To unhide games in Steam, navigate to the ‘View’ menu, select ‘Hidden Games’, then right-click the game you wish to reveal and choose ‘Manage’ then ‘Remove from Hidden’.
Ever find yourself scratching your head, wondering where a game vanished to in your Steam library? It happens! Sometimes we accidentally hide things, or perhaps a family member did it while playing around.
The good news is that getting those games back is a simple process. This short guide will show you how to unhide games in Steam with just a few clicks, bringing your entire collection back into view.
How to Unhide Games in Steam
Have you ever noticed that some of your games seem to have vanished from your Steam library? Don’t worry, they aren’t gone forever! Steam has a handy feature that allows you to hide games, and sometimes we might accidentally hide them ourselves, or they might be hidden by someone else using your account. This guide will teach you everything you need to know about how to unhide games in Steam, so you can get back to playing your favorites.
Understanding the Hidden Games Feature
Before we jump into unhiding games, let’s talk about why Steam has a hiding feature in the first place. Imagine you have a big collection of games. Some you love and play all the time, and others you might have gotten in a bundle and haven’t tried yet. Or maybe you have some games that you don’t want other people seeing when they look at your library. Hiding games helps keep your library organized and lets you focus on what you are currently interested in. It’s like having a digital bookshelf where you can tuck away some titles to make your collection look neater.
Why Games Get Hidden
There are a few common reasons why games end up being hidden:
- Accidental Hiding: Sometimes, while exploring the Steam interface, you might accidentally click the ‘hide’ option on a game. It happens to the best of us!
- Organization: You might have intentionally hidden games that you don’t plan on playing anytime soon to keep your library looking tidy.
- Family Sharing: If someone else uses your account or family sharing, they might have hidden games that they don’t want you to see, or to make the library less cluttered for themselves.
- Game Removal from Store: Sometimes, when a game gets removed from the Steam store, it might appear as if it’s hidden in your library. This is slightly different, as you still own the license, but Steam handles them differently in the interface.
Unhiding Games Using the Steam Client
The most common way to unhide games is through the Steam desktop client on your computer. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Open the Steam Client and Log In
First things first, make sure that you have opened your steam client and you are logged into your steam account. if you have multiple accounts, make sure that you log into the appropriate account in which you own those games, that you want to unhide.
Step 2: Access Your Library
Once you are logged in, look at the top of the steam client. There, you’ll find several options. Click on “Library.” This will take you to your list of all games.
Step 3: Locate the “View” Menu
Within the Library section, look for the “View” option at the top. It’s next to the “Steam” and “Games” tabs. Click on “View”.
Step 4: Select “Hidden Games”
After clicking on “View,” a dropdown menu will appear. From this menu, select the “Hidden Games” option. This will show you all the games that you have previously hidden.
Step 5: Unhide Your Chosen Games
Now that you are looking at your hidden games, you will see a list of all the hidden games. Right-click the game that you want to unhide. A menu will appear. In this menu, click on “Manage”. After that, click on “Remove from Hidden” option. This will immediately move the game back into your visible library. Repeat this step for every game you want to unhide.
Note: If you don’t see the “Manage” option, you may need to click on the gear icon for settings, and after that, you’ll find the “Manage” option.
If you have multiple games that are hidden and you want to unhide all of them quickly, you have to go one by one, and there’s no way to unhide all of them at once.
Using the Steam Mobile App to Unhide Games
You can also unhide games using the Steam mobile app on your smartphone or tablet. The process is quite similar to the desktop version, and this allows you to manage your hidden games while you’re away from your computer. Here’s how:
Step 1: Launch the Steam Mobile App
First, make sure that you have installed the Steam app on your phone or tablet, and you have logged in to your steam account. If you have multiple accounts, be sure to sign into the account that has the games you want to unhide.
Step 2: Access Your Library
Tap on the menu icon (usually three horizontal lines or a hamburger icon) in the top-left corner of the screen. From the menu, choose “Library”.
Step 3: Find the Hidden Games Filter
Once you are in your Library, you’ll see your list of games. Look for the filter option, which is usually at the top or bottom. Tap on this to see the filtering options. Tap on the “Hidden” option. This action will now show you all the games that you have hidden.
Step 4: Unhide Individual Games
Tap the name of the game that you want to unhide. This will open the game page. On the game page, look for the gear icon at the top of the screen, and tap on it. Tap “Manage.” Finally, choose the “Remove from Hidden” option. The game will now return to your main library list, and be visible again.
Just like the desktop version, you will have to unhide each game one by one, there’s no “Unhide All” option in the mobile app too.
