If you are becoming impatient for your new game to download on Steam, these tips and tricks might help you speed up your connection to the Steam games network providing a faster download. If you are wondering why Steam sometimes downloads so slowly, it can be due to a number of different reasons and if you are using Windows, this quick guide will take you through places to check to help increase your Steam download speed.
It goes without saying that your Internet connection will no doubt make an enormous difference to the speed that you will be able to download games from Steam. However, if you are lucky enough to have a fast connection but are still experiencing issues, then trying out the tips below might help resolve slow Steam game downloads and speed up the process for you.
Download Games Faster on Steam
- Check your Internet connection
- Change the download region within Steam
- Manage download bandwidth
- Close background applications
- Prioritised your new game as Steams first download
- Clear the download cache
- Update Steam
Check your Internet connection
Make sure that your Internet connection and router have a stable and fastest internet connection possible. You can check your Internet connection speed for free by visiting the fast.com website. To test whether your router is at optimal speed, make sure your Windows computer is not currently downloading anything from Steam or a Windows update and carry out a test to see if your computer is connected as fast as your provider says it should be.
It is worth remembering that if you are using a wireless connection, then this will only be as fast as the wireless hardware that is installed in your laptop. Personally, if you are downloading an enormous game from Steam, it might be worth connecting directly to the router using a network cable if possible. If you only have USB-C ports on your computer, you can buy a network cable adapter for about $10. Enabling you to connect to your router via cable and get the maximum download speed your router can provide.
Change the download region within Steam
Steam automatically selects the download server nearest to your location. However, sometimes that server might be overloaded. You can change the download server in Steam by following these steps:
a. Open Steam and click on “Steam” in the upper left corner.
b. Go to “Settings” and then to the “Downloads” tab.
c. In the “Download Region” dropdown menu, select a different server that is still relatively close to your location.
d. Click “OK” and restart Steam to apply the changes.
Manage download bandwidth
Steam allows you to limit your download bandwidth, but make sure it’s set to an optimal value or not limited at all. To make sure this is not the case. Go to “Settings” and then to the “Downloads” tab in Steam. Make sure the “Limit bandwidth to” checkbox is unchecked, or select an appropriate limit based on your internet connection speed. Once you are happy with your selections, press “OK” to confirm and save your changes.
Close background applications
As already mentioned, it is worth making sure that, you have no sneaky downloads happening in the background from applications such as Windows updates another’s that might be restricting the amount of bandwidth Steam can use to download your game. Close other applications and services that might use your internet bandwidth, such as web browsers, streaming services, or other downloads.
Prioritised your new game as Steams first download
Sometimes when you open Steam, it will automatically start downloading updates for other games before it gets to your new purchase or specifically the game that you would like to download. This can definitely slow down the waiting time and is worth checking out to make sure that your desired game is at the top of the download list.
To do this, simply go to the Library option in the menu bar and select Downloads. Here is a full list of everything that Steam is currently trying to download or update. If you would like to turn off automatic updates for certain games, you can do this by following the instructions below.
1. Right-click on a game in your Steam library.
2. Click on “Properties” and go to the “Updates” tab.
3. In the “Automatic updates” dropdown menu, select “Only update this game when I launch it.”
4. Repeat this process for other games in your library.
Clear the download cache
If you are still experiencing problems, it might be with clearing out the download cache within the Steam application. To do this, go to the Settings menu within Steam and then to the “Downloads” tab. Select the “Clear Download Cache” option and confirm your choice.
Update Steam
To make sure that you are experiencing the fastest download possible and using the latest version of Steam, it is worth allowing the application to update automatically. As outdated versions of Steam have been known to cause issues with downloads. Steam will normally update itself automatically once you open it but you can always force it to check for updates by clicking “Steam” in the top left corner and selecting “Check for Steam Client Updates.”
If you are still experiencing issues with your Steam downloads it might be worth reaching out to the gaming community by jumping over to the official Steam website for more help and advice on what might possibly be causing your slow game downloads.
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