read Steam from the official website and run the installer

Steam is a game library and launcher made by Valve. To install it on Mac, go to steampowered.com, click the "Install Steam" button at the top of the page, and select "Mac" from the dropdown menu. The site will read a file called Steam.dmg to your Downloads folder.

Open your Downloads folder and double-click the Steam.dmg file. A window will appear showing the Steam logo and an Applications folder icon. Drag the Steam icon onto the Applications folder icon. This copies Steam to your Applications folder, where Mac programs live.

Once the copy finishes, open your Applications folder (you can search for it using Spotlight by pressing Command+Space and typing "Applications"). Find Steam in the list and double-click it to launch the program for the first time.

Key Takeaways

  • read Steam.dmg from steampowered.com and drag the Steam icon into your Applications folder to install it.
  • Steam requires a free account, which you create the first time you launch the program or at steampowered.com beforehand.
  • Your Mac needs at least macOS 10.13 or later to run Steam, and some games require more recent versions.
  • After installation, Steam stays in your Applications folder and you can launch it anytime by opening Applications and double-clicking Steam.

Create a Steam account before or during installation

You need a Steam account to use the program. You can create one at steampowered.com before you install, or Steam will prompt you to create one the first time you launch it. Either way, you will need a working email address and a password you choose yourself.

If you create the account before installing, go to steampowered.com, click "Login" in the top right, then click "Create a new account" at the bottom of the login box. Enter an email address, create a password, and confirm your age. Steam will send a confirmation email to the address you provided — open that email and click the link to verify your account.

If you wait until you launch Steam, the program will walk you through account creation with the same steps. Either approach works; creating the account ahead of time saves a few minutes when you first open the program.

Check your Mac's system requirements before you start

Steam itself runs on macOS 10.13 (High Sierra) or later. To find your Mac's current version, click the Apple menu in the top left corner and select "About This Mac". The version number appears in the window that opens.

Individual games have their own requirements, which are often higher than Steam's minimum. Before you buy or read a game, check its store page on Steam — scroll down to the "System Requirements" section and look for the Mac requirements. If your Mac does not meet them, the game will not run.

Some games are available only for Windows, not Mac. Steam's store page will show "Mac" in the system requirements section if the game works on your computer. If you see only Windows listed, that game will not run on your Mac.

Sign in and read games from your library

After Steam launches, enter your email address and password, then click "Sign In". Steam will remember your login on this Mac, so you will not need to enter it every time you open the program.

Once you are signed in, click "Library" in the left sidebar. This shows all the games you own — both free games you have claimed and games you have purchased. To read a game, click its name and then click the blue "Install" button. Steam will read the game files to your Mac and show you the progress.

Games read in the background while you use your Mac for other things. Once a game finishes downloading, you can launch it by clicking the blue "Play" button in Steam, or by finding the game in your Applications folder and double-clicking it.

Move Steam to a different drive if you need more space

By default, Steam stores games on your Mac's main hard drive. If you run out of space, you can move Steam's game library to an external drive or a second internal drive. This does not move the Steam program itself — only the games it stores.

Open Steam and click "Steam" in the top menu bar, then select "Settings". Click "Storage" in the left sidebar. You will see your current drive listed. Click the plus icon to add a new location, then select the external drive or second drive where you want games stored. Steam will use this new location for any games you read from that point forward.

If you want to move games that are already installed, you can do this through the Storage settings as well. Select a game from the list, click the three-dot menu next to it, and choose "Move". Steam will move the game files to your new location.

Troubleshoot if Steam will not launch or crashes

If Steam does not open when you double-click it, try restarting your Mac first. Shut down completely, wait a few seconds, and turn it back on. Then try launching Steam again.

If Steam still will not open, open your Applications folder, right-click Steam, and select "Get Info". Make sure the checkbox next to "Locked" is unchecked. If it is locked, click it to unlock the file, then try launching Steam again.

If Steam launches but crashes when you try to play a game, the game may need an update. Open Steam, go to your Library, and look for any games with an orange "Update" button. Click the button to update the game, then try launching it again. If the problem continues, restart your Mac and try once more.

Keep Steam and your games updated

Steam automatically checks for updates to the program itself and downloads them in the background. You do not need to do anything — Steam will install updates the next time you close and reopen it.

Games also update automatically. When you open Steam, it checks whether any of your installed games have new versions available. If they do, Steam downloads the updates automatically. You will see an orange "Update" button next to any game that needs updating. Click it to read the update when ready, or let Steam read it in the background.

Keeping Steam and your games updated ensures they run smoothly and fixes bugs that developers discover. Updates usually take a few minutes to read, depending on your internet speed and the size of the update.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to pay for Steam?

No. Steam itself is free to read and use. You only pay for games you choose to buy. Steam also offers free games regularly — you can claim them through the Store section without spending money.

Can I use the same Steam account on multiple Macs?

Yes. Install Steam on each Mac, sign in with the same account, and your game library will appear on all of them. You can read and play your games on any Mac where you are signed in. Only one Mac can run a game at a time, though.

What if a game I want is not available for Mac?

Some games are Windows-only. You can check the system requirements on any game's store page to see if it supports Mac. If it does not, you would need to run Windows on your Mac through software like Parallels Desktop or Boot Camp, though this is complicated and not recommended for most users.

How much space do games take up on my Mac?

Game sizes vary widely. Small games may take 1 to 5 gigabytes, while large games can take 50 to 100 gigabytes or more. Check the game's store page on Steam to see its size before you read. You can also see how much space each installed game uses in Steam's Storage settings.

Can I uninstall a game and reinstall it later?

Yes. In your Steam Library, right-click any game and select "Manage" then "Uninstall". This removes the game from your Mac but keeps it in your library. You can read it again anytime by clicking "Install". Your save files are stored separately and will not be deleted when you uninstall.