Unhiding Games from Steam Website
Although not as straightforward as the client or the mobile app, you can manage your hidden games through the Steam website. This method is less convenient as it requires navigating through the Steam website interface.
Step 1: Open the Steam Website and Log In
Open a web browser, and go to the Steam website. Then sign in to your Steam account. Make sure you are signed in to the account where your hidden games are located.
Step 2: Access your Account Details
Hover over your username at the top of the page. Then, select “Account details” from the dropdown menu that will appear.
Step 3: Click View Purchases
On your account details page, find and click on the “View purchase history” option.
Step 4: Find the Hidden Game in your Purchase History
Although, you can not see the hidden games directly, here you will find all your purchased game. You have to find the game that is hidden in your library. Once you have found the game, click on it.
Step 5: Unhide the Game
On the game’s page, you will see a link in the “Links” section called “View in library”. Click on this link, and you will be redirected to the game on the desktop Steam client, If the game is hidden in your steam library, the Steam client window will open up, where you can simply unhide from the method, that we have described in the “Unhiding Games Using the Steam Client” section.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Sometimes, things don’t go as smoothly as planned. Here are some common issues and fixes when trying to unhide games in Steam:
Game Not Appearing in Hidden List
If the game you are looking for is not showing up in your hidden games list, it could be for a couple of reasons:
- Check Your Filters: Ensure that you have not enabled other filters in the library view that could be hiding the game. Try removing any active filters and see if it appears in the main library or the hidden list.
- Check Family Sharing: If the game was bought using another account, and you use Steam Family Sharing, the game might be visible through the other account but not directly in your own. If you use Family Sharing, make sure you check the library of the account where the game was actually bought.
- Restart Steam: A simple restart of the Steam client can often resolve minor display bugs. Close the steam client completely and start it again.
- Check the Correct Account: Double-check that you are logged into the correct Steam account where the game was purchased.
The “Remove From Hidden” Option is Missing
Sometimes, you might find a game in the hidden list but the “Remove from Hidden” option is not visible. This could be due to a bug within the Steam client or the game’s specific properties.
- Restart Steam Client: Close the Steam client completely and then open it again. This can help resolve display bugs or glitches.
- Update Steam: Make sure that your Steam client is updated to the latest version. An older version might have bugs that have been fixed in recent versions.
- Reinstall Steam: As a last resort, uninstall the steam client and then download and install it again, this will solve most of the problems with steam.
Games Still Not Appearing After Unhiding
If you have unhidden a game but you still cannot find it, there are a couple more things to check.
- Check Library Filters: Ensure you have no active filters in your main library view. The library filter feature can hide some games from view depending on the applied filter.
- Search for the Game: Use the search bar in your library to type the name of the game. If it’s in your library, it should show up through the search, even if you can’t find it by browsing.
Tips for Managing Your Steam Library
Now that you know how to unhide games, here are some tips to help you keep your Steam library organized:
- Use Categories: Steam lets you create categories. Create custom categories to sort your games based on genre, what you are planning to play, or any other system that suits your way of playing games.
- Hide Games Strategically: If you have lots of games, hide titles that you know you aren’t planning to play soon, this keeps the library clean and less cluttered.
- Be Mindful When Hiding: Try to be aware of when you hide games and why. This will help you avoid confusion later.
- Regular Library Check: Sometimes it’s good to check your hidden games list once in a while, to see if there are games you forgot about.
The Importance of a Clean Steam Library
A well-managed Steam library can greatly improve your overall experience using the platform. When your library is organized, it is easier to find the games that you are interested in. No one likes scrolling through lots of unwanted games to find the game they want to play. Knowing how to hide and unhide games is just one step towards this. A clean and tidy library can help you choose your next game quickly and get to playing it as soon as possible, instead of wasting your time sorting through a messy library.
Having a clean library also makes it easier for others who might use your Steam account (through Family Sharing) to find the games that are relevant to them. This is especially important if you have children or other family members who use your account.
Unhiding games in Steam is a simple process once you know how to do it. Whether you’ve accidentally hidden a game or simply want to revisit older titles, using the methods mentioned, you can quickly and easily regain access to all your games. Remember that Steam provides these tools to help you customize your library and enjoy your gaming experience the way you want to.
How to Hide & Unhide Games (Steam 2022)
Final Thoughts
To summarize, to view hidden Steam games, navigate to your library. Then click the “View” menu and select “Hidden Games.” This will show your hidden titles. You can then right-click a game and choose “Manage,” then “Remove from Hidden” to make it visible again.
This process shows exactly how to unhide games in Steam. This simple method will reveal games you previously chose to conceal. You have now easily made them part of your standard library view.
