Step-by-Step Guide How to Uninstall Steam from Your Computer

If you’re a gamer, chances are you’ve heard of Steam. It’s a popular platform that allows users to purchase and play games on their computers. However, there may come a time when you no longer want or need Steam on your computer. Whether you’re looking to free up space or you’ve found an alternative gaming platform, uninstalling Steam is a relatively simple process. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through the process of uninstalling Steam from your computer.

Step 1: Back Up Your Games and Save Files

Before you uninstall Steam, it’s important to back up any games or save files that you want to keep. Steam allows you to easily back up your games, so you can reinstall them later if you change your mind. To back up your games, open the Steam client and go to the “Library” tab. Right-click on the game you want to back up, select “Properties,” and then click on the “Local Files” tab. From there, click on the “Backup Game Files” button and follow the prompts to create a backup.

Step 2: Uninstall Steam

Once you’ve backed up your games and save files, it’s time to uninstall Steam. To do this, go to the “Control Panel” on your computer and click on “Uninstall a Program” (or “Add or Remove Programs” depending on your operating system). Scroll through the list of installed programs until you find Steam, then right-click on it and select “Uninstall.” Follow the prompts to complete the uninstallation process.

Step 3: Remove Remaining Steam Files

After uninstalling Steam, there may still be some leftover files on your computer. To completely remove Steam, you’ll need to delete these files manually. First, go to the location where Steam was installed (usually C:\Program Files\Steam or C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam) and delete the entire Steam folder. Next, open the “AppData” folder on your computer (you can do this by typing “%appdata%” in the Windows search bar) and delete the Steam folder located in the “Roaming” folder. Finally, open the “Local” folder within the “AppData” folder and delete the Steam folder located there as well.

Step 4: Restart Your Computer

Once you’ve deleted all the remaining Steam files, it’s a good idea to restart your computer. This will ensure that any temporary files or processes related to Steam are completely cleared from your system. After your computer has restarted, you can be confident that Steam has been successfully uninstalled from your computer.

Remember, uninstalling Steam will remove all your games and save files. Make sure you’ve backed up anything you want to keep before proceeding with the uninstallation process. If you decide to reinstall Steam in the future, you’ll need to redownload your games and restore your save files from the backups you created.

By following these simple steps, you can easily uninstall Steam from your computer. Whether you’re looking to free up space or you’ve found an alternative gaming platform, removing Steam is a straightforward process that can be completed in just a few minutes. So, if you’re ready to say goodbye to Steam, follow this step-by-step guide and reclaim your computer’s resources.

Why Uninstall Steam

There may be several reasons why you would want to uninstall Steam from your computer. Here are a few possible scenarios:

• Not using it anymore: If you no longer play games or use any of the features provided by Steam, you may want to uninstall it to free up disk space and remove unnecessary software from your computer.
• Performance issues: Some users may experience performance issues or conflicts with other software when running Steam. Uninstalling it can help resolve these issues and improve the overall performance of your computer.
• Privacy concerns: Steam collects and stores certain user data, such as game preferences and personal information. If you have privacy concerns or want to limit the amount of data collected about you, uninstalling Steam can be a solution.
• Switching to a different gaming platform: If you are switching to a different gaming platform or service, such as Epic Games Store or GOG, you may want to uninstall Steam to avoid having multiple gaming platforms installed on your computer.

Remember that uninstalling Steam will also remove all the games and content associated with your account. Make sure to backup any important game saves or files before proceeding with the uninstallation process.

Before You Begin

Before you uninstall Steam from your computer, it’s important to keep a few things in mind:

• Make sure you have a stable internet connection. Uninstalling Steam will require you to download and install the software again if you decide to use it in the future.
• Back up any important game files or data. Uninstalling Steam will remove all games and saved data associated with your account, so it’s a good idea to make a backup to avoid losing any progress.
• Consider disabling Steam Guard. If you have Steam Guard enabled, you may need to re-verify your account when reinstalling Steam. Disabling Steam Guard before uninstalling can make the process smoother.
• Take note of your login credentials. You will need your Steam username and password to log in to your account after reinstalling Steam.

By keeping these points in mind, you can ensure a smooth uninstallation process and minimize any potential issues or data loss.

