How To Play Steam Games Offline/No Internet | Offline Mode | NEW in 2024!

Steam allows users to both play online and offline games. If you have a bad internet connection or if you prefer to relax and indulge in your games without going online, you can enable Steam Offline Mode. To do that, you simply have to perform a number of things such as update your games and change a few settings within Steam application.

Default Steam settings encourages online play

As much as possible, Valve wants players to enjoy games with others and in today’s internet-connected world, that means going online. This is the reason why Steam’s default settings are primarily geared towards easier online play. 

When you first install Steam, the application sets your profile to online right away and your account can immediately do online transactions. Most games with online multiplayer component are also set to let you play online, with your profile easily visible to your friends as online.

Not all people would want to play online or let their friends know that they’re online though. To cater to this need, Steam lets you hide your profile so it appears offline to your friends. 

Alternatively, you can also enable Steam Offline Mode under Settings to disable the online capability of Steam application.

What is Steam Offline Mode?

Keeping your Steam profile to appear offline to your friends is different from Steam Offline Mode. When Steam is on Offline Mode, the application is effectively blocked from accessing gaming servers as well as do other things like:

  • lets you post in forums,
  • shop for games or items,
  • download games, or
  • chat with your friends.

This also means that you can’t play games that requires internet to work like online multiplayer.

Some games will continue working even when Steam is on Offline Mode. You must make sure though that you update the games that you plan on playing offline before enabling Offline Mode. If the game is running an older version, you may not be able to run it on your PC when Steam is on Offline Mode.

Reasons why you would want to play Steam games offline

There can be a number of reasons why some Steam players may prefer that Offline Mode is enabled.

For one, not everyone have good or unlimited internet bandwidth all the time. If you are on a metered connection and don’t want to play for extra data to play, you can keep Steam client in offline mode to play games.

If you have no internet connection, you can still continue to play your favorite Steam games by using offline mode. As mentioned above, you only want to ensure that your games are running their latest version so you can continue playing them.

How to play Steam games offline or without internet connection

Estimate Cost : 0

Time Needed : 4 minutes

If you want to know how to turn on Offline Mode on Steam, follow the steps below.

  1. Open Steam application.

    Steam client
    You can usually find the Steam icon from the Desktop.

  2. Sign in to your account and make sure that REMEMBER PASSWORD box is checked.

    This is important as it forces Steam application to not “forget” your credentials when it’s offline.
    Steam Remember password

  3. Click on Games at the upper left.

    Steam Games option
    This will show you your account's games page.

  4. Select View Games Library, then make sure that you UPDATE all your games.

    Try playing your games to ensure that there are no further updates.
    Steam View Games Library

  5. Click on Steam at the upper left then select Settings.

    Steam option
    There will be a small window that will pop up which contains the options.

  6. Stay on Account tab and make sure that DO NOT SAVE ACCOUNT INFORMATION ON THIS COMPUTER is not selected.

    Steam Account tab 1
    This will make sure your login credentials aren't saved locally for security.

  7. Click on Steam at the upper left then select Go Offline.

    Steam Play Offine
    This will make your account appear offline.

  8. Click Restart and Play Offline to restart Steam in offline mode.

    Steam restart
    You will have to restart the client to implement new changes.

Tools
  • Steam
Materials
  • Windows

That’s it!

Suggested readings:

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