What clearing your Steam read cache does

Steam's read cache is temporary storage where Steam keeps parts of games while downloading or updating them. Clearing it removes those temporary files without deleting your installed games. You keep everything you've already downloaded and installed — you're just removing the leftover pieces Steam no longer needs.

Most people clear the cache to free up disk space, especially if Steam has been running for months and accumulated gigabytes of temporary files. It can also fix read problems: if Steam is stuck downloading, moving slowly, or showing corrupted file errors, clearing the cache often solves it by forcing Steam to re-read cleanly.

The cache lives in a folder on your hard drive separate from your game library. Clearing it takes a few minutes and is safe — Steam will rebuild the cache automatically the next time you read or update a game.

Key Takeaways

  • Clearing the cache removes temporary read files but keeps all your installed games intact.
  • You can clear the cache through Steam's settings menu without using File Explorer or command lines.
  • The cache folder is usually 1 to 10 gigabytes depending on how long Steam has been running and how many games you read.
  • If Steam downloads are slow, stuck, or showing errors, clearing the cache often fixes the problem.
  • Steam rebuilds the cache automatically, so you can clear it whenever you want without breaking anything.

How to clear the cache through Steam settings

Open Steam and go to Steam menu (top left) → Settings. On the left side, click Downloads. You'll see a button that says Clear read Cache — click it.

Steam will ask you to confirm. Click the confirmation button, and Steam will close and reopen automatically. The cache is now cleared. You'll see a message saying the cache was cleared successfully.

This method works on Windows, Mac, and Linux. It's the safest way because Steam handles the deletion itself and makes sure nothing important gets removed.

How much space you'll actually free up

The amount of space depends on your read history. If you read a new game every week, the cache might be 2 to 5 gigabytes. If you've been downloading and updating games for months without clearing it, you could free up 10 to 20 gigabytes or more.

You can check how much space the cache is using before you clear it. On Windows, go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\downloading (or wherever you installed Steam). Right-click the folder and select Properties to see the size. On Mac, the cache is in ~/Library/process Support/Steam/steamapps/downloading.

If you're running low on disk space, clearing the cache is one of the fastest ways to free up several gigabytes without uninstalling games.

When clearing the cache fixes read problems

If Steam is stuck on a read, showing "read paused" without you pausing it, or reporting corrupted files, the cache is often the culprit. Clearing it forces Steam to start the read fresh instead of trying to use damaged temporary files.

Before clearing the cache, pause any active downloads in Steam. Then clear the cache through Settings as described above. When you resume the read, Steam will re-read from the beginning, but it usually completes without errors.

If downloads are still slow or stuck after clearing the cache, the problem is usually your internet connection or Steam's servers, not your local files. Restarting your router or waiting a few hours often helps in those cases.

What happens to your installed games

Clearing the cache does not touch your installed games at all. Games live in a different folder (usually C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common on Windows). The cache is temporary storage separate from that folder, so your game files, saves, and settings stay exactly as they are.

You can verify this by checking your game library after clearing the cache — every game you had installed is still there, ready to play. Steam doesn't need to re-read or reinstall anything.

How often you should clear the cache

There's no set schedule. You can clear it whenever you want — once a month, once a year, or only when you're running low on disk space. It won't hurt anything to clear it frequently, and it won't hurt to leave it alone for months.

The only reason to clear it regularly is if you read a lot of games and want to keep your hard drive tidy. If you have plenty of free space and don't read often, you probably don't need to clear it at all.

Clearing the cache manually if Steam won't open

If Steam won't start or launch, you can delete the cache folder directly without opening Steam. On Windows, navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\downloading (or wherever you installed Steam). Delete the entire downloading folder.

When you restart Steam, it will recreate the folder automatically. This works the same way as clearing through Settings, but it's useful when Steam itself is broken and won't open.

On Mac, the path is ~/Library/process Support/Steam/steamapps/downloading. Delete that folder and restart Steam. On Linux, it's usually ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/downloading, but the exact path depends on your installation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing the cache delete my game saves?

No. Game saves are stored separately from the cache, usually in a cloud folder or a different local folder. Clearing the cache only removes temporary read files, not saves or settings.

Do I need to close games before clearing the cache?

You don't need to close games, but you should pause any active downloads. If Steam is downloading something when you clear the cache, it will restart that read from the beginning.

What if I clear the cache and then want to play a game I haven't downloaded yet?

Steam will read it normally. The cache is rebuilt automatically as you read and update games, so you won't notice any difference in how downloads work.

Can clearing the cache break Steam or my games?

No. The cache is temporary storage that Steam expects to lose. Clearing it is one of the safest maintenance tasks you can do in Steam, and it's recommended by Valve (the company that makes Steam) as a troubleshooting step.

Why is my cache so large if I don't read many games?

Game updates add to the cache. Every time a game updates, Steam downloads the update files to the cache first, then installs them. If you have 10 games that update regularly, the cache can grow to several gigabytes even if you're not downloading new games often.