To view hidden games on Steam Deck, navigate to your library, select the filter icon, then choose “Hidden” from the dropdown menu.
Ever felt like some of your games vanished into thin air on your Steam Deck? It can be a bit puzzling, but thankfully, they aren’t gone forever. They’re simply hidden. Knowing how to view hidden games on Steam Deck is key to managing your library efficiently.
It’s very easy to accidentally hide a game. Now you can easily find any game you have hidden with this guide. Let’s get started.
How to View Hidden Games on Steam Deck
Ever felt like some of your Steam games just vanished into thin air on your Steam Deck? Don’t worry; they’re not gone! Steam has a handy feature that allows you to hide games from your library. This is great for keeping things tidy, maybe hiding games your little brother shouldn’t play or titles you’re just not interested in anymore. But what happens when you want to find those hidden games again? Let’s explore how to bring those tucked-away titles back into view on your Steam Deck.
Why Hide Games in the First Place?
Before we dive into showing hidden games, let’s understand why people hide games on Steam in the first place. Here are a few common reasons:
- Decluttering Your Library: If you have a huge collection of games, things can get a bit messy. Hiding games you’re not actively playing helps make the library look cleaner.
- Family Sharing: If you share your Steam account with family members, you might want to hide games that are not age-appropriate for younger players. This way, they won’t stumble upon games they shouldn’t be playing.
- Games You Don’t Like: Sometimes, we end up with games we regret buying or receiving. Hiding them removes the visual clutter and avoids reminding you of them.
- Games You’ve Finished: After completely finishing a game, you might want to tuck it away so that it’s not constantly visible when browsing your active plays.
These are just a few reasons, and there could be many others. The good news is that Steam makes it very simple to hide, and just as simple to reveal your hidden games.
Accessing the Hidden Games Menu on Your Steam Deck
The process of finding hidden games on your Steam Deck is very easy. It only involves a few simple steps. Let’s get into it:
Step 1: Open Steam on Your Steam Deck
First things first, turn on your Steam Deck and go to your main library page. You can do this by pressing the “Steam” button and then selecting “Library”. This will be where you see all your games.
Step 2: Locate the Filtering Button
On the top of your games library list, you’ll find some filter options. Look for the little button with three horizontal lines, it looks like the symbol you see on many menus. This is where you manage what games appear in your library.
Step 3: Click the Filters and Find “Hidden”
Once you have pressed the filter button, a drop-down menu appears. On that drop-down menu, you’ll see a section called “Filter by”. Within this “Filter by” menu, you will see many different filtering options including the option for “Hidden”.
Step 4: View Your Hidden Games
Click the “Hidden” filter. All the games you’ve previously hidden will appear in your library. They’ll be mixed in with your other games, so you won’t see a separate section for them. Don’t worry you’ll be able to tell which games are hidden, by looking for their faded appearance.
Step 5: (Optional) Unhiding Your Games
Now that you see your hidden games again, you might want to unhide some or all of them. To do this:
- Select the game you want to unhide.
- Click the small gear icon on the game’s page. This icon will usually be on the right side of your screen.
- A menu appears, select “Manage”.
- You’ll see an option that says “Remove from Hidden”. Select it, and that’s it!
The game will now be visible in your normal games list. Remember that once you have selected “Remove From Hidden,” you must remove the “Hidden” filter to view that game in your library alongside your others.
Understanding the “Hidden” Filter Behavior
It’s important to note that the “Hidden” filter isn’t a separate section, but instead a way to show only the hidden games in your normal library list. This means that once you turn it on, only those hidden games will be shown. If you want to return to seeing all games, you will have to click on the filter button again and deselect “Hidden” from “Filter by” menu or select another filter. Otherwise, hidden games won’t appear in the default library view.
Practical Tips for Managing Hidden Games
Keeping track of hidden games can be tricky. Here are some helpful tips to manage your library better:
- Use Categories: Steam allows you to create categories for your games. Instead of just hiding games, use categories to organize games by genre, whether you’ve completed them, or other ways you like to group titles. This helps you quickly find games later.
- Keep a list: If you regularly hide games, it can be helpful to keep a list of the games you’ve hidden. This can be a simple text file or a note on your phone.
- Regular Check-Ins: Periodically check your hidden games to see if you want to make them visible again or if you want to give any of them another play.
- Don’t Over-Hide: If you’re unsure, you might want to use the categories method instead of hiding games. Over-hiding could lead you to forget about a game you were meaning to play.
Common Issues and How to Fix Them
Sometimes, things might not work as expected. Here are a couple of common issues and their solutions:
Issue 1: Can’t Find the “Hidden” Filter
If you’re having trouble locating the “Hidden” filter, make sure that you are in the correct menu. Ensure you’re in your library and not on the “Home” screen. Be certain to click on the filter button which resembles three horizontal lines, near the top of your games library.
Issue 2: Hidden Games Still Not Showing
If you’ve followed the steps and your hidden games are still not appearing, try restarting your Steam Deck. This can often fix minor display glitches. Make sure you have selected “Hidden” from the “Filter by” menu. if it has a tick mark next to “Hidden”, that means it is active. Also, be sure that no other filters are selected that are not what you want. Finally, make sure you are not in a collection that would exclude a hidden game, such as “Ready to Play.”
Alternative Methods for Finding Games
While the “Hidden” filter is the best way to see hidden games, here are a couple of other methods you could use, just in case.
Using the Search Function
Even if a game is hidden, you can still find it by using the search function. Simply type the name of the game in the search bar at the top of your library. If you have hidden the game, it will still appear in the search results, but will not have a install button and will instead appear slightly faded. This will remind you that it is hidden. From there, you can go to its page and then unhide it if you wish.
Using Steam on Another Device
If you have Steam installed on another device, like your computer, you can also use this to check which games you have hidden. The steps to view hidden games on desktop are similar to the steps on the Deck. Open Steam on your computer, click on your library, and in the games list you will find the filter button. After you click the filter button you will be able to find the “Hidden” filter within the “Filter by” menu.
Why is Hiding Games a Great Option
Hiding games in your Steam library can help keep things organized and make sure you do not need to look at games that you are not interested in or finished playing. By hiding the game, you will still have access to it if you need to use it, but it will also keep it out of view when you are browsing your library. Hiding games can make your Steam Deck feel more custom to you, and allow you to have a better playing experience.
Finding your hidden games on the Steam Deck is a very simple thing to do. You don’t need to worry if you accidentally hid a game. By using the filter function, it only takes a few clicks to be able to see those hidden games, and then unhide them if you want. Don’t be afraid to hide games when it will be useful to you. Now you know how to do it!
Steam Deck – How To Find Hidden Games
Final Thoughts
To view hidden games on Steam Deck, navigate to your library. Then select the filter icon which usually appears on right side. Finally, find the ‘Hidden’ games option, and click it to show those titles.
By using the filter, you will quickly see any games you previously chose to hide. This method reveals all games marked as hidden, so ‘how to view hidden games on steam deck’ becomes straightforward.
