Steam has the option bachelor to set launch options which let tweaking when Steam launches. This can be used to gear up many solutions and also provide convenience to those who wish to open their client in a different style. We have listed down a number of unlike launch options along with their clarification. Kickoff, we volition show y'all how to launch Steam using the launch options using the file "steam.exe".

Delight note that this guide is meant for avant-garde Steam users who know their way around commands. Newbies are advised to stay away from altering things they don't know about.

How to set launch options:

Nosotros have added the '-offline' launch option to help yous understand the mechanics involved. You can replace '-offline' with any other launch option y'all wish.

  1. Locate your Steam client. The default location is C:/Plan Files (x86)/Steam.
  2. Create a shortcut of Steam in the same directory.
  3. Click 'Backdrop' and head over to the 'General' tab.
  4. In the 'Target' dialogue box, add 'offline' in the end. The terminal result looks like this "C:\Programme Files (x86)\Steam\Steam.exe" -offline

  1. Open task director and end all Steam processes similar explained above.
  2. Re-launch Steam using the shortcut and click Go Offline by clicking Steam located on the top left side of the client.

There is also a way you can set launch options for any game.

  1. Select the Library tab present at summit of the Steam client. Here all your installed games are listed.
  2. Correct click on the game and select Backdrop from the list of options available.
  3. Navigate to the General tab and hither volition see a Set Launch Options button. Click it.
  4. A small new window will come forrard with a dialogue box present. Enter the launch option you wish to utilise and save changes. Now whenever you launch the game, it will launch keeping these options in mind.

Different launch options ( for steam.exe in windows)

-clearbeta

This option lets you opt out of beta participations. Beta participations allow you to get some content beforehand but it may contain some bugs and information technology is likewise updated regularly to fix them.

-console

This option enables the Steam debug console tab. Information technology can help users debug the trouble and fix information technology. It is by and large used by avant-garde users.

-complete_install_via_http

This options runs the installation completion over HTTP by default.

-ccsyntax

This spews details nearly the localized strings nosotros load.

-debug_steamapi

Enables logging of Steam API functions

-developer

This function sets the developer variable in the client to "ane". It can also be used to launch the VGUI editor and the VGUI zoo by pressing the keys F6 and F7 respectively. Information technology is also intended for developing skins.

-fs_log

This logs file arrangement accesses.

-fs_target

Information technology sets the target syntax.

-fs_logbins

This command logs the binaries we load during the functioning.

-forceservice

This control forces the Steam client to run even if Steam has administrator privileges.

-gameoverlayinject

This command lets you set the method on how the GameOverlay is injected.

-install <path>

This lets you install a product from a specific path (such every bit "D" can be a path if D is the DVD-ROM present in the computer).

-installer_test

This changes installing a retail game to emit all files to install_validate instead of emitting to the Steam cache.

-linguistic communication <language>

This sets your Steam language to the one you specify in the <language> such every bit German or English. You tin write "german" in the linguistic communication identify in <language>.

-login <[username]|anonymous>[password]

This logs into Steam using the specific Username and Password. This will only work is Steam is off.

-lognetapi

This logs all the P2P networking info into the file logs/netapi_log.txt.

-log_voice

This writes all the voice chat data into the logs/voice_log.txt.

-noasync

This disables the async files operations. Instead, it tells the client to use the synchronous ones instead.

-nocache

This starts Steam without its cache (it doesn't admission its cache folder). Notation that Steam must off for this to work.

-noverifyfiles

This prevents the Steam customer from verifying the integrity of files. This comes in handy when you are testing localization.

-no-dwrite

This forces the vgui to use GDI text fifty-fifty if there is a support for DWrite available.

-script <name>

This runs a Steam script already stored in the Steam directory. All the scripts must be in a subdirectory of the master Steam's folder. They are called test scripts. Steam must also be off for this to work.

-shutdown

This forcefully closes steam and shuts it downwardly.

-silent

This helps suppress the dialogue box that opens automatically when you kickoff Steam. This is mostly used when y'all take Steam set to auto-starting time when you plow on your computer.

-single_core

This forces Steam to run and consume your main CPU only and leave the others vacant.

-tcp

This forces Steam'due south connection backend to exist via TCP.

-voice_quality

This sets the audio quality and range to [ane,3].

-voicerelay

This command only allows "relay" connections for voice (testing).

-tenfoot

This starts Steam in the Big moving picture manner then information technology covers your entire screen.

Different launch options for games

These launch options work for nigh all the games. They may not sometimes work with tertiary party applications and nor they are ever uniform with everyone nowadays in the Steam shop.

-con_enable 1

This enables the console and so you can utilize it in-game

-panel

This also enables the panel in-game and opens it up when the game starts.

-high

This gives the game priority CPU usage so it runs more smoothly. Yet, this options likewise consumes a lot of processing power.

-useforcedmparms

This allows the usage of –noforcemspd and –noforcemaccel.

-noforcemaccel

This allows the apply of Windows mouse acceleration settings.

-noforcemspd

This allows the apply of Windows mouse speed settings.

-fullscreen

This starts the game in a full screen from the start.

-h <height>

This forces it to commencement at the resolution set to <summit> value. This value is in pixels for example "-h 739".

-w <width>

This forces it to starting time at the resolution prepare to <width> value. This value is in pixels for example "-w 1024".

-x <position horizontal>

This places the borderless window along the horizontal axis of the screen. This is very useful if you lot are using multiple monitors. For example, you tin can use "-ten 1921". If you are using three monitors, it will place it on the middle screen.

-y <position vertical>

This places the borderless window along the vertical axis of the screen. This is very useful if you are using multiple monitors. For example, you can apply "-y 0". This will place the game window on pinnacle of the monitor, over the task bar.

-autoconfig

This will aid in restoring the video and audio configuration to their default settings for the current hardware which is detected. This will completely ignore whatsoever settings present in the .cfg files until this parameter is removed.

-override_vpk

This volition force the Steam engine to search for custom game content which is placed inside the game's installation directory instead of loading the default game files from the VPK files. Nonetheless, do note that this characteristic cannot exist used in matchmaking and is express for single actor only.

-enable_addons

This will force the Steam engine to search for whitelisted custom game content which is placed inside the game's installation directory instead of loading the default game files from the VPK files. This can exist used in matchmaking games. The whitelisted listing includes many items such as HUD, icons, custom cursor images etc.

-nomousegrab

This enables the alt-tab part in some Linus devices where the game is running full screen and grabbing mouse won't allow the players to employ the alt-tab part while in-game.

-linguistic communication <code>

This changes the language of the game and the menus. Y'all can identify the name of the language in identify of code. The control line will look something like "-language Italian".

-nod3d9ex

This forcefully disables the Windows Aero DirectX extensions. This is used to enhance performance in some cases.

-nomicsettings

This stops the game from changing the microphone output values when the game launches. This is particularly useful for people who are using tertiary party applications such as Skype where their microphone value volition become forcefully maxed out when they run the game.

-nosound

This turns off the audio in-game.

-dx9

This will force the game to run on DirectX nine

-dx11

This will force the game to run on DirectX eleven.

-gl

This forces the game to run on OpenGL. On Windows, the OpenGL DLC must be present in the organisation and should be installed for this characteristic to run.

-vulkan

This applies the Vulcan support.

-nogrammeramp

This will strength the game to apply the desktop color profile.

-32bit

This will force run the game on a 32 bit client every bit running on 64 chip is the default.

-antiaddiction_test

This adds an uptime clock then you can run across how much time is passing by while yous are playing. This is very useful for keeping track of minutes passed while in-game.