Discovering and organizing your Steam library can become a daunting task as your collection grows larger. Sometimes, you might want to hide certain games to declutter or keep some titles out of sight temporarily. Whether you’re hiding games you no longer play or accidentally concealed titles you still care about, knowing how to access and manage hidden games ensures your library stays tidy and accessible. This guide walks you through the process of finding hidden Steam games, un-hiding them, and understanding how Steam handles game removal.
Hidden Steam Games Are Not Permanently Removed
When you hide a game on Steam, it doesn’t disappear entirely from your account. Instead, it’s moved into a separate, out-of-sight collection within your library. This process is designed to keep your main library organized without permanently deleting titles. Unlike deleting a game—an action that requires deliberate confirmation and usually involves contacting Steam Support—hiding a game is a simple, reversible action. Only free content like demos or trial versions can be completely removed from your account, and even then, you’ll receive warnings before final deletion.
If you accidentally hide a game you wish to access again, there’s no need to worry. It’s still stored in your account, just tucked away in a hidden section. You can easily restore it with just a few clicks, making the process of managing your library flexible and user-friendly.
How to Find Hidden Steam Games
Locating hidden games involves navigating through a seldom-used menu in Steam. The key is the View menu, located at the top of the Steam client window. While this menu primarily manages secondary features like your friends list, recent players, and screenshot library, it also contains the option to reveal hidden titles.
Follow these steps to access your hidden games:
- Launch the Steam client and log into your account.
- Click on the Library tab to view your collection.
- In the top menu bar, click on View.
- From the dropdown options, select Hidden Games.
- Your library view will switch to display only the games you’ve hidden.
All titles you’ve moved out of sight will now appear in this dedicated collection. You can manage, install, and play these games just like your regular library titles. To return to your main library, simply click the View button again and select Library. This method ensures easy access to hidden content without permanent removal.
How to Hide and Unhide a Steam Game
Hiding a game is straightforward and can be done directly from your game list:
- Open Steam and go to the Library tab.
- Locate the game you wish to hide.
- Right-click on the game’s name to open the context menu.
- Hover over or select Manage.
- Click on Hide this game.
Once hidden, the game is moved to your Hidden collection and will no longer appear in your main library view or search results. However, it remains associated with your account, and visiting its store page will still display your ownership, preventing accidental repurchases.
To unhide a game and bring it back to your main library:
- Open Steam and navigate to the Library tab.
- Click the View menu at the top.
- Choose Hidden Games from the dropdown.
- Locate the game you want to restore.
- Right-click on it, select Manage, then click Remove from hidden.
This action restores the game to your primary library, making it easily accessible once more. Feel free to hide and unhide games as needed—this flexibility helps keep your library organized and tailored to your preferences.
For additional insights on managing your digital assets efficiently, consider exploring resources on engineering profitable ecosystems for iOS and Android. If you’re interested in expanding your knowledge about hardware development, you might find this guide on building a gaming console helpful. For those looking to improve team workflows, the hiring strategies for game developers can provide valuable tips.