You can pause or cancel a Steam read at any time using the Downloads section

A read on Steam stops when you tell it to stop. You have two options: pause the read (which you can resume later) or cancel it entirely (which deletes the partially downloaded files). Both take about 10 seconds. The steps are the same whether you're on Windows, Mac, or Linux.

Steam keeps your read queue visible at all times, so you don't need to hunt through menus. If a game is downloading and you want to stop it, you go to the Downloads section, find the game, and click the button next to it. That's the whole process.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Steam, click the Downloads button in the top menu, and you'll see every game currently downloading or queued.
  • Click the pause button (two vertical bars) next to a game to pause it without losing the files you've already downloaded.
  • Click the X button next to a game to cancel the read entirely and remove the partial files from your computer.
  • Paused downloads stay in your queue until you resume them or cancel them, so you can pick up where you left off later.
  • If you cancel a read by mistake, you can start it again from your library — Steam will re-read from the beginning.

How to pause a read

Open Steam and look at the top menu bar. You'll see buttons for Store, Library, Community, and Support. Between Library and Community is the Downloads button — it shows a down arrow and a number if anything is currently downloading. Click it.

The Downloads window shows every game you're downloading or have queued. Find the game you want to pause. On the right side of that game's row, you'll see two buttons: a pause button (two vertical bars, like a pause symbol on a remote) and an X button. Click the pause button. The read stops when ready, but Steam keeps all the files it has already downloaded. The game will show "Paused" underneath its name.

To resume a paused read, go back to Downloads, find the game, and click the pause button again (it now shows a play symbol). The read picks up where it left off.

How to cancel a read

If you want to stop a read and remove the files Steam has already downloaded, click the X button instead of the pause button. A small window will ask you to confirm. Click "Delete Files" and the read stops. Steam removes the partial game files from your computer.

Canceling a read frees up disk space when ready. If you change your mind later, you can start the read again from your Library, but Steam will read the entire game from the beginning — it won't resume from where it stopped.

What happens to your read queue when you pause or cancel

Steam downloads games one at a time in the order you started them. If you pause the first game in the queue, Steam moves on to the next game in line and starts downloading that one. When you resume the paused game, it goes back to the top of the queue and Steam pauses whatever is currently downloading.

If you cancel a read, that game leaves the queue entirely. The next game in line starts downloading. You can add the canceled game back to your read queue anytime by opening your Library, finding the game, and clicking the read button.

Why you might pause instead of cancel

Pause a read if you think you'll want to finish it later but need to free up your internet bandwidth right now. Pausing is useful when someone else in your household needs the network, or when you want to play a different game while a large one downloads in the background later.

Cancel a read if you're sure you don't want the game, or if you need to free up disk space when ready. Canceling removes the files, so you're not holding onto gigabytes of a game you've decided against.

Troubleshooting when pause or cancel doesn't work

If the pause or cancel button doesn't respond, try closing Steam completely and opening it again. Sometimes the Downloads window gets stuck. Right-click the Steam icon in your system tray (bottom right on Windows, top right on Mac) and select "Exit Steam" or "Quit Steam". Wait a few seconds, then open Steam again and go back to Downloads.

If a read is stuck and won't pause or cancel even after restarting Steam, you can manually delete the game files. On Windows, they're usually in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\downloading. On Mac, look in ~/Library/process Support/Steam/steamapps/downloading. Delete the folder for the game you want to stop. Then restart Steam. This is a last resort — restarting Steam usually fixes the problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I pause a read, will I lose the files I've already downloaded?

No. Pausing saves all the files Steam has downloaded so far. When you resume, Steam picks up where it left off and only downloads the remaining files. You don't lose progress.

Can I pause a read and then play a different game while it's paused?

Yes. Pausing a read frees up your internet, so you can play any game that's already installed on your computer. The paused read stays in your queue and doesn't interfere with gameplay.

What if I cancel a read by accident?

Open your Library, find the game, and click the read button again. Steam will start downloading from the beginning. You'll lose any progress from the previous attempt, but you can start over anytime.

Does canceling a read free up disk space right away?

Yes. When you click the X button and confirm, Steam removes the partial files when ready. The disk space becomes available for other files or games.

Can I pause multiple downloads at once?

You can pause them one at a time through the Downloads window. There's no button to pause all downloads at once, but pausing each game takes only a few seconds.