Check the game size on the Steam store page before you buy

The easiest way to see how much disk space a game needs is to open its store page on Steam and scroll down to the "System Requirements" section. Under both the minimum and recommended specs, you will see a line that says "Storage:" followed by a number in gigabytes (GB). That number is what the game will take up on your hard drive once it is fully installed.

You do not need to own the game or read it to see this information — anyone can view it on the public store page. If you are shopping on your phone or tablet, you may need to scroll further or switch to desktop view, because the system requirements section sometimes collapses on smaller screens.

Key Takeaways

  • The storage size appears on every game's Steam store page under "System Requirements," listed in gigabytes.
  • Steam shows both minimum and recommended storage amounts, so you can see what the game truly needs versus what runs it best.
  • You can check your own hard drive space in Windows by right-clicking your C: drive and selecting "Properties," or on Mac by clicking the Apple menu and choosing "About This Mac."
  • If a game is too large for your drive, you can move your Steam library to an external hard drive or second internal drive before installing.

Where to find storage requirements on the Steam store page

Open Steam on your computer or go to steampowered.com in a web browser. Search for the game you want or navigate to its store page directly. Scroll down past the screenshots, videos, and description until you reach a section labeled "System Requirements" — it usually appears near the bottom of the page, above the reviews.

You will see two boxes: one for "Minimum" specs and one for "Recommended" specs. The minimum specs show what your computer needs to run the game at all, usually at lower graphics settings and smaller screen resolution. The recommended specs show what you need for a smoother experience with better graphics. Both boxes list storage as a separate line item, measured in GB.

The storage number is the total size the game will occupy after installation is complete. It does not include the temporary read files, which Steam deletes once the game is installed.

How to check how much free space you have right now

Before you buy a game, you should know whether your computer has enough room for it. On Windows, right-click your C: drive (or whichever drive you plan to install the game on) and select "Properties." A window will open showing "Used space" and "Free space" in gigabytes. Make sure the free space number is larger than the game's storage requirement.

On Mac, click the Apple menu in the top left corner, then select "About This Mac." Click the "Storage" tab. You will see a bar showing how much space is used and how much is free. Again, your free space should be larger than the game's size.

A good rule of thumb: keep at least 10 to 20 GB of free space on your drive even after installing the game. Windows and Mac both need some breathing room to run smoothly, and some games require extra space during installation before they compress the files.

The difference between minimum and recommended storage

Minimum storage is the smallest amount of space the game absolutely needs to install and run. Recommended storage is usually the same number or slightly higher, because the game may have optional high-resolution textures or extra content that takes up more room if you choose to install them.

In most cases, the minimum and recommended storage amounts are identical — the game is the game, and it takes up the same space either way. The difference between minimum and recommended specs usually shows up in things like processor speed or graphics card memory, not storage. If you see two different storage numbers, the higher one is safer to plan for.

What to do if your drive does not have enough space

If you do not have enough free space, you have three options. The first is to uninstall games or programs you no longer use. Steam makes this straightforward: open your Steam library, right-click a game, and select "Uninstall." Windows and Mac both have built-in uninstall tools as well.

The second option is to move your Steam library to a different drive. If you have a second internal hard drive or an external drive connected to your computer, you can tell Steam to install new games there instead. In Steam, go to Settings, then "Storage," and click "Add Library Folder." Select your external or second drive, and future game installations will go there. Games you have already installed on your main drive will stay there unless you manually move them.

The third option is to buy an external hard drive. A 1 or 2 TB external drive costs between $50 and $100 and can hold dozens of large games. Once you connect it to your computer, you can use it as a Steam library folder and install games directly to it.

Large games and what to expect

Modern games range widely in size. Smaller games like Hades or Stardew Valley take up 10 to 20 GB. Mid-sized games like Elden Ring or Baldur's Gate 3 need 60 to 150 GB. Very large games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare or Microsoft Flight Simulator can exceed 200 GB.

If you have a solid-state drive (SSD) — the faster type of storage that most newer computers use — you may want to prioritize which games live on it. SSDs are faster but often smaller. You can keep your most-played games on the SSD and move others to an external drive or second hard drive, then move them back when you want to play them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the storage size include the read file?

No. The number on the Steam store page is the installed size only. Steam downloads the game as a compressed file, then unpacks it on your drive. Once unpacking is done, Steam deletes the compressed read file, so you only need free space equal to the installed size, not double.

Can I see game size on my phone before buying?

Yes, but you may need to switch to desktop view. Open the Steam app or steampowered.com on your phone, find the game, and look for a menu icon (usually three horizontal lines). Select "View in Desktop Mode" or "Desktop Site," then scroll to System Requirements. The storage line will appear there.

What if the storage requirement seems wrong or too small?

Storage sizes can change when Steam updates a game. If you think the number is outdated, check the game's community forum or recent reviews on its Steam page — players often mention if a game is larger than listed. You can also check the game's official website or launcher for the most current size.

Do I need to have the storage space free before I start downloading?

Yes. Steam will not begin downloading if you do not have enough free space. If you start a read and it pauses, check your free space first — you likely need to free up more room before Steam can continue.