How to Update Steam [Client and Games] | Step-By-Step Guide

If you haven't disabled automatic updates on Steam, the client should usually update itself once you open it. But if you've noticed an issue in the Steam client not updating, you can also manually force the update! So here's how to update Steam:

1. Launch Steam
2. Click the Steam logo at the top right corner
3. Select "Check for Steam Client Updates" from the drop-down menu
4. If there's an update available, click on "Download" at the bottom right corner
5. Wait a bit, then click on "Apply and restart Steam" to finish the update

Depending on how far you haven't updated the Steam client to the latest version, the update may take longer. For me personally, it took a quick second since I stay up-to-date with the latest version of Steam! However, I haven't turned off auto-updates on Steam so the client does its job updating itself.

How to Update Steam By Reinstalling It

Another way you can try to force-update Steam is by running the installation file again. This will somehow force a reinstall on Steam and update the app altogether. So here's how to update Steam by forcing a reinstall:

1. Go to the official Steam website to manually download and install the client
2. Click on the "Install Steam" button
3. Wait for it to download, then open the Steam installation file
4. Go through the installation process for Steam
5. Once the process finishes, you'll have to re-login with your Steam account

Some players also go down the route of completely uninstalling Steam first, though I'd say that's overkill and you don't have to do it. Running the Steam installation file should be enough to update the client!

How to Update Steam Games

Besides the client, Steam games should also have automatic updates turned on. Even if they don't, they should start updating once you open them. If for some reason they don't update, verifying the game files can check for updates on games. So here's how to check for updates for Steam games by verifying the integrity of the game files:

1. Open the Steam client and click on the Library tab at the top
2. Right-click the game in your Library on the left
3. Select "Properties" in the drop-down menu
4. Click the "Installed files" section on the left
5. Select "Verify integrity of game files"
6. Optional: click on the "Updates" section to set updating priorities for the game
   

After doing all of this, you should be able to freely enjoy playing PC games up-to-date on Steam. The client mostly takes care of updating itself and the games in your Steam library automatically, but often issues can arise. That's why you can manually update them using the methods above to freely play the best Steam games!