Step 1: Close Steam and Backup Your Games

Before uninstalling Steam from your computer, it is important to close the application and backup your games to ensure that you do not lose any progress or data. Follow these steps to close Steam and backup your games:

1. Close Steam: If Steam is currently running, you will need to close it before proceeding with the uninstallation process. To close Steam, right-click on the Steam icon in the system tray (located in the bottom right corner of the screen) and select “Exit” from the menu.
2. Backup your games: Steam allows you to backup your games to an external storage device, such as an external hard drive or a USB flash drive. This will create a copy of your game files that you can later restore when reinstalling Steam. To backup your games, follow these steps:
   • Open the Steam application and log in to your account.
   • Click on the “Library” tab at the top of the Steam window to view your list of installed games.
   • Right-click on the game you want to backup and select “Properties” from the dropdown menu.
   • In the Properties window, go to the “Local Files” tab and click on the “Backup game files…” button.
   • Follow the on-screen prompts to select the location where you want to save the backup files and start the backup process.
   • Repeat these steps for each game you want to backup.

By closing Steam and backing up your games, you can ensure that you have a copy of your game files before uninstalling Steam from your computer. This will allow you to easily restore your games and continue playing without losing any progress or data.

Closing Steam

Before you can uninstall Steam from your computer, you will need to make sure that the application is closed. Follow the steps below to close Steam:

1. Launch the Steam application on your computer.
2. In the top left corner of the Steam window, click on the “Steam” menu.
3. From the dropdown menu, select “Exit” to close the Steam application.

Once you have closed Steam, you can proceed with the uninstallation process.

Backing Up Your Games

Before uninstalling Steam from your computer, it’s a good idea to back up your games to ensure that you don’t lose any progress or data. Here’s how you can back up your games:

1. Launch Steam: Open the Steam application on your computer.
2. Go to the Library: Click on the “Library” tab at the top of the Steam window to view your list of installed games.
3. Select the Games: Right-click on the games you want to back up and select “Properties” from the drop-down menu.
4. Access the Local Files: In the properties window, click on the “Local Files” tab and then select “Browse Local Files.”
5. Copy the Game Files: A new window will open, displaying the game files on your computer. Copy the entire game folder to a location of your choice, such as an external hard drive or a cloud storage service.
6. Repeat for Other Games: Repeat steps 3-5 for any other games you want to back up.

By following these steps, you can create a backup of your Steam games, allowing you to reinstall them later without having to download them again. It’s important to note that the size of the game files may vary, so make sure you have enough storage space available for the backups.

Step 2: Uninstall Steam

To uninstall Steam from your computer, follow these steps:

1. Open the Control Panel by clicking on the Start Menu and selecting “Control Panel”.
2. Click on “Uninstall a program” under the “Programs” section.
3. A list of installed programs will appear. Scroll down and find “Steam” in the list.
4. Click on “Steam” to select it, then click on the “Uninstall” button at the top of the list.
5. A confirmation window will appear asking if you are sure you want to uninstall Steam. Click “Yes” to proceed.
6. The uninstaller will begin removing Steam from your computer. This may take a few minutes.
7. Once the uninstallation process is complete, a message will appear confirming that Steam has been successfully uninstalled.

It is important to note that uninstalling Steam will remove all installed games and saved data associated with your Steam account. If you want to keep your games and saved data, you can back them up before uninstalling Steam.

Uninstalling Steam on Windows

If you no longer wish to use Steam on your Windows computer, you can easily uninstall it by following these steps:

1. Open the Start menu by clicking on the Windows icon in the bottom left corner of your screen.
2. Click on “Settings” to open the Windows Settings menu.
3. In the Settings menu, click on “Apps” or “Apps & features”.
4. Scroll through the list of installed apps until you find “Steam”.
5. Click on “Steam” to select it, then click on the “Uninstall” button.
6. A confirmation dialog will appear asking if you want to uninstall Steam. Click “Yes” to proceed.
7. Wait for the uninstallation process to complete. This may take a few moments.
8. Once Steam has been successfully uninstalled, you can close the Settings menu.

After following these steps, Steam will be completely removed from your Windows computer. Keep in mind that uninstalling Steam will also remove any games or other content associated with your Steam account, so make sure to back up any important files before proceeding with the uninstallation process.

Uninstalling Steam on Mac

If you no longer want to use Steam on your Mac and would like to uninstall it, follow these step-by-step instructions:

1. Open the Finder application on your Mac.
2. Click on the “Applications” folder in the sidebar.
3. Locate the Steam application in the list of installed applications.
4. Click and drag the Steam application to the Trash bin in the dock.
5. Right-click on the Trash bin and select “Empty Trash” to permanently remove Steam from your Mac.

