Steam Achievements: View, Track & Compare

This guide shows you how to view your own Steam achievements, track your progress toward unlocking them, and compare your collection with friends or other players. You’ll learn the built-in Steam client methods, plus third-party tools for deeper analysis. No special software is required beyond the Steam client itself.

What You’ll Need

• A Steam account with some games that have achievements.
• The Steam desktop client (free from store.steampowered.com) or access to the Steam website.
• For comparing with friends: friends on Steam who have the same games.
• Optional: A third-party site like SteamDB or Astats for advanced stats.

Step-by-Step

Viewing Your Own Achievements

1. Open the Steam client and log in to your account.
2. Go to your Library by clicking “Library” at the top of the window.
3. Select a game from the left sidebar that has achievements (most games do).
4. Click on the “Achievements” tab in the game’s hub page (it appears between “News” and “Guides” for most games). You’ll see a grid of all achievements, with locked ones grayed out and unlocked ones in color. The top right shows your completion percentage.
5. Click on any achievement to see its description and the global unlock percentage (how many players have it).

Tracking Progress Toward a Specific Achievement

1. In the same Achievements tab, look for achievements that show a progress bar (e.g., “Kill 100 enemies” with a bar at 45/100). Not all achievements have progress bars—only those with quantifiable goals.
2. For games without in-client progress bars, use the game’s own stats page. Many games have a “Stats” tab next to “Achievements” that shows detailed counters. If not, check the game’s community hub for guides that list hidden requirements.
3. To see your overall global achievement completion, go to your Profile > “Games” > “All Games”. Here you’ll see each game’s completion percentage and the total number of achievements earned.

Comparing Achievements with Friends

1. Open your Friends list (bottom right of the Steam client).
2. Right-click a friend and select “Compare Games”. This shows a side-by-side list of games you both own, with your achievement completion percentages and total achievements.
3. For a per-game comparison, go to the game’s Achievements tab and click “View global achievement stats” (usually a small link). Then click “Compare with friends” to see which of your friends have unlocked each achievement.
4. Alternative method: On a friend’s profile, click “Games” and then “All Games”. Find the game in question and click on it to see their achievement list. You can manually compare, but the Compare Games feature is faster.

Using Third-Party Tools for Advanced Tracking

1. Open a web browser and go to a site like SteamDB.info or Astats.astats.nl.
2. On SteamDB, search for your profile name or Steam ID. The site shows a detailed achievement breakdown, including rarity, global percentages, and your progress compared to the average.
3. On Astats, you can link your Steam profile to get a “Steam Achievement Completion Rate” (SACR) and see detailed stats for each game. It also lets you compare with other users who have linked their profiles.

Common Mistakes

• Assuming all achievements have progress bars. Many are binary (unlocked/not unlocked). Use the game’s stats or third-party tools for numeric progress.
• Confusing “global achievement stats” with your own. The global stats page shows percentages for all players, not your personal progress.
• Forgetting to check hidden achievements. Some achievements are hidden until unlocked. You can see them on third-party sites or by viewing your own profile while logged in.
• Thinking achievements are account-wide. They are tied to the game, not the account, so if you play on a different Steam account, you start fresh.

Tips

• Use the Steam mobile app to check achievements on the go. The app shows your achievement list and progress for any game in your library.
• Set a personal goal like “100% a game” and use the compare feature to see how you stack up against friends.
• For games with many achievements, sort by rarity (on SteamDB) to find the rarest ones you might be close to.
• If you’re a completionist, consider using a tracking spreadsheet or the Astats site to monitor your overall completion rate.

Troubleshooting

• Achievements not showing up? Make sure the game is fully updated and you’re connected to the internet. Some games require you to play at least once to generate an achievement list.
• Progress bar stuck? Some games have buggy tracking. Try restarting the game or verifying game files (right-click game > Properties > Local Files > Verify Integrity).
• Compare Games shows no games? This happens if you and your friend have no games in common. It’s not a glitch.
• Third-party site can’t find your profile? Make sure your Steam profile is set to “Public” (Profile > Edit Profile > Privacy Settings).
• Global achievement stats not loading? This is usually a temporary Steam server issue. Wait a few minutes and try again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see achievements for a game I don’t own?

Yes, you can view the achievement list for any game on the Steam store page, but you won’t have personal progress. You can also see global stats on SteamDB.

Do achievements from non-Steam games (like Epic or GOG) show up on Steam?

No, only achievements from games launched through Steam are tracked. Some third-party tools can import them, but Steam itself doesn’t.

Can I reset my achievements?

There’s no official way to reset achievements on Steam. Some games have in-game options to reset, but that’s rare. Third-party tools cannot reset them either.

Why do some achievements have a “+1” or “+2” next to them?

That’s the rarity score from SteamDB, not from Steam. It indicates how rare the achievement is compared to others in the game.

How do I see achievements for a game I played before Steam tracked them?

If the game was added to Steam after you played it, achievements may not retroactively unlock. You’ll need to replay the game to trigger them.

Can I compare achievements with someone who isn’t my friend?

Yes, you can view any public profile’s achievements by visiting their profile and going to their games list. But the “Compare Games” feature only works with friends.

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