If you play on PC, Steam is probably your main hub. This Valve platform has become the most convenient way to buy, manage, and enjoy games on Windows , but many people only use it to install and launch titles without exploring its features further. And believe me, they're missing out on a ton of useful functions.
Below you'll find a complete guide full of tips and tricks for Steam games on Windows to help you get the most out of your library, improve performance, organize your collection, save time, and even discover games you didn't know existed. Everything is explained in a clear and accessible way, step by step, and with plenty of practical ideas to help you get the most out of your Steam library, whether you're new to Steam or have been collecting games on sale for years.
Managing facilities: saving time, space, and headaches
One of the most tedious things about switching PCs or reinstalling Windows is having to download tons of games again from Steam . Luckily, the client offers several tools to make this task much less painful and, incidentally, to better organize where each title is installed.
Installing multiple games at once is something many people don't even consider, but Steam lets you do it without having to install them one by one. In your Library, simply hold down the Ctrl key and left-click on all the titles you want to install. Once they're selected, right-click on any of them and choose the install option. You can then download the entire batch at once, which is ideal when you're using a new PC or hard drive.
This same multi-select system is also very useful for uninstalling multiple games, adding them to categories, or marking them as favorites all at once. With a little patience, you can organize your library much more efficiently in just a few minutes, without wasting time going game by game.
Another key point is space management. Steam allows you to move already installed games to another drive or folder without having to uninstall and reinstall. To do this, go to Steam > Settings > Downloads and click on “Steam Library Folders.” From there, you can create new locations (for example, a fast SSD just for the games you use most often) and then, in the Properties of each title, move its installation folder to the desired library location.
If you need to go a step further, you can create a local backup of your games so you don't have to download them again. From the Steam menu, go to "Backup and Restore Programs" and choose "Back up installed programs." Select the games you want, choose a destination folder (an external drive, for example), name the files, and let the client create the backup. This saves a lot of time if you have a slow internet connection or if you frequently format your computer.
The great thing about this system is that these backups can be restored on another computer with the same account by following the same path, but selecting "Restore backup." You copy the folder with the backup files to a USB drive or external hard drive, connect it to the new PC, run the wizard, and that's it—you'll have your games ready to play without having to download dozens of gigabytes again.
Organize and customize your Steam library
With years of sales, bundles, and various promotions, it's easy to end up with a gigantic Steam library where it's hard to find what you actually want to play . Luckily, the platform has plenty of tools to organize and customize everything to your liking.
To begin, you can create custom categories or collections to group games however you like: “To Play,” “Co-op,” “Completed,” “ Short Indies ,” etc. Simply go to your Library, right-click on a game, and choose “Assign Categories” or “Add to,” then select an existing collection or create a new one. From there, you can filter by those collections and have much more control over your games.
In addition to categories, Steam lets you change the Library view to suit your preferences. You have the classic detailed view, a list view where you can sort by disk size, rating, and playtime, and a grid view that only displays game covers—very visual if you prefer using covers to titles. You can switch between these views using the icons in the top right corner of the Library.
You can also hide games from your Library that you no longer want to see, whether they're demos, betas, titles you don't plan to play, or games you'd rather forget. Right-click on the game, go to the management/categories section, and select the option to hide it. You won't lose it forever: it will remain linked to your account, and you can retrieve it from the "View > Hidden Games" menu whenever you want.
And if you ever deleted a game from your account (not just from your disc, but also from your Library) and regret it, Steam Support often allows you to restore previously deleted items . Go to Help > Steam Support > Games & Software, search for the title in question, and if possible, you'll see the option to add it back to your account with a single click.
Configure Steam's interface and startup
Steam isn't just the store, so it doesn't make much sense for it to always open in the same tab if you're actually going directly to your Library or the Community section. On Windows, you can adjust this behavior to save a few clicks each time you launch the program.
Within Settings, under the Interface section, you'll find the option "Select which Steam window will appear when the program starts." There you can choose to open to your Library, News, Friends page, Community, or the Servers section , among others. It might seem like a minor detail, but if you always go to the same place, it's a welcome feature.
