How to Check Game Size on Steam Before Buying
Buying a game on Steam only to discover your drive doesn't have enough room is a genuinely frustrating experience. The good news: Steam makes storage size information available before you spend a cent — you just need to know where to look. Here's exactly how to find it, what the numbers mean, and why the figure you see isn't always the full story.
Where Steam Displays Game Size Information
On the Steam Store Page
Every game on the Steam storefront lists its storage requirement in the System Requirements section. You'll find this toward the bottom of the store page, below the description and screenshots.
To get there:
- Open Steam (the desktop client or browser at store.steampowered.com)
- Search for the game you're considering
- Scroll down past the media and description
- Look for the System Requirements box — it lists both minimum and recommended specs
The storage figure appears as a single line, typically labeled Storage or Hard Drive Space Required. This is the developer-reported install size.
In the Steam Client's Game Library
If you already own the game or have it wishlisted, you can also see size information from within your Steam library. Right-click the game title and select Properties, then browse to the Local Files tab. However, this only shows accurate data once the game is installed — which isn't helpful for pre-purchase decisions.
For pre-purchase, the store page system requirements section is your most reliable starting point. 🎮
What the Listed Size Actually Means
The number shown on the store page reflects the estimated install size at the time the developer submitted or last updated that listing. It does not always reflect:
- Day-one patches — many games ship with an update that downloads immediately on first launch, sometimes adding several gigabytes
- DLC or expansion data — base game size rarely includes downloadable content, even if that content is bundled into the initial download
- Redistributable software — DirectX, Visual C++ runtimes, and similar files may or may not be counted
- Shader compilation caches — some modern games generate local shader caches during first play, which can add meaningful storage overhead
- Post-launch updates — games that receive frequent patches tend to grow over time, sometimes significantly beyond their launch install size
In practice, it's reasonable to add a 10–20% buffer on top of the listed size as a general rule of thumb — more for live-service games or titles with a history of large updates.
How to Cross-Reference Before Buying
Steam's listed size is a starting point, not the final word. A few additional checks can give you a clearer picture:
Check Community Discussions and Reviews
Steam's own Community Hub for any game often contains threads where players report actual install sizes after patching. Search the discussions for terms like "install size," "disk space," or "storage." These real-world reports frequently appear within days of a game's launch.
Look at Third-Party Databases
Sites that aggregate PC game data sometimes list more current install sizes, especially after major patches. Game-specific wikis and Reddit communities (particularly subreddits dedicated to specific titles) are also reliable sources for up-to-date storage figures.
Use SteamDB for More Detail
SteamDB (steamdb.info) is an unofficial but widely used database that pulls publicly available Steam data. It can show depot sizes — the raw data packages that make up a game's installation. This gives a more granular view than the store page, though it requires some familiarity with how Steam structures its content delivery.
Factors That Affect How Much Space a Game Actually Uses
Not all storage numbers land the same way depending on your setup:
| Factor | What It Means for You |
|---|---|
| HDD vs SSD | Same install size, but SSDs handle fragmented game data more efficiently over time |
| Windows vs Steam Deck | Some titles have separate Linux-native and Proton builds with different sizes |
| Language packs | Some games bundle all language audio by default; others let you install only what you need |
| High-res texture packs | Offered as optional downloads in some games, often adding 10–50 GB or more |
| Shader pre-compilation | Happens at install or first launch and adds temporary or permanent local files |
Games in certain genres also tend to skew larger. Open-world titles, AAA shooters, and games with high-fidelity audio consistently run larger than indie titles or 2D games. A figure in the 5–15 GB range is common for smaller titles; major releases frequently land between 50 GB and 150 GB, with some exceeding that significantly.
Checking Available Space on Your Own Drive
Before purchasing, it's worth confirming what you actually have free rather than what you think you have.
On Windows: Open File Explorer → This PC → right-click your target drive → Properties. The free space figure shows exactly what's available.
On Steam Deck: Go to Settings → Storage to see available space across internal and any microSD storage.
Steam itself will warn you during download if there's insufficient space, but by that point you've already completed the purchase. Checking in advance saves the hassle.
When Listed Sizes Are Outdated or Inaccurate
Developer-reported sizes on Steam can lag behind reality, especially for:
- Early Access games that grow substantially during development
- Games that launched years ago and have accumulated years of updates
- Titles with major expansions where base game and expansion content share install files
Some developers update their store page system requirements regularly; others don't revisit them after initial submission. 📦
The listed size is best treated as a minimum estimate rather than a precise measurement. For games where storage is a real constraint — particularly on smaller SSDs or portable hardware — cross-referencing that number against community-reported figures after a game's launch is worth the extra two minutes of research.
Your available storage, how you manage your drive, whether you're gaming on a primary PC or a portable device, and how often you rotate games in and out of your library all shape whether a given install size is trivial or a genuine obstacle worth planning around.