Delete a game from Steam in three steps

To remove a game from your Steam library, right-click the game title in your library, select "Manage," then click "Uninstall." Steam will remove the game files from your computer and the title will no longer appear in your library list. The process takes a few minutes depending on how large the game is.

Deleting a game frees up storage space on your hard drive. If you change your mind later, you can reinstall any game you own without paying again — Steam remembers your purchase history even after you delete it.

Key Takeaways

  • Right-click any game in your Steam library and select "Manage" to find the uninstall option.
  • Uninstalling a game removes only the files from your computer, not your ownership of the game.
  • You can reinstall any game you own at any time without repurchasing it.
  • Steam shows you how much storage space each game uses before you delete it, so you can prioritize which games to remove.
  • Deleting a game does not affect your save files unless you specifically choose to delete them during the uninstall process.

The step-by-step uninstall process

Open Steam and go to your library. Find the game you want to remove and right-click on its title. A menu will appear with several options. Click "Manage" — this opens a submenu with game-specific actions.

In the submenu, click "Uninstall." Steam will ask you to confirm that you want to remove the game. Click "Uninstall" again in the confirmation box. The game files will begin deleting immediately. You can close Steam while this happens, but leaving it open lets you watch the progress and see when it finishes.

Once the uninstall completes, the game will disappear from your library list. If you have a slow internet connection or a very large game, the uninstall may take several minutes. Steam will not let you launch the game while it is being removed.

What happens to your save files

By default, Steam saves your game progress in the cloud — a remote server that stores your data. When you uninstall a game, your cloud saves stay safe and will be there if you reinstall later. You do not lose your progress just by deleting the game from your computer.

Some games also store saves locally on your hard drive in a separate folder. During the uninstall process, Steam will ask whether you want to keep or delete local save files. If you are unsure, choose "Keep" — you can always delete them manually later if you need the space. If you choose "Delete," those local saves are gone permanently.

Before uninstalling a game you have played for a long time, check whether it uses cloud saves. Open the game's store page on Steam, scroll to "Cloud Saves" in the right sidebar, and look for a checkmark. If cloud saves are enabled, your progress is protected.

Freeing up storage space

Steam shows you exactly how much space each game takes up. In your library, right-click a game and select "Properties." On the "Local Files" tab, you will see the total size listed. Large games like Call of Duty or Microsoft Flight Simulator can use 100 gigabytes or more, while smaller indie games might use only a few gigabytes.

If your hard drive is running low on space, uninstalling your largest games first will free up the most room. You can reinstall them later without losing your save data, so there is no permanent consequence to removing them now. Steam will not let you install a new game if you do not have enough free space, so checking your available storage before downloading large titles can prevent installation errors.

Reinstalling a game you deleted

Your Steam account remembers every game you have ever purchased. Even after you uninstall a game, it remains in your library with a blue "Install" button where the "Play" button used to be. Click that button to download and reinstall the game at any time.

Reinstalling takes as long as the original download did — it depends on your internet speed and the game's size. Your cloud saves will sync automatically once the game finishes installing, so you can pick up where you left off. If you deleted local save files during the uninstall, those are gone and cannot be recovered, but cloud saves will restore your progress.

Removing games from your wishlist or collections

Uninstalling a game removes it from your hard drive, but it stays in your library and on any wishlists or collections you added it to. If you want to remove a game from your wishlist entirely, go to your wishlist page, find the game, and click the heart icon to remove it.

Collections are custom folders you create to organize your library. Removing a game from a collection does not uninstall it — it just removes the game from that folder. To remove a game from a collection, right-click it in the collection view and select "Remove from collection." The game stays in your main library.

Troubleshooting uninstall problems

If Steam will not uninstall a game, make sure the game is not currently running. Close the game completely and wait a few seconds before trying to uninstall again. If Steam is still stuck, restart your computer and try once more.

If you see an error message during uninstall, your hard drive might not have permission to delete the files. Try running Steam as an administrator: right-click the Steam shortcut, select "Run as administrator," and attempt the uninstall again. On Mac, you may need to enter your password to allow Steam to remove files.

In rare cases, a game file becomes corrupted and will not delete normally. If restarting and running as administrator do not work, you can manually delete the game folder. Go to your Steam installation folder, find the "steamapps" folder, locate the game's folder by name, and delete it. This is a last resort and should only be done if Steam's uninstall feature fails.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will uninstalling a game delete my save files?

Cloud saves are protected automatically — they stay on Steam's servers even after you uninstall. Local saves stored on your hard drive will be deleted only if you choose to delete them during the uninstall process. If you are unsure, select "Keep" when prompted, and you can delete them manually later.

Can I reinstall a game I deleted without paying again?

Yes. Steam tracks your purchase history permanently. Any game you own can be reinstalled at any time without repurchasing, even if you uninstalled it years ago. The game will remain in your library with an "Install" button available.

How much storage space will I free up by deleting a game?

Check the game's properties in Steam: right-click it, select "Properties," and look at the "Local Files" tab to see the exact size. Large games can use 50 to 150 gigabytes, while smaller games use only a few gigabytes. Uninstalling your largest games will free up the most space.

What if Steam says a game is still running when I try to uninstall it?

Close the game completely, including any background processes. If the error persists, restart your computer and try again. You can also check your task manager to make sure no game-related processes are still active before attempting to uninstall.

Can I delete a game from my library permanently so no one else can see it?

Uninstalling removes the game files but keeps it in your library. To hide a game from your library view, right-click it and select "Hide this game." It will no longer appear in your library list, though you can unhide it anytime. This is different from uninstalling — the game stays in your account history.