In this same Interface section, you can also enable Steam to launch directly in Big Picture mode . This mode is a kind of full-screen "console mode," designed for use with a controller and for using your PC connected to the TV, so you can navigate the store and your Library as if it were a console interface. Very convenient if you have a computer in the living room dedicated almost exclusively to gaming.
Another interesting customization option is the use of skins to change the client's appearance . Although Valve doesn't offer official themes, websites like SteamSkins or Steam Customizer allow the community to share designs. To use them, you need to copy the files to the "skins" folder within your Steam installation directory and then, in Settings > Interface, select the new look from the corresponding dropdown menu. Be aware that, since they are not official, some themes may cause issues after certain updates.
If you like having everything at your fingertips, another handy feature is the ability to add external games or applications to your Library . From the Products/Games menu (depending on your client version), choose "Add a non-Steam product to my library." The program will scan your system for installed executables (games from other platforms, Spotify, emulators, etc.) and you can select them to integrate. From there, they launch from Steam just like any other title and benefit from the overlay, integrated screenshots, and the friends system.
Advanced launch and performance options
Beyond simply installing and launching games, Steam includes several features for adjusting how games behave on Windows and, in some cases, resolving video or performance issues. It's not something you'll need to use daily, but it's good to know it's there.
Each game in your Library has a launch parameters option accessible by right-clicking and selecting Properties. In this dialog box, you can enter commands that force certain game behaviors: opening in windowed mode (-windowed), using a specific resolution (-wy -h), requiring fullscreen mode (-fullscreen), or even running with a specific DirectX version (-dxlevel). This is especially useful when a game is having problems with your current configuration (for example, error 0xc0000094 ) or when you want it to always launch in a particular way.
If a game fails to launch correctly or the screen remains black, Steam Support recommends using the `-safe` parameter , which essentially creates a safe mode. This opens the game at a very low resolution (640x480) with minimal video settings. This allows you to enter the game, change options from within the game, and then remove the parameter to return to normal operation.
Aside from launch parameters, one of the most practical settings is Steam 's built-in FPS counter . You don't need external programs like Afterburner if you just want to know the game's frame rate. From Settings > In-Game, you can activate the counter and choose which corner of the screen it appears in. It's lightweight, simple, and works with virtually any game launched from the Steam client.
If you're interested in measuring how much you're pushing your computer to its limits, you can also combine these tips with Windows 10 and 11 gaming options, such as enabling Game Mode, keeping your graphics drivers up to date, disabling mouse acceleration for greater precision in competitive shooters , and even applying tweaks to improve Windows startup . All of these measures contribute to a smoother and more consistent experience.
Game streaming, Remote Play and broadcasts
Steam has gradually expanded its remote play features, becoming a fairly versatile platform for streaming games within your own network or remotely . This is especially useful if you have a powerful PC and a more modest one, or if you want to play on your phone or TV without moving your main PC.
With Steam Remote Play, you can run the game on your main PC and play it from another computer or device by streaming the image. To do this, you must enable the Remote Play option in Settings and then use the Steam Link application (available on mobile devices, some Smart TVs, and devices like Raspberry Pi) to connect to your library. As long as your local network is decent, the experience is usually very good, whether using a controller or a keyboard and mouse.
At the same time, Steam offers a feature called Streaming that lets you broadcast your gameplay to your friends or anyone else , depending on your settings. In the Streaming section of the Settings, you can define the signal quality, the allowed audience (friends only, by invitation, or completely public), and bandwidth usage. Interestingly, streaming only consumes resources when someone is watching; as long as there are no viewers, it doesn't affect your connection.
If you simply want to share gameplay with friends without the hassle of Twitch or other platforms , this built-in Steam feature is quite handy. It also integrates with the friends and notifications system, so it's easy to let people know you're streaming something.
Sharing games, family and community
One of the platform's lesser-known yet most useful features is Family Sharing , which lets you share your library with others without giving them your account details. It's ideal for housemates, couples, or families who want to try out your games without having to buy them twice.
To activate Family Sharing, you must first have Steam Guard enabled on your account (you can do this in Settings > Account). Then, in the Family section of Settings, you'll see the option to authorize computers and users with whom you want to share your games. There are some important limitations: you can only authorize up to five accounts, and most importantly, you can't play the same game simultaneously on two different accounts. If you're playing a game, everyone else will have to wait.
