Top 10 Effective Steam User Guides You Probably Didn’t Know

It can be said that Steam is the face of PC Gaming and also the reason why Valve rarely releases new games. GabeN and the company’s game marketplace aren’t the only places you can buy PC titles – GOG is also a viable option, but Steam’s footprint and popular seasonal sale events have become more popular. bar a popular retail location.

But Steam is more than just a regular store. Steam’s desktop client lets you do pretty much everything, including organizing your game library, live streaming your gameplay to your audience, and chatting with your friends. In short, Steam has a lot of useful functions, but not everyone realizes all of these functions.

Here are 10 tips for using Steam that you may not know.

1. Protect your account with Steam Guard

Security is always a very important issue. You certainly don’t want someone to hack into your account. To prevent that, you should, or always use, a strong password. But you should also supplement your password with an extra layer of security.

Once Steam Guard is activated on your account, you will need to provide a special access code to verify your account when logging in on new devices. Depending on your Steam Guard setup, you’ll either receive an email with a special code or receive it via the Steam Mobile app on your phone. To enable this function, simply go to Settings > Account > Manage Steam > Guard Account Security.

2. Manage your game library

By default, Steam displays your titles in alphabetical order in a vertically aligned list. This is not a big deal when you don’t own too many games, but if your list is over 100 titles, you may have to reorganize your game inventory.

Fortunately, Valve has provided us with tools to help keep our libraries tidy. By right clicking on the name of a game title and selecting Set Categories, you can categorize your games (like, Game of Thrones, or RPG). To add a game title to an already created category, just do the same as above and select the item Applicable Category at the end.

Alternatively, if you want quick access to your favorite games, just right-click on it and select Add to Favoritesand the system will put your favorite titles at the top of the list.

3. Add an external game to your Steam library

Sometimes there will be games that you want to play but are not available on the Steam store. For example, the game Star Wars: Battlefront II is on your buying list for some reason. Battlefront II is only available through EA’s Origin store (on PC), so you’ll have to buy it directly from that company.

You can still play normally, but if you hate the fact that 2 clients appear separately when the game is launched, Valve has a remedy for that.

You can make Star Wars: Battlefront II, or any other PC game, show up as part of your Steam library by clicking on the item. Add A Game at the bottom left corner of the Steam interface and select Add a Non-Steam Game. Then just select the game you want and choose Add Selected Programs. Pretty simple, right?

4. Use Big Picture mode

Valve’s desire to make Steam part of the entertainment hub for users led to the creation of Big Picture mode, an interface designed to be usable with TV screens and monitors. image in large size.

You can activate this function by clicking View > Big Picture Modethis interface allows you to navigate through your game library, Steam store, community message boards, and messaging clients using a controller, mouse, or Steam Controller.

5. Continue your gameplay anywhere with Steam Cloud

Did you know that you can save your gameplay in the cloud and continue playing on another computer without missing a beat? By activating Steam Cloud (Settings > Cloud > Enable Steam Could Synchronization), your play will be saved on Valve’s servers, allowing you to continue where you left off.

Please note that this feature will not be available in some games. However, most games support this feature.

6. Share your game library

Just because your PC game library is digital, that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to lend your games to family members. Family Sharing allows you to share your games with 10 different people as long as you use the same computer.

Activate this function by entering Settings > Familyand select the box Authorize Library Sharing On This Computer. Once you approve another user’s authorization request, they can download and play the titles in your library, with the exception of some titles that may require security from a third party. They can even save your gameplay, so you won’t have to worry about them ruining your gameplay.

7. Frame Rate Tracking

This feature will help some gamers customize their settings, so that their games always run at 60 frames per second. Or you just want to test the graphics processing capabilities of your PC.

For example, if you want to see how your games run with a new GPU installed in your computer. Into the Settings > In-Game and activate FPS Counter. Then when you start your game, you will see a frame rate counter appear on the screen.

You can also activate High Contrast Colorto make it easier to identify the counter and choose where to place it.

8. Game refund

By clicking Help > Steam Support, Steam will display a list of your recent purchases. Click on any game and select the corresponding reasons, and you will be taken to a page that allows you to request a refund. Your refund request must be made within 2 weeks of purchase and your playtime must not exceed 2 hours. You can return games, as well as DLCs, in-game transactions, pre-orders, and even hardware, such as the Steam Controller and Steam Link.

9. Exchange cards for real money

A few years back, Valve introduced Steam Trading Cards, virtual cards that you can earn just by playing the game. Collecting a set of cards through a transaction or purchase will allow you to turn them into badges that you can show off on your profile. When creating badges, the system rewards you with things like your profile background, coupons, and chat icons. But you really don’t have to do these things.

You can sell your tokens on the Steam Community Market. You usually only get a few cents per regular card, the rarer cards will have a slightly higher value. The price of cards often fluctuates according to different games and even over time.

Sell ​​enough cards and you’ll have enough money in your account to buy DLC or even a new game.

10. Give away games

Games are great gifts, and Valve has simplified the process for you when you want to buy a game for someone else. You simply add a game title to your Steam cart as usual, but instead of choosing Purchase For MyselfPlease choose Purchase As a Gift and choose a person from your Friends List.

Alternatively, you can choose to send the game to the recipient’s Steam account right away, or schedule it for a birthday, holiday, or whatever time you want.

Source: PCMAG