Managing a large collection of Steam games can quickly become a challenge when it comes to hard drive space. If you’re curious about how much storage you’d need to install all your games—whether currently installed or not—without manually adding up each file size, there are ways to estimate this efficiently. Understanding your total storage requirements is essential, especially if you’re planning to upgrade or optimize your drives. This guide explores methods to determine the total size of your Steam library, including tips on automating the process and considerations for future storage planning.
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Estimating Your Total Steam Library Size Without Manual Calculations
Currently, no official Steam feature directly provides the total size of all your owned games, including those not installed. However, several community-developed tools and workaround methods can help you approximate this figure. The most straightforward approach involves analyzing your installed games and then estimating the size of uninstalled titles.
One practical technique is to check the disk space used by your current Steam installation:
- Navigate to your Steam folder (typically located at `C:Program FilesSteam` or `D:Steam`).
- Right-click on the “steamapps” folder and select “Properties” to view its total size.
- Sum the sizes of all installed game files for an accurate measure of your current storage consumption.
For games not yet installed, you can use the Steam client to see their download sizes:
- Open your Steam Library.
- Select all games, then right-click and choose “Install.” Steam will display the estimated download size for each game.
- Record these sizes and add them to your current storage usage to estimate the total library size.
Alternatively, some gamers have created tools like MySteamGauge.com, which analyze your profile and provide close estimates of total required storage. This tool works by inspecting your publicly visible game data, offering a quick overview of your overall storage needs. However, be aware that such tools may have limitations with very large libraries or certain game types.
For a more automated approach, consider scripts or browser bookmarklets that parse your “All Games” page on Steam. These methods can extract game sizes directly from the store data, though they rely on Steam’s page structure remaining unchanged. For example, inspecting the embedded JavaScript variable `rgGames` on your profile’s “All Games” page can allow scripts to sum total game sizes, but this method may become unreliable if Steam updates their site.
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Limitations and Considerations When Estimating Storage Needs
While tools and scripts can provide useful estimates, they are not entirely precise. Variations in game sizes due to DLC, updates, mods, and different installation options can cause discrepancies. Save files and configuration data also consume additional space, often significantly for certain titles. As noted by some users, save data can take up hundreds of megabytes or more, especially for complex or multiplayer games.
It’s important to add some buffer space beyond your calculated total to account for future game additions and updates. A good practice is to allocate an extra 10-20% of the estimated size for safety.
When planning your storage upgrades, consider the following:
- The difference between “marketing size” (the size advertised on store pages) and actual disk usage.
- Use official system requirements as a reference for minimum storage estimates.
- For large libraries, manually summing installed game sizes and estimated download sizes is often the most reliable method.
If you want a detailed overview, some gamers manually check each game’s actual size via Steam’s properties or by viewing the “Downloads” tab during installation, then compile these figures using spreadsheet software for accuracy.
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Additional Tools and Resources for Managing Steam Storage
Beyond manual methods, various third-party tools and community scripts can provide estimates or monitor your storage:
- MySteamGauge.com: A community-driven website that estimates your total library size based on your profile data.
- Custom scripts or browser extensions that parse your “All Games” page to sum game sizes automatically.
- Using Steam’s “Backup and Restore” feature to gauge storage needs for your current library.
Always be cautious when using non-official tools or scripts, especially those that require access to your Steam account data. Ensure you trust the source before granting access.
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Conclusion
While Steam does not currently offer a built-in feature to display the total size of your entire game collection, several practical approaches can help you estimate it with reasonable accuracy. Using a combination of manual checks, community-developed tools, and scripting techniques, you can plan your storage upgrades and manage your library more effectively. For comprehensive planning, always add some buffer space for updates and future game purchases. Remember, understanding your storage needs helps prevent surprises and keeps your gaming experience smooth.
For more insights into the complexities of digital game management and the impact of piracy on developers, check out this detailed discussion. If you’re interested in building your own indie game team, exploring team formation strategies can be beneficial. Additionally, to optimize your game testing workflows, learn about adding developer modes via launch options.
Note: Always ensure your data collection methods comply with Steam’s terms of service and prioritize your account security.