Steam is the most popular distribution platform for PC games and is used by millions of gamers around the world. There are some practical features within the Steam app that are not immediately obvious. We have 7 tips and tricks for both beginners and experienced Steam veterans.
Create and manage collections
If you have been using Steam for years, you will inevitably end up with an extensive library. To restore some order, create categories (called “collections” in Steam). In these categories, you can sort games by genre, status, or personal preferences. To do this, proceed as follows:
- In the library view, click on the tile icon at the top left next to the “Home” button.
- In the collection window that now opens, click on “Create new collection.”
- You can now choose whether you want to compile the collection manually or have Steam do it automatically.
You can also manage collections that have already been created in the overview window.
Hide games from your library
If you want to hide a game from your library, simply right-click on the game, go to the “Manage” tab, and select “Hide.” The game will still be available in your account, but will no longer be displayed in the normal library view.
To display a hidden game again, click on “Show” at the top left of the Steam client and then on “Hidden games.” Here you can add them back to your library by right-clicking, then “Manage” and “Remove from ‘hidden.”
Remove games from your account
If you want to permanently remove a game from your account, go to the Steam support page in your browser. Click on “Games, software, etc.,” select a game, and then click on “I want to permanently remove this game from my account.” Confirm to remove the game from your account.
Exchange the game and get a refund
You can exchange a game and have the purchase price refunded if you bought it in the last 14 days and played it for less than two hours. Go to the Steam support page, select a game, and click either on “It’s not what I thought it would be” or on “I bought it by mistake.” You can then request a refund.
Share Steam games with friends and family
With family sharing in Steam, you can share your games with other accounts. They can play these games, but not at the same time. To grant other accounts access to your Steam library, make sure that Steam Guard is enabled on both accounts. Select the account you want to share your library with from the list in the “Family” tab of Steam settings.
To request access to a game, click on the desired title in your library, and click the “Borrow” button. The sharing account will receive an email to confirm the authorization to access the game.
If you also like to use a controller for PC gaming, your controller will ideally be recognized by the game straight away. You can also use presets from the community. To do this, start the Steam Big Picture mode, go to your library, select the game you want, and click on the controller icon on the right-hand side.
Protect your Steam account with two-factor authentication
Two-factor authentication is an effective way to protect your Steam account. Simply activate the Steam Mobile authenticator via the account page of your Steam account (under Account details > Account security).
This article was translated from German to English and originally appeared on pcwelt.de.