Beyond simply sharing, the Steam community is a goldmine of information for any game. From the Community > Guides section or directly from a game's context menu (right-click > View Community Guides), you can access reviews, tutorials for classic games, bug fixes, walkthroughs, collectibles, recommended builds, and practically anything else you can think of. If you have a very specific problem with a title, it's very likely that someone has already encountered it and explained it there.
It's also highly recommended to check user reviews before buying. Don't just rely on the overall score: read several opinions, pay attention to the reviewer's playtime, and look at comments about performance, bugs, translation, and actual content. This will help you avoid unpleasant surprises like games that look amazing in trailers but then arrive on PC in terrible condition.
By the way, if you're curious (and have the nerve), you can check how much money you've spent on Steam since creating your account. Through one of the internal support links (TotalSpend), the platform shows you your spending before 2015 (OldSpend), on Perfect World titles (PWSpend), and your total spending history. It's best to look at it with a sense of humor, because the numbers might be a little alarming.
Overlay, music, and useful features during gameplay
While you're in a game, the Steam client doesn't completely disappear. Thanks to the Steam Overlay, you can do a lot of things without having to minimize the window, which prevents crashes and problems with titles that don't work well with alt-tab.
By default, the overlay opens by pressing Shift + Tab. This displays a small panel where you can check your achievements, open the built-in browser to find a guide or puzzle solution, read game discussions, view screenshots, or check the chat with your friends. All of this without leaving the game, which is especially useful in titles that freeze or take a long time to resume focus after being minimized.
The Steam Music player is also integrated into this overlay . If you have folders with audio files on your PC (mp3, flac, etc.), you can tell the client where they are by going to Settings > Music so it can index them. Then, when you open the overlay during a game, you'll see a Music button that lets you change tracks, pause, play playlists, and adjust the volume without leaving the game. It's not Spotify, but for many, it's more than enough to provide background music for long sessions.
If you frequently take screenshots or videos, the overlay also acts as a bridge to the built-in screenshot functions , and if you prefer, you can record your gameplay with ShadowPlay . You can configure a hotkey to take screenshots of any game, which will be automatically saved to your Steam account, ready to share with the Community or your friends without having to navigate through folders on your hard drive.
Extra tips: DRM-free copies, prices, and "hidden" games
In addition to everything mentioned above, there are some lesser-known tricks related to Steam and other platforms that can give you more control over your games and your money . They aren't essential for playing, but they are quite interesting and often useful.
A prime example is the GOG Connect service, offered by the GOG store. During certain periods, if you link your Steam account to your GOG account, you can get additional DRM-free copies of some of your Steam games (titles like Braid, The Witness, and The Witcher: Enhanced Edition have been included in these promotions). This means you'll have a downloadable and playable version without needing a client or internet connection—ideal as a backup.
Another essential resource is SteamDB.info, an external website that compiles data from the store, including the price history of virtually any game . Search for the title, go to its page, and you'll see all the price drops it's had, its all-time low, and in which regions those drops applied. With this information, it's much easier to know if a deal is good or if it's worth waiting for it to drop even further.
On the economic front, some also enjoy searching for free or hidden games available on the platform. Some titles can be installed by directly entering their application code into a special URL like steam://install/ID. This way, for years, games like Spacewar (ID 480) or other free-to-play or abandoned titles that Valve doesn't prominently display in the standard store have been available for download. It's almost like finding Easter eggs within the platform itself.
Finally, keep in mind that Steam offers tools to view and export your complete purchase history , which is useful if you want to keep track of your spending or simply look back and see where your budget went during the sales. Between that and the TotalSpend feature in support, you can get a pretty accurate picture of your relationship with Valve's store.
With all these tricks and features, Steam ceases to be just a digital store and becomes a very complete platform for managing your library on Windows: you can install multiple games at once, move them between drives, make backups, share them with family and friends, organize your collection, stream your gameplay, adjust launch parameters, consult guides, listen to your own music, and, in general, tailor the experience to your playing style . The more you explore its options, the less you'll want to go back to using it only as a simple "Install" button.