Once you have completed these steps, Steam will be uninstalled from your Mac. Please note that uninstalling Steam will also remove all of your games and saved data associated with the Steam application. If you wish to keep any of this information, be sure to back it up before uninstalling Steam.

If you ever decide to reinstall Steam in the future, you can download it again from the official Steam website.

Step 3: Remove Steam Files and Folders

To completely uninstall Steam from your computer, you will need to remove all the associated files and folders. Follow the steps below to ensure a thorough removal:

1. Exit Steam completely by right-clicking on the Steam icon in the system tray and selecting “Exit”.
2. Open the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc, and end any Steam-related processes that may still be running.
3. Navigate to the installation folder of Steam. By default, this folder is located at C:\Program Files\Steam.
4. Delete all the files and folders within the Steam installation folder. You can select multiple files and folders by holding down the Ctrl key while clicking on them.
5. Empty the Recycle Bin to permanently delete the files and folders you just removed.

Once you have completed these steps, all the files and folders associated with Steam should be removed from your computer.

Deleting Steam Files on Windows

If you want to completely uninstall steam from your Windows computer, you will need to delete all the associated files. Follow the steps below to delete the steam files:

1. Close the Steam application if it is currently open.
2. Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
3. Type %ProgramFiles(x86)% into the Run dialog box and press Enter.
4. In the Program Files (x86) folder, locate the Steam folder.
5. Right-click on the Steam folder and select Delete from the context menu.
6. Confirm the deletion by clicking Yes in the confirmation dialog box.
7. Press the Windows key + R again to open the Run dialog box.
8. Type %AppData% into the Run dialog box and press Enter.
9. In the Roaming folder, locate the Steam folder.
10. Right-click on the Steam folder and select Delete from the context menu.
11. Confirm the deletion by clicking Yes in the confirmation dialog box.

After completing these steps, you have successfully deleted the Steam files from your Windows computer. This will remove all traces of Steam from your system.

Note: Deleting the Steam files will also delete any games or game saves associated with your Steam account. Make sure to back up any important game files before proceeding with the deletion.

Deleting Steam Files on Mac

If you want to completely uninstall Steam from your Mac, you need to delete all the associated files. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

1. Quit Steam: Make sure that Steam is not running on your Mac. If it is, go to the Steam menu and select “Quit Steam”.
2. Delete the Steam Application: Locate the Steam application in your Applications folder. Drag it to the Trash or right-click on it and select “Move to Trash”.
3. Delete Steam Files: Open Finder and go to the following locations:
   • ~/Library/Application Support/Steam: Delete the entire Steam folder.
   • ~/Library/Caches/com.valvesoftware.steam: Delete the com.valvesoftware.steam folder.
   • ~/Library/Preferences/com.valvesoftware.steam.helper.plist: Delete the com.valvesoftware.steam.helper.plist file.
   • ~/Library/Preferences/com.valvesoftware.steam.plist: Delete the com.valvesoftware.steam.plist file.
4. Empty Trash: Right-click on the Trash icon in your Dock and select “Empty Trash”. Confirm the action when prompted.

Once you have completed these steps, Steam should be completely uninstalled from your Mac. Make sure to restart your computer to ensure that all the changes take effect.

Step 4: Clean Up Registry Entries (Windows Only)

After uninstalling Steam from your computer, it’s important to clean up any remaining registry entries to ensure a complete removal. This step is only applicable for Windows users.

The Windows Registry is a database that stores important settings and configurations for your operating system and installed programs. When you uninstall a program, some registry entries may be left behind, which can clutter your registry and potentially cause issues in the future.

To clean up the registry entries related to Steam, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type “regedit” into the Run dialog box and press Enter. This will open the Windows Registry Editor.
3. In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following location:
   

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Valve\Steam

4. Right-click on the “Steam” folder and select “Delete” from the context menu. Confirm the deletion when prompted.
5. Next, navigate to the following location:
   

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Valve\Steam

6. Again, right-click on the “Steam” folder and select “Delete” from the context menu. Confirm the deletion when prompted.
7. Close the Registry Editor.

By deleting these registry entries, you are ensuring that any leftover traces of Steam are completely removed from your system. However, it’s important to exercise caution when editing the Windows Registry, as making incorrect changes can cause system instability.

Once you have completed this step, you have successfully cleaned up the registry entries related to Steam. You can now proceed to the final step of the uninstallation process.