There can be many reasons why someone might think of downgrading the Steam game to the previous version. One such reason could be encountering bugs or glitches in the latest update, experiencing compatibility issues with their hardware or software, or a specific feature missing in the newer version. Luckily, Steam lets you download the previous versions of games on your computer. Here’s how to download old versions of Steam games.
Note: For convenience, we have divided this guide into multiple sections due to the numerous steps involved. Let’s begin.
Table of Contents
Find App ID, Depot ID, and Manifest ID
Typically, Steam delivers the game to you through an app. But for its sanity and record-keeping (mostly latter), Steam assigns some identifiers to the game. For starters, a typical game has an App ID or Steam Game ID. And when you hit download, it accesses your computer software and hardware detail to deliver a group of files that are tagged with Depot ID. After you download a particular group of files, you’ll need another file to check and tell you whether Steam has downloaded the correct version of game and its add ons. Steam labels it as Manifest ID.
Before you can download an older version of your favorite Steam game, you will need some IDs to help Steam find what you are looking for:
1. Open a web browser on your PC, visit the SteamDB, and search for the game you want to download.
Visit: SteamDB
2. Note down the App ID of the game on a notepad.
3. After that, scroll down and click on the Depots tab on the left sidebar. Then, click on the Depot ID you want to download. If you’re unsure which one to choose, just click the Depot ID with a base name and the biggest file size.
4. On the next page, note down the Depot ID of the game.
5. Scroll down and select Manifests on the left sidebar. This page shows a list of all past updates.
6. Once you have decided which update you want to download, note down the Manifest ID.
7. Press Windows Key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run dialog box, enter the following address, and hit Enter:
steam://open/console8. After a short wait, Steam will open automatically, and you’ll see a new tab called Console. In that tab, enter the following command and press Enter.
download_depot <App ID> <Depot ID> <Manifest ID>In our case, it looked like:
download_depot 1230800 1230801 1622634589276386947
Wait for a few minutes and it will begin downloading the older version of the Steam game.
Tip: You can fix the the slow downloads speed in Steam.
If you see nothing happening on the screen, the downloads might be happening in the background. To confirm, open Task Manager > Performance > Wi-Fi on your Windows PC. If you see frequent speed spikes, your game is downloading.
Replace Original Game Files With Old Version Files
After Steam downloads an older version of the game, you’ll need to replace the newer version of the game files with them.
1. Copy the path of the downloaded files (shown in the Console screen) and paste it into the address bar of the File Explorer, and then hit Enter.
2. Next, copy these files so we can replace them with the original/latest game files in the next step.
For that, right-click on the Steam game, choose Manage and then select Browse local files to go to the installation directory of the game.
3. Paste the downloaded files into this folder and it will replace all the original/latest game files.
After that, You can now play the older version of the Steam games. However, don’t fire up the game yet. There’s one more thing you’ll need to do.
Turn Off Auto Update
There is no way to completely disable the auto-update on Steam. However, to make sure Steam doesn’t update the older version of the game, you’ll need to tweak some settings.
1. Open the Steam app, right-click on the game and select Properties.
2. After that, go to the Updates section. Under Automatic Updates, select the Only update this game when I launch it option. Then, under Background Downloads, select the Pause background downloads when I’m playing option.
Now, whenever you launch the game, you will have the choice to disregard any game updates.
Alternatively, you can also run Steam in the Offline mode or play without an internet connection. This will ensure that your downgraded version of the game remains protected against unintended updates. However, if the game requires an active internet connection, this solution is not viable.
FAQs
1. Can I downgrade a Steam game without losing my saved files or progress?
Downgrading a game can sometimes lead to compatibility issues with saved files or progress. We would recommend you back up your game’s saved files before attempting to downgrade. Many games use cloud services to save your progress, which can help mitigate this issue.
2. Are there any risks involved in downgrading a Steam game?
Yes, there are a few things you should consider before downloading the older version of Steam games, such as loss of new features, increased chances of encountering bugs, instability, unable to play online multiplayer mode, and more.
3. How can I update a downgraded game to the latest version again?
Updating a downgraded game to the latest version is pretty straightforward. Just go to the game’s Properties > Updates. In the Automatic Updates tab, choose the “Always keep this game updated” option.
4. Can I still play multiplayer with friends who have the latest version of the game if I downgrade?
As mentioned earlier, downgrading the game carries risks, such as the inability to play online multiplayer mode with friends. Multiplayer functionality typically requires all players to be on the same game version.
Snag Ancient Steam Games in a Flash!
Switching back to an older version of a Steam game can be highly beneficial, particularly if the newer version is adversely affecting your gaming experience. Also, the good thing is that there are no restrictions on players who want to download older versions of Steam games. This allows you to easily revert to a version that provides a more enjoyable and satisfying gameplay experience.
If you’re unable to close or stop Steam games from running on Windows, follow our comprehensive guide on it.
