How to Hide Games on Steam: Quick Guide

This guide shows you how to hide games in your Steam library so they don’t appear in your main list, while keeping them installed and playable. You’ll need the Steam desktop client (Windows, Mac, or Linux) — the mobile app doesn’t support hiding games. The hidden games remain in your account and can be unhidden anytime.

What You’ll Need

• The Steam desktop client (latest version installed)
• Your Steam account logged in
• Games you want to hide (they can be installed or not)

Step-by-Step

1. Open Steam and go to your Library. Launch the Steam client and click on “Library” at the top of the window.
2. Find the game you want to hide. Scroll through your library or use the search bar at the top of the game list to locate the game.
3. Right-click on the game. This opens a context menu with several options.
4. Select “Manage” then “Hide this game”. In the context menu, hover over “Manage” to expand a submenu, then click “Hide this game”. A confirmation dialog may appear — click “Hide” to confirm.
5. Verify the game is hidden. The game will disappear from your main library list. It’s still installed and playable, but it won’t show up in your default view.
6. To view hidden games (optional): In the Library, click the “Library” dropdown menu (top-left, next to the search bar) and select “Hidden”. This shows all hidden games. You can right-click a hidden game, select “Manage” then “Remove from hidden” to unhide it.

Common Mistakes

• Using the mobile app: You can’t hide games from the Steam mobile app — this feature is only in the desktop client.
• Hiding a game that’s currently running: You must close the game before hiding it. If it’s running, the “Hide this game” option may be grayed out.
• Confusing “Hide” with “Uninstall”: Hiding doesn’t remove the game from your account or disk. Uninstalling deletes the game files, but the game remains in your library.
• Expecting hidden games to be invisible to friends: Hiding only affects your own library view. Friends can still see what you’re playing if you have that setting enabled in your profile privacy.

Tips

• Use categories instead of hiding for organization: If you want to declutter your library but still see everything, create categories (right-click game → “Set Categories”) and assign games to them. You can then filter by category.
• Hide games you don’t want to accidentally launch: This is useful for games you’re embarrassed about or simply don’t want to see every day.
• Hidden games still receive updates: They will update automatically just like any other game, so you can play them anytime without waiting.
• Use the search bar to quickly find a hidden game: If you forget which games you’ve hidden, type the game’s name in the Library search bar — it will appear in the results even if hidden.

Troubleshooting

“Hide this game” option is missing or grayed out:

• Make sure the game isn’t currently running. Close it completely and try again.
• Update Steam to the latest version. Go to “Steam” → “Check for Client Updates” in the top menu.
• Restart the Steam client. Sometimes a temporary glitch can cause menu items to disappear.

Hidden games still show in your library:

• Check if you’re viewing the “All Games” view. Hidden games are excluded from that view, but if you have a custom category selected, hidden games might appear. Switch to “All Games” in the Library dropdown.
• If you have multiple Steam accounts on the same computer, hidden status is per-account. Log into the correct account.

You can’t find the “Hidden” view:

• In the Library, click the dropdown menu that currently says “All Games” (or “Installed”) — it’s at the top-left of the game list. Scroll down to find “Hidden”. If you don’t see it, click “Customize” and make sure “Hidden” is checked.

Game reappears after restart:

• This is rare but can happen if Steam’s local config files are corrupted. Try restarting Steam. If it persists, back up your userdata folder (located in your Steam installation directory) and verify the integrity of the Steam client through “Steam” → “Settings” → “Downloads” → “Clear Download Cache” (this will require re-login).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hide a game permanently? Yes, hidden games stay hidden until you manually unhide them. They won’t reappear on their own.

Can friends see my hidden games? No, friends can’t see your hidden games in your profile or library. However, if you play a hidden game, your activity feed may show that you’re playing it (unless you set your profile to private).

Will hiding a game delete it? No, hiding only removes it from your default library view. The game remains installed and playable.

Can I hide multiple games at once? Yes, you can select multiple games by holding Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (Mac) while clicking, then right-click and choose “Manage” → “Hide this game”.

Does hiding a game affect achievements or playtime? No, hidden games continue to track achievements and playtime normally.

Can I hide games from the Steam website? No, hiding is only available in the Steam desktop client. The website and mobile app don’t have this option.

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