3 Ways to Make Steam Even Faster. Chris Hoffman @chrisbhoffman Updated July 3, 2017, 12:01pm EDT. Increase Steam’s Game Download Speed. Steam attempts to automatically select the download server nearest to your location. However, it may not always make the ideal choice. Also, in the case of high-traffic events like big seasonal sales. Steam used to block all downloads as soon as you launched a game. However, there is no need for a workaround anymore, thanks to the new content system: when you download a game, it is possible to launch and play a single player game under Steam and continue downloading others games in the meanwhile.
I have many games on Steam and many more I will buy, but I have a problem and I hope you can point me a solution.
When I download a game, is it possible to launch and play a single player game under Steam and continue downloading others games in the meanwhile?
Steam stops my download as soon as I launch any game, and I am looking for a way to prevent this.
5 Answers
Global option
You can now allow downloads during any gameplay from the downloads settings:
Per game option
You can now tell Steam to continue downloading updates/games while playing games from your games' properties. Note that this setting is not available for non-steam games, which will always use the global setting.
The way I do it is:
- Pause all of the downloads manually.
- Launch the game I want to play.
- Alt-Tab back to Steam window, resume all downloads manually.
- Alt-Tab back to the game and enjoy.
It seems that it only stops the download for you on launching a game. I have not found an 'official' way to do it, but this way works until they give us one.
Steam used to block all downloads as soon as you launched a game. However, there is no need for a workaround anymore, thanks to the new content system: when you download a game, it is possible to launch and play a single player game under Steam and continue downloading others games in the meanwhile.
Fixed downloading new update while game is still running
Reference: Steam client updates.
In addition, the new content system will allow us to build several new features that we’ve often heard requested. Upcoming client releases will include things like download scheduling, bandwidth throttling, and prioritizing which games get downloaded first. You’ll also be able to download an update to a game while you’re playing that game; Steam will apply the update after you exit the game.
Reference: Steam news.
Some people are talking about downloads being suspended, but I have never experienced this problem. I suggest choosing another server and trying again if this happens to you.
Apparently, a new feature is coming.
- While playing, hold Ctrl, Alt, and Del to go to pick a menu.
- Pick the 'Start Task Manager' then you can go to window.
- Open steam then resume the downloading then click the picture where you were playing.
- ENJOY!
How To Install Steam Games
After the game was started, you may also ALT-TAB back into steam, and then right-click and press 'Pause Download' (even though it says 'Paused' already), and then right-click and choose 'Resume Download'. I have noticed that some games do not pause your downloads, but most games do.
protected by Community♦Aug 24 '11 at 15:51
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I just bought some DLC for Train Simulator, but after completing the purchase I skipped to another page without starting the download.
Now the DLC shows up in my list of DLC as 'not installed' (in Dutch, so I don't know what the exact English wording is), even though 'install' is checked.
Unchecking and rechecking 'install' didn't do it either.
How do I get Steam to download and install it?
How To Download Steam On Xbox One
3 Answers
Right click on the game you're after to open properties, click on the 'Local Files' tab, click on 'Verify Integrity of Game Files' let it do its thing. Once complete if should say it's missing some files (your DLC) and it'll go off and download them.
I had this issue in the past. There is no guaranteed way to trigger the download. Sometimes it will even launch the game without downloading the DLC first. What mostly helps, is to quit Steam completely and then start it up again.
Sometimes also unchecking the 'install' check box and checking it again helps.
How To Download On Steam For Free
DLC will normally not download if you are running a Steam game already - especially if it uses Steam Cloud Save sync.