Recovering permanently deleted Steam games can be a daunting task, but don’t worry, I’m here to guide you through the process. There are a few methods you can try to recover your lost game data, so let’s explore them step by step.
1. Check the Steam Recycle Bin:
When you delete games from your Steam library, they are initially moved to the Steam Recycle Bin. To access it, open the Steam client and go to the “Library” tab. Look for the “Recently Deleted” section on the left-hand side. If your game is listed there, right-click on it and select “Restore from Recycle Bin” to recover the game and its associated files.
2. Retrieve from Steam Cloud:
Steam provides a cloud-based storage system called Steam Cloud, which automatically backs up your game saves and preferences. If you have enabled Steam Cloud for your games, you may be able to restore your game data from there. Here’s how:
A. Open the Steam client and go to the “Library” tab.
B. Right-click on the game you want to recover and select “Properties.”
C. In the properties window, navigate to the “Updates” tab.
D. Check if the “Enable Steam Cloud synchronization” option is enabled. If it is, your game data should be synced with Steam Cloud, and you can retrieve it by installing the game again.
3. Restore from a backup:
If you have a backup of your Steam games and their associated files, you can easily restore them. Here’s what you can do:
A. Locate your backup files on an external storage device or another location on your computer.
B. Copy the game files to the original Steam directory. The default location is usually “C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\” for Windows.
C. Open the Steam client and go to the “Library” tab.
D. Right-click on the game you want to recover and select “Install.” Steam will detect the existing files and validate them, reducing the download time.
4. Manually add game folder to Steam:
If none of the above methods work, you can manually add the game folder to Steam. This method is useful when you have the game files but they are not recognized by Steam. Here’s how:
A. Open the Steam client and go to “Steam” in the top-left corner.
B. Select “Settings” from the drop-down menu.
C. In the Settings window, go to the “Downloads” tab and click on “Steam Library Folders.”
D. Click on “Add Library Folder” and browse to the location where your game is installed.
E. Select the game folder and click “Select.”
F. The game should now appear in your Steam library, and you can try running it.
Remember, these methods may not work in every situation, especially if the game files have been permanently deleted without any backups. It’s always a good practice to regularly back up your important game data to avoid such situations in the future.
I hope these steps help you recover your permanently deleted Steam games. If you have any further questions or encounter any issues, feel free to ask.