How to Uninstall Steam on Windows 10

To uninstall Steam on Windows 10, select Start > Settings > Apps > Apps & features, select Steam, and then select Uninstall. Before you do, move the steamapps folder out of the Steam folder if you want to keep your installed games, because removing Steam also removes the game content stored inside its folder.

Applies to: Windows 10 with the Steam desktop app for Windows. Microsoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025, so a PC without Extended Security Updates no longer receives security fixes; that program runs until October 12, 2027.

What uninstalling Steam removes and what it keeps

Steam is two things at once: an online account that holds your library, and a desktop app (the Steam client) that downloads and runs your games. Uninstalling only touches the desktop app and the files on this PC. It helps to know exactly what goes and what stays before you start.

• Removed: the Steam client and, according to Steam Support’s uninstall instructions, any installed game content in the Steam folder. On a default install, games live in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps.
• Kept online: your Steam account and the games you bought. Uninstalling software from one PC does not close or delete your account, so you can sign in again later and download your library.
• Depends on the game: your saved progress. Steam Cloud keeps saves online only for games whose developer has set it up, so some games keep their saves on your PC only.

If you just want to free up space or get rid of one title, you may not need to remove Steam at all. Uninstalling just the games may be enough.

Before you uninstall: protect your games and saves

These steps take a few minutes and can save you hours of downloading later. Skip them only if you do not plan to play these games on this PC again.

1. Check which games sync to Steam Cloud. In the Steam client, games that support Steam Cloud show a cloud icon. Their saves will come back when you sign in again. For any game without it, back up its save files before you continue. The save location differs from game to game, so check the game’s own help pages if you are not sure where it saves.
2. Close Steam completely. Closing the Steam window does not always stop it, because Steam can keep running in the background with an icon near the clock on the taskbar. Right-click that icon and choose the option to exit. If you are unsure whether it is still running, restart your PC and do not open Steam.
3. Move the steamapps folder to keep your games. Open File Explorer, go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam, and move the steamapps folder to a location outside the Steam folder, such as a folder named Steam backup on another drive. Moving games can take a while if they are large, and the destination needs enough free space.
4. Check other game drives. If you ever added a second Steam library folder on another drive, games stored there are outside the main Steam folder. Note where they are so you can find them later.

If you do not care about keeping installed games, for example because you have a fast internet connection or you are leaving Steam for good, you can skip step 3.

Uninstall Steam from Settings in Windows 10

This is the main method and works for most people. You need to be signed in with an account that can install and remove apps on this PC.

1. Select the Start button, then select Settings (the gear icon). The Windows Settings window opens.
2. Select Apps, then select Apps & features. A list of the apps and programs installed on your PC appears.
3. Scroll the list, or type Steam in the search box above the list, to find Steam.
4. Select Steam in the list, then select Uninstall. If Windows asks you to confirm, select Uninstall again.
5. If Windows asks whether to allow the app to make changes to your device, approve it. On a standard account, you will need an administrator’s password here.
6. Steam’s own uninstaller opens. Follow its prompts to finish. When it closes, Steam is no longer listed in Apps & features.
7. Restart your PC so that any files Steam was using are released.

Uninstall Steam from Control Panel

Use Control Panel if Steam does not appear in Settings or the Settings method gives you an error. Some apps cannot be removed from Settings and have to be removed from Control Panel instead.

1. Select the search box on the taskbar, type Control Panel, and open it from the results.
2. Select Programs, then select Programs and Features. A list of installed desktop programs appears.
3. Right-click Steam (or press and hold on a touchscreen), then select Uninstall or Uninstall/Change.
4. Approve the permission prompt if one appears, then follow Steam’s uninstaller prompts.
5. Restart your PC when it finishes.

Uninstall Steam from the Start menu

This is the quickest route if Steam is easy to find in your Start menu.

1. Select Start and find Steam in the app list.
2. Right-click Steam (or press and hold), then select Uninstall.
3. Windows may take you to the list of installed programs. Select Steam there and choose Uninstall, then follow the prompts.

