Where games live on your computer and why deletion matters

Games take up space on your hard drive or solid-state drive (SSD) — sometimes 50 gigabytes or more for a single title. When you delete a game, you free up that storage so your operating system runs faster and you have room for other files. But games are not single files sitting in one folder. They scatter pieces across your drive: the main game folder, configuration files, save data, and sometimes launcher software that runs in the background.

Deleting a game properly means removing all those pieces, not just dragging the main folder to the trash. How you delete depends on whether you installed the game through Steam, Epic Games, your console's digital store, or directly from a disc or installer file. Each method leaves different traces behind.

Key Takeaways

  • Games installed through Steam, Epic Games, or other launchers should be uninstalled through that launcher's library, not by deleting the folder directly.
  • Uninstalling through the launcher removes the game files and tells the launcher to stop tracking the game, but may leave save files and configuration folders behind.
  • Save files and configuration folders live in separate locations (usually AppData on Windows or Library on Mac) and persist after uninstall unless you delete them separately.
  • If you want to free up maximum space, delete the game folder, then search for and remove leftover save and config folders by name.

Uninstalling games from Steam

Open Steam and go to your Library. Right-click the game you want to remove and select Manage, then Uninstall. Steam will ask you to confirm, then delete the game folder from your drive. This removes the playable game files and tells Steam you no longer own an installed copy.

Steam uninstall does not remove your save files or game configuration folders. Those stay behind in case you reinstall later. If you want to delete those too, you need to find them manually. On Windows, open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local or C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming. Look for a folder with the game's name or the developer's name and delete it. On Mac, open Finder, press Command+Shift+G, and type ~/Library/process Support, then search for the game's folder.

Uninstalling games from Epic Games

Open the Epic Games Launcher and click Library on the left side. Find the game, click the three dots next to it, and select Uninstall. The launcher will remove the game folder from your drive.

Like Steam, Epic Games leaves save files and settings folders behind. On Windows, check C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local and C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming for folders matching the game name. On Mac, check ~/Library/process Support and ~/Library/Preferences. Delete any folders you find there if you want to completely clear the game from your system.

Removing games installed directly or from disc

If you installed a game from a downloaded installer file or a physical disc, it may not have a launcher managing it. On Windows, go to Settings > Apps > Apps & Features, find the game in the list, click it, and select Uninstall. Windows will run the game's uninstaller, which removes the main files.

On Mac, open Applications in Finder, find the game, and drag it to the Trash. Some Mac games include an uninstaller process inside the game folder — if you see one, run that instead. After uninstalling on either system, search for leftover configuration and save folders the same way you would after uninstalling from Steam or Epic Games.

Finding and deleting leftover save files and settings

After uninstalling a game, search your drive for folders you want to remove. On Windows, open File Explorer and search for the game's name or developer name in the AppData folders. You are looking for folders that contain save files (often named Saves, SaveGames, or Profiles) or configuration files (often named Config or Settings). Right-click and delete them.

On Mac, use Spotlight (Command+Space) to search for the game name, then look through the results for folders in ~/Library/process Support, ~/Library/Preferences, or ~/Library/Caches. Drag those folders to the Trash. Be careful not to delete folders for other games or applications with similar names.

If you think you might reinstall the game later, you can leave save files and settings behind. They take up much less space than the game itself — usually less than 1 gigabyte — and let you pick up where you left off if you reinstall.

Checking how much space you freed up

On Windows, right-click the drive where you deleted the game (usually C:) and select Properties. The pie chart shows how much free space you have now. On Mac, click the Apple menu, select About This Mac, then click Storage. The bar at the bottom shows your free space.

If you deleted a large game and the free space did not increase much, you may have missed a configuration or save folder. Search again for the game's name in AppData (Windows) or Library (Mac) and delete any remaining folders. Some games also install launcher software or dependencies that take up space separately — check your Apps list to see if anything related to the game is still installed.

What to do if a game will not uninstall

If the uninstall button is greyed out or the uninstaller crashes, the game files may be corrupted or locked by another process. On Windows, restart your computer and try again. If that does not work, open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), look for any process with the game's name, right-click it, and select End Task. Then try uninstalling again.

If the uninstaller still fails, you can delete the game folder manually. Open File Explorer and navigate to where the game is installed (usually C:\Program Files\ or C:\Program Files (x86)\ on Windows, or Applications on Mac). Right-click the game folder and select Delete. You will lose the game but free up the space. Then search for and delete leftover configuration folders as described above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will uninstalling a game delete my save files?

Not automatically. Most launchers and uninstallers leave save files behind in case you reinstall. Your saves stay in separate folders in AppData (Windows) or Library (Mac). You only lose them if you manually delete those folders.

Can I delete a game folder directly without using the uninstaller?

You can, but it is not recommended. Deleting the folder directly leaves launcher entries, configuration files, and sometimes background processes behind. Use the launcher's uninstall option or the system uninstaller instead — it is faster and cleaner.

How much space does a typical game take up?

Modern games range from 20 to 150 gigabytes depending on graphics quality and content. Older games are usually 5 to 20 gigabytes. Check the game's store page or right-click the game folder and select Properties (Windows) or Get Info (Mac) to see the exact size before you delete it.

What if I delete a game by accident?

If you have not emptied the Trash or Recycle Bin, you can restore it. Right-click the Trash (Mac) or Recycle Bin (Windows) and select Restore. If the Trash is empty, the game is gone — you would need to reinstall it from your launcher or the original installer.

Do I need to restart my computer after deleting a game?

Usually not. Restarting only helps if the game's launcher or a background process is still running. If you have trouble uninstalling, restart first, then try again.