How to Reduce Steam’s RAM Usage From 400 MB to 60 MB

Want a more light-weight Steam expertise than doesn’t use 400 MB of RAM just to show your recreation library? We’ll present you how to slash that RAM usage down to a great 60 MB and get a more negligible Steam shopper.

What Is Steam Consumer WebHelper?

Steam, like numerous other fashionable apps, has a built-in website browser. This designed-in website browser is named “Steam Client WebHelper” (steamwebhelper.exe).

When you launch Steam, it generally launches a number of WebHelper procedures in the background—we counted seven. These are employed to display screen the Steam Keep, the Local community, and even your sport Library.

But what if you could get rid of Steam’s WebHelper processes? Perfectly, you can—with a concealed command-line solution.

Launching Steam Without having Steam WebHelper

Initial, if you have Steam open up, you’ll will need to near it by clicking Steam > Exit.

To launch Steam in this way, you’ll want to know the spot of the steam.exe file in your Computer system. On a 64-bit Home windows Pc, it’s generally set up at C:Software Documents (x86)Steamsteam.exe by default. If you put in Steam to a distinct locale, use that site in the command down below alternatively.

To start Steam with out the net browser components, you are going to want to launch Steam with the -no-browser command-line possibility. It is also valuable to start Steam in Small Method, which you can ordinarily entry by clicking Check out > Tiny Mode in Steam.

To start Steam with these options, push Home windows+R to open the Run dialog. Copy-paste the subsequent text into the Run dialog (assuming you have Steam installed in the default site) and press “Enter” or click “OK”:

"C:Method Documents (x86)Steamsteam.exe" -no-browser +open up steam://open up/minigameslist

Steam will launch in Tiny Manner without any website browser factors. If you appear at your Undertaking Manager, you’ll most likely see it’s applying 60 MB of RAM—or much less.

You can click on View > Significant Mode to check out the ordinary Steam interface, but you will just see a message informing you that the Steam browser is disabled.

(You can click Check out > Smaller Method to use Steam in a more small see even when the browser is enabled—however, Steam’s WebHelper processes will nevertheless be running in the qualifications, and you will not see these RAM price savings.)

What Performs With no a Browser, and What Does not

As of October 2020, Steam’s Small Method functions extremely well with the browser disabled—for the most aspect. You can perspective your video game library, set up games, and launch them. You can entry all Steam’s ordinary settings. You can even use Steam in offline mode.

There’s a single huge feature missing: You just can’t essentially uninstall a game with the browser disabled. (Nonetheless, you can set up game titles.)

You also can’t watch your achievements, entry other local community features, or look through the shop and acquire online games with the browser disabled. You can however access the Steam keep and community webpages by signing into Steam’s internet site in a normal world-wide-web browser, on the other hand.

Getting Steam’s Browser Back again

To get the browser back again, shut Steam by clicking Steam > Exit and then start Steam from a typical desktop shortcut. Steam will start with the browser as extensive as you really don’t launch it with -no-browser .

Creating a Shortcut that Launches Steam Without the need of the Browser

If you desire this manner, you can develop a shortcut that launches Steam with out the browser.

For illustration, if you have Steam pinned to your taskbar, right-click the Steam icon on your taskbar, suitable-click “Steam Shopper Bootstrapper,” and pick out “Properties.”

In the Focus on box, increase a area followed by the pursuing:

-no-browser +open steam://open up/minigameslist

Assuming you have Steam installed in its default folder on your method, it should really glimpse like the command you applied in the Operate box:

"C:Application Files (x86)Steamsteam.exe" -no-browser +open up steam://open/minigameslist

Now, when you start Steam from your taskbar, you will get a a lot more light-weight, nominal knowledge. If you will need to uninstall a match or use other Steam browser attributes, you can exit Steam (Steam > Stop) and then launch Steam with yet another shortcut—like the Steam shortcut in your Start off menu.

To undo the change, just open up the Steam shortcut qualities window and get rid of the text you extra to the Focus on box. It should really just glance like the subsequent:

"C:Program Documents (x86)Steamsteam.exe"

Certain, a number of hundred megabytes of RAM isn’t a massive offer on a modern-day gaming Pc. But, if you are seeking for a way to free of charge up some RAM whilst gaming, this is an simple one particular.