Steam introduces new automatic settings for games: what is known

Valve is testing a new feature in the beta version of the Steam client, which allows you to download updates for games by default only when they are launched.

This is reported by RBC-Ukraine (Styler project) with a link to the American website about computer technology The Verge.

Currently, Steam by default decides which game updates to download based on several different factors.

“For games you've recently played, Steam will download updates shortly after they're released. For games you haven't played in a while, Steam may wait a few days to merge a couple of updates or choose to download the update while you're asleep,” Valve explained.

This new default option to delay the download of updates gives players more control; as Valve notes, this means that users can postpone updates to a major game until they actually want to play it.

The new option is located in the Steam beta settings under the “Downloads” section. “You can set the default to let Steam decide when to update your game (based on factors like last played time, available bandwidth, etc.), or wait to update until the game is launched,” Valve said.

Download settings for each game can still be changed in the properties, and they will take precedence over global ones. Valve noted that the descriptions of these settings have become clearer. In the beta, it is also now possible to control individual update settings for games through the general download settings in the Steam client.