Uninstall Steam with a command (winget)

If you prefer typing commands, Windows Package Manager (winget) can remove Steam even if you did not install it with winget. This is optional; the Settings method does the same job.

1. Select Start, type cmd, and open Command Prompt.
2. Type winget uninstall –name Steam and press Enter.
3. If more than one installed app matches the name, winget asks you to narrow the search. Use the exact name it shows.
4. If winget asks you to accept the Microsoft Store source agreement, you can add –source winget to the command to avoid that prompt.
5. Steam’s uninstaller runs as usual. Follow any prompts, then restart your PC.

If Command Prompt reports that winget is not recognized, the tool is not available on your copy of Windows 10. Use the Settings method above instead.

How to confirm Steam is gone

• Open Settings > Apps > Apps & features and search for Steam. It should no longer be listed.
• Open File Explorer and go to C:\Program Files (x86). If a Steam folder is still there, open it and check what is left. If you have already moved anything you want to keep, you can delete the leftover folder.
• Check the free space on your drive. If it barely changed, your games were probably stored in a library folder on another drive, which you can delete separately once you are sure you no longer need those games.

How to reinstall Steam and restore your games

If you uninstalled Steam to fix a problem, or you changed your mind, you can get everything back.

1. Go to the Steam download page and select Install Steam. This downloads the Windows installer, SteamSetup.exe.
2. Run SteamSetup.exe and follow the prompts. Each screen is explained in installing Steam on Windows.
3. If you kept a copy of the steamapps folder, close Steam fully before you open any game, then move the folder back into the new Steam folder.
4. Open Steam and sign in. Games that sync to Steam Cloud bring their saves back automatically. Games you did not keep can be downloaded again from your library.

Troubleshooting

Steam is not listed in Apps & features

Try Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features, which lists classic desktop programs. If Steam is missing there too, it may already have been removed. Check whether C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam still exists; if it does and Steam will not open, move anything you want to keep and delete the folder.

The Uninstall button is greyed out or you get a permission error

Removing desktop programs needs administrator rights. On a family or shared PC, sign in with an administrator account or ask the person who manages the PC. On a work or school PC, your organization may block software changes, so contact your IT department.

The uninstaller reports a file is in use

Steam or a game is still running in the background. Restart your PC, do not open Steam or any game, and run the uninstall again straight away.

The uninstaller is missing or will not start

If Steam’s files are damaged, its uninstaller may fail. Download SteamSetup.exe again from the Steam download page and run it to put a working copy in place, then uninstall from Settings again. It’s also worth repairing a program that is not running correctly before you remove it.

Should I clean the registry or use a third-party uninstaller?

Not for a normal removal. The uninstaller handles Steam’s own cleanup, and editing the Windows registry by hand can cause problems that are harder to fix than a few leftover settings.

Frequently asked questions

Will uninstalling Steam delete my games?

Yes, for games stored inside the Steam folder. Move the steamapps folder out of C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam first if you want to keep them.

Will I lose my Steam account or the games I bought?

No. Your account and purchases are tied to your Steam account online, not to the app on your PC. After reinstalling Steam and signing in, your full library is still there to download.

Will I lose my saved games?

Only for games that save locally and do not use Steam Cloud. Steam Cloud is set up by each game’s developer, so check for the cloud icon in Steam and back up saves for any game that does not have it.

Can I remove one game without uninstalling Steam?

Yes. Use the game’s uninstall option inside Steam, or one of the other ways to remove it in uninstalling games on Windows 10. Steam itself stays installed.

Does uninstalling Steam free up space?

Most of the space Steam uses is usually taken by installed games, so most of it comes back only if the games are removed too. If you moved the steamapps folder to keep your games, that space is still in use on the drive where you put them.

Is the method the same for other programs?

Yes. Settings, Control Panel, and the Start menu work the same way for most desktop programs. The general steps are in uninstalling programs on Windows 10 and in Microsoft’s article on uninstalling or removing apps and programs in Windows.

Once Steam is removed, restart your PC and check that the space you expected is free. If you plan to come back to Steam later, keep your steamapps backup until your games are restored.

Removed something by mistake? Read about recovering uninstalled programs.