How to Hide a Game from Friends on Steam

There are times when you want to play something without advertising it to all your friends on Steam. Maybe it's a new game you're just getting into, or one you consider “embarrassing.” Or maybe you just want to keep your gaming habits private.

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Let's figure out how it works. We'll look at privacy settings and the offline mode feature, which will help you play comfortably without attracting unnecessary attention.

Method 1: Changing game settings

The current version of Steam allows you to selectively and without restriction hide certain games on your account from other users of the application, including friends. This option is the most convenient and does not require any additional conditions to be met, except for updating the corresponding program to the latest version in any convenient way.

More details: How to update Steam to the latest version on a PC

1. After completing the preparation in the form of a client update, open the main page and immediately go to the tab “Library” using the top navigation bar. Here you need to find the hidden game, including through the built-in search system.
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3. Right-click on an item in the main list or use the gear icon on the game page. Here you should expand the nested menu “Control” and select the option “Make private”.
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5. To complete the hiding process, confirm the action in the pop-up window by pressing again “Make private”. The features of this mode are also displayed in a separate message.
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7. You can restore the standard display of the game by repeating the steps described above and selecting the option “Show everyone”. Please note that game statistics collected during the entire time the game was hidden will simply become public, rather than starting from scratch.
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Sometimes you don't want your friends to see what you're playing on Steam — maybe you're worried about your reputation or just value your privacy. Fortunately, it's easy to hide your game: just change the privacy settings in your profile to hide your online status, current game, or all activity. It takes just a couple of clicks, and after that, none of your friends will know what you're doing on Steam unless you want to show them.

Method 2: Changing your profile settings

If necessary, information about games can be hidden from friends and any other users of the application within the entire library. It is important to understand that in this case, despite the great flexibility of the settings, it is still not possible to select a specific user to set restrictions for. You can use both the desktop and mobile versions of the client.

Option 1: Computer

1. To make changes, first open the profile menu on the top panel of the application and select “My Profile”. Alternatively, you can click on your account nickname.
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3. In the right-hand area of the screen on the page displayed, use the button “Edit Profile”.
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5. Using the menu on the left side of the working window, go to the nested tab “Privacy”. Here you need to find the category “My Profile” and left-click on the block “Friends Only” or “Public”.
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7. Set the new value to “Private” and wait for the automatic saving procedure to complete. After that, the profile will be considered hidden for all users without exception. This applies not only to the list of games and activity, but also to the basic account information, except for the profile photo and special effects.
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9. If you need to save some of the information, you can set the value “Public” or “Friends only”. At the same time, the option “Hidden” you need to select “Access to game information”, as shown in our example.
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Option 2: Mobile device

1. Despite the many differences in the mobile version of Steam, hiding game information is done in a similar way. The first step is to tap on your account photo in the upper right corner of the screen and press the button on the page that appears, “Open profile”.
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3. Use the button “Edit Profile” at the very top of the page, and then scroll through the horizontal menu on the next screen. Select the category “Privacy” as you would on a PC.
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5. Once on the appropriate page, find the nested section “My Profile” and use the link available here. In the pop-up menu that appears, you should then set “Hidden” and wait for the settings to be applied.
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7. An alternative method of hiding information is to set the value “Friends Only” or “Public” for the main section in the marked category, while “Hidden” should be the category “Access to Game Information”. Whichever option you choose, other users will not be able to view your library and game-related activity after completion.
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Method 3: User lock

Like any social platform, Steam allows you to block other users of the service at your discretion. This feature can be used to hide the full list of games from certain people. Unfortunately, such users are automatically removed from your friends list and lose any tools for interacting with your account.

Option 1: Computer

1. Using the desktop version of the client, open the application and use the button in the lower right corner of the screen. “Friends and Chat”. The corresponding interface can also be opened via the menu “Friends” on the top panel.
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3. In a separate pop-up window, find the desired user and right-click. Here, hover the mouse cursor over the sub-item “Management” and use the option “Block”.
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5. You will need to confirm the action in the pop-up window by clicking “Block”. It is important to understand that this action is partially irreversible – the user can be removed from the blacklist, but the friend request will have to be sent again.
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Option 2: Mobile device

1. On the main screen of the Steam mobile app, tap the avatar on the top bar. The next step is to open the category “Friends” in the “My content”.
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3. Select the desired user from the friends list, using the built-in search if necessary. On the main activity screen, expand the menu “More” and use the option “Block”.
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5. If you are sure you want to block the user, confirm the action in the pop-up window. Once completed, the person will automatically disappear from your friends list and will no longer be able to view your profile. Additional security can be provided by changing the settings from the previous section of the instructions and specifically setting the mode “For friends only”.
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These are all the main ways to help you keep your gaming sessions private. As you can see, Steam has convenient and effective tools for this. You can simply disable your “Online” status or customize the information displayed about you for each friend individually.

Choose the method that suits you best. If you just need to quickly hide for a while, the “Do Not Disturb” mode will suffice. If you want to hide a specific game on a permanent basis, it is better to use the privacy settings in your profile.

Now you can play anything without worrying about unnecessary questions. Your leisure time is your own business, and it's great that you can easily manage it. Enjoy the game without unnecessary attention!