or computers.
Game-Specific Save Locations
Some games store their saves in unique locations, such as the game’s installation folder or the Documents folder. Make sure to check the game’s documentation or support pages to find out where your saves are stored.
Conclusion
Uninstalling a Steam game while keeping your saves is a relatively simple process. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can remove unwanted games from your Steam library without losing your precious saves. Remember to always keep your saves safe and consider using cloud saves or third-party save managers to make managing your saves even easier.
Whether you’re freeing up disk space, removing old games, or improving system performance, uninstalling Steam games is an essential part of gaming life. With this guide, you can do so with confidence, knowing that your saves are safe and sound.
Can I Uninstall A Steam Game Without Losing My Progress?
Yes, you can uninstall a Steam game without losing your progress. Steam’s cloud saving feature allows you to store your game saves online, so even if you uninstall the game, your saves will still be available when you reinstall it. This means you can uninstall a game to free up space on your hard drive or to troubleshoot issues without worrying about losing your progress.
To ensure that your saves are backed up to the cloud, make sure that you have enabled cloud saving for the game in your Steam settings. You can do this by going to Steam > Settings > Cloud > Cloud Sync, and making sure that the game is selected to sync with the cloud. Additionally, you can check the game’s properties in your Steam library to see if cloud saving is enabled.
Will Uninstalling A Game Affect My Achievements?
Uninstalling a game will not affect your achievements. Steam achievements are stored on Steam’s servers, not on your local machine, so uninstalling a game will not delete or reset your achievements. You can uninstall and reinstall a game as many times as you want, and your achievements will remain intact.
However, if you’re concerned about your achievements, you can always check the Steam achievement page for the game to see your progress. You can also use third-party tools or websites that track Steam achievements to keep an eye on your progress.
Can I Uninstall A Game If I’ve Purchased It As Part Of A Bundle?
Yes, you can uninstall a game even if you’ve purchased it as part of a bundle. Steam allows you to uninstall individual games from a bundle without affecting the other games in the bundle. This means you can uninstall a game you no longer play or need without having to uninstall the entire bundle.
To uninstall a game from a bundle, simply right-click on the game in your Steam library and select “Uninstall”. Steam will then prompt you to confirm that you want to uninstall the game. Once you’ve uninstalled the game, you can still play the other games in the bundle as usual.
Will Uninstalling A Game Delete Any DLC I’ve Purchased?
No, uninstalling a game will not delete any DLC (Downloadable Content) you’ve purchased. Steam stores DLC separately from the main game, so uninstalling the game will not affect your DLC. You can uninstall and reinstall a game as many times as you want, and your DLC will remain intact.
However, keep in mind that if you uninstall a game and then reinstall it, you may need to reinstall any DLC you’ve purchased as well. Steam will prompt you to download and install the DLC again when you reinstall the game.
Can I Uninstall A Game If I’ve Modded It?
Yes, you can uninstall a game even if you’ve modded it. However, keep in mind that any mods you’ve installed will be deleted when you uninstall the game. If you want to keep your mods, you should back them up before uninstalling the game. You can usually find mods in the game’s directory, and you can copy them to a safe location before uninstalling the game.
If you want to reinstall the game and your mods, you’ll need to reinstall the mods as well. You can usually find instructions on how to reinstall mods in the mod’s documentation or online forums.
Will Uninstalling A Game Affect My Steam Friends List?
No, uninstalling a game will not affect your Steam friends list. Your friends list is stored on Steam’s servers, not on your local machine, so uninstalling a game will not delete or remove any friends from your list. You can uninstall and reinstall a game as many times as you want, and your friends list will remain intact.
You can still communicate with your friends on Steam even if you’ve uninstalled a game. You can chat with them, send them messages, and join multiplayer games with them, all without having to reinstall the game.
Can I Uninstall A Game If I’ve Added It To A Steam Category?
Yes, you can uninstall a game even if you’ve added it to a Steam category. Steam categories are just a way to organize your game library, and uninstalling a game will not affect the category itself. You can uninstall a game and then add it back to the category if you reinstall it later.
If you’ve created a custom category, you can also remove the game from the category before uninstalling it, or you can leave it in the category and uninstall the game anyway. Either way, the category will remain intact, and you can add the game back to it if you reinstall it later.