2025 | How to Recover Steam Games with 4 Ways

Recover Deleted Steam Game with Data Recovery Software

AiRecover Data Recovery is one of the best free software programs that lets you scan and recover accidentally deleted files from your computer effortlessly. With this help, you can choose to recover deleted Steam games or any other important data flexibly, such as CS:GO or PUBG. It’s worth mentioning that the deep scan mode is also useful, which can thoroughly search your drive with just one click on the original disk.

Besides file recovery, AiRecover Data Recovery also helps fix and restore data from different storage devices like hard drives, SSDs, USB drives, and SD cards. It’s safe to use and won’t damage your existing files during the recovery process.

Now, you can scan and preview recoverable files for free! In the trial version, you don’t need to register an account.

Follow the steps to restore a deleted Steam game on Windows 7/8/10/11 using this powerful tool, AiRecover Data Recovery.

Step 1. Install and launch AiRecover Data Recovery on your computer. Choose the “Deep Recovery” mode, then click the “Recover” button on the right side of the interface.

Step 2. Select the drive or partition where your Steam games were originally stored, then click “Scan” to start the scanning process.

Step 3. During the scan, you can use the “Filter” feature to search by game name or file type and quickly locate deleted Steam game files. You can also preview files before restoring them.

Step 4. Check the game files you want to restore, click the “Recover” button, and choose a new, secure location to save them. Then, click “OK”. That’s all.

Recover Steam Games from Library Folders

Steam has a built-in file management system that saves all your game data safely stored in the designated library folder. So if a game goes missing or isn't being recognized, you can often use Steam's own library management tools to locate or restore it. In this way, you won't need third-party software.

1Add Missing Library Folder

Steam allows you to manage multiple library folders where your games are installed. If a game you've already installed isn't showing up in your library, it's likely because its storage location isn't currently recognized by Steam.

Then, you can go to Steam > select “Settings” >  Locate “Downloads” >  click on the “STEAM LIBRARY FOLDERS” > choose "Add Library Folder" and browse to the drive or folder where your games are stored. Once added, Steam will automatically scan the location and restore any missing games to your library.

2Verify Integrity of Game Files

If a game isn’t running correctly or some files are missing or corrupted, you can use Steam’s built-in Verify Integrity of Game Files feature. It scans your local game files, compares them to the official versions, and automatically replaces or downloads any damaged or missing files

Right-click the game in your Library and go to “Properties” > “Installed Files”. Then click "Verify integrity of game files". Once the process is complete, your game should run normally again.

Check for Hidden Games to Recover Steam

Apart from the above methods, you can also check if your missing games are hidden. Steam lets you manage hidden games directly within your library.

To view hidden games: Launch Steam on your PC > go to “LIBRARY” > on the top search bar, click on the “View” tab > select “Hidden Games.”

To unhide a game: Find the game you want to restore in the list > right-click it, and select “Manage” > choose “Remove from Hidden”.

Use Windows.old to Restore Steam Games

When you upgrade your Windows system, a backup folder named “Windows.old” is automatically created. This folder can help you recover your Steam game files that were previously installed on the C: drive. If your games disappeared after an update and you didn’t make a manual backup, you can try restoring them from here.

The Windows.old folder keeps the full structure of your previous “Program Files” directories, making it easy to locate your original Steam installation and avoid downloading everything again. You just need to browse to the old Steam folder and copy the game data back to your current setup.

To access Windows.old folder on Windows 10/11: Open “This PC”, go to System (C:), and click “View”. In the drop-down list, select “Show” > “Hidden items”. Now, you can see the Windows.old folder in the root directory.

To restore your Steam games: Go to System (C:) drive > Program Files (x86) > Steam > steamapps > common. Copy your old game folders to your new Steam directory (e.g., C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common). Then, restart the Steam app, and it will automatically detect and verify the existing game files.

Bonus Tips: How to Back Up Steam Games

When Steam game data becomes corrupted or lost, having a backup allows you to restore your games quickly. In fact, you can do a lot to make a backup to avoid your games being permanently lost.

• Use Built-in Backup Feature: Steam has a built-in tool for backing up your games. Open Steam > go to Library > right-click the game > select Backup Game Files, then follow the prompts to choose a save location and split size.
• Manually Copy Game Folders: Go to your Steam library folder, usually under “steamapps/common”, and copy the entire game folder to a secure storage device. This preserves all your game data.
• Regularly Back up Saves and Settings: In addition to the game files themselves, make sure to back up your Save Games and Config Files, typically found in Documents\My Games or Steam\userdata.
• Use Steam Cloud: Enable Steam Cloud to automatically save your game progress and some settings across devices. Even after a system reinstall, you can quickly restore your data.
• Use Third-Party Backup Tools: For large games or multiple games, consider using a third-party backup software to schedule regular backups of your entire Steam folder, adding an extra layer of data protection.

FAQs about Steam Games Recovery

Keep on reading these frequently asked questions gathered from the public.

Q1: What are the causes of Steam games data loss?

There are many reasons why Steam games might be missing, such as being hidden, moved to a different folder, lost due to a drive issue, or not recognized after a system update. Therefore, you need to ensure you’re logged into the correct Steam account first and check your “Library” to see if Hidden Games is turned on.

Q2: Can I recover my Steam games after reinstalling Windows?

Yes. After you reinstall the Windows system, it will create a Windows.old folder that contains your previous game files. Just go to “C:\Windows.old\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common” and copy the game folders to your new Steam directory.

Q3: How to make Steam recognize existing game files?

Go to your Library, right-click the game, and select Install. Then, Steam will check the installation folder, and if it finds all the game files, it will skip downloading and just verify them.