The Steam Deck’s library view can quickly become cluttered as your collection grows. Games you installed once and later removed, free weekend trials you claimed, or titles from shared libraries often linger as greyed-out icons, making it harder to find what you actually want to play. While Valve hasn’t built a dedicated “hide uninstalled” toggle into the default interface, there are both native workarounds and powerful third-party plugins that can clean up your home screen entirely. This guide will walk you through every reliable method, from simple built-in filters to advanced custom themes, so you can tailor your Steam Deck’s library exactly the way you want.
Whether you prefer a minimal, no-plugin approach or want to dive into the world of Decky Loader add-ons, you’ll find step-by-step instructions to declutter your game list. By the end, you’ll be able to hide all those empty boxes and keep only your installed titles visible—no more scrolling past dozens of uninstalled icons.
Native Steam Deck Options for Library Organization
Before turning to plugins, it’s worth exploring what the SteamOS interface already offers. While these methods won’t permanently hide uninstalled games from the home screen, they can give you quick, on-demand filtering.
Filtering by Install Status
The fastest way to see only installed games is to use the library filter. On the Steam Deck, open your Library, then press the R1 button (or tap the sorting icon near the top) to access the filter menu. Under the “Installed” section, choose Show only installed games. This immediately hides everything you haven’t downloaded locally. The filter remains active until you manually change it, but it doesn’t persist across restarts. If you rely on this method, you’ll need to reapply the filter each time you reboot or return to the library after leaving it.
Creating Collections
A more structural approach is to group your installed games into a custom collection. To do this, highlight a game, press the Menu button (the one with three lines), select Add to, and either create a new collection or select an existing one. You can then add all your currently installed titles to a collection named, say, “Currently Playing”. After that, you can browse that collection to see only installed games. Collections do appear in the left sidebar, but uninstalled games remain visible in the main library view unless you actively switch to the collection. This method is manual and requires you to maintain the collection over time as you install or remove games, but it’s a solid no-plugin solution.
Using Third-Party Plugins to Hide Uninstalled Games
For a truly automated and persistent solution, the Decky Loader plugin framework is the gold standard. Decky adds a plugin store to your Steam Deck’s Quick Access Menu (the “…” button), from which you can install community-made enhancements. Two plugins in particular can help you hide uninstalled games: TabMaster and CSS Loader.
Installing Decky Loader
If you haven’t installed Decky Loader yet, you’ll need to switch to Desktop Mode first. Press the Steam button, go to Power, and select Switch to Desktop. Once on the desktop, open a browser (like Firefox), navigate to the official Decky Loader GitHub page, and download the installer. Run the downloaded file, and when prompted, enter your sudo password (set one if you haven’t already). The installer will guide you through the setup. After a reboot, press the “…” button in Gaming Mode; you should see a new plugin icon (a small plug) at the bottom of the Quick Access menu. From there, you can access the Decky plugin store.
TabMaster Plugin
TabMaster is the most straightforward way to hide uninstalled games. It allows you to create custom library tabs with precise visibility rules. Once installed via the Decky store, open TabMaster’s settings from the Quick Access menu. You can create a new tab (call it “Installed”), and under the “Visibility” or “Filters” section, set it to show only installed games using the built-in toggles. You can also hide the default library tabs so that only your “Installed” tab appears on the home screen. This effectively hides all uninstalled games while giving you a dedicated view for your ready-to-play titles. TabMaster remembers your settings across reboots, so the change is permanent until you adjust it again.
CSS Loader and Custom Themes
If you prefer not to overhaul your tabs, CSS Loader offers a subtler, style-based solution. CSS Loader lets you apply custom themes and snippets that alter the Steam UI. In the Decky plugin store, install CSS Loader, then browse the theme database for a theme named something like “Hide Uninstalled Games” or “No Uninstalled Icons”. Many community themes specifically target the greyed-out game tiles and set their display to none. Alternatively, you can create a custom CSS snippet: from the CSS Loader settings, choose Create Theme, then paste the following rule:
.gamepadlibrary_UninstalledGame_1fY7w { display: none; }(Note: The class name might change with SteamOS updates; check the current theme repository for the latest.) Save and apply the theme, and all uninstalled game icons will vanish from your library. This method is lightweight and easily reversible, making it a favorite among users who want a clean library without modifying the underlying tab structure.
Other Helpful Decky Plugins
Beyond just hiding uninstalled games, several other Decky plugins can streamline your library management. SteamGridDB lets you fix missing or ugly cover art, making your installed titles even more appealing. ProtonDB Badges adds compatibility ratings to each game, helping you decide what to keep installed. And HowLongToBeat displays estimated play times, which can assist in curating a library focused on games you’ll actually finish. While these don’t hide uninstalled games directly, they make the games you do keep installed more informative and enjoyable to browse.
Step-by-Step: Setting Up a Library That Only Shows Installed Games
Let’s combine these tools into a foolproof setup. This method uses TabMaster for a permanent filtered tab, ensuring you never see uninstalled games on your home screen again.
- Follow the Decky Loader installation guide above and install TabMaster from the Decky store.
- In Gaming Mode, press the “…” button and select the TabMaster plugin icon.
- Tap Create Tab and give it a name like “Installed”.
- In the tab’s settings, look for the Installed filter and toggle it to Show only installed. You can also set it as your default tab by enabling Set as default open tab.
- Optionally, hide the original “All Games” and “Installed” tabs (provided by Steam) by toggling them off in TabMaster’s main tab list. This leaves only your custom “Installed” tab visible.
- Exit the Quick Access menu. Your library home screen will now display only games you have installed.
- To add a new game to this view, just install it normally; it will automatically appear in the tab.
This approach is maintenance-free and survives system updates (though after a major SteamOS update you may need to reinstall Decky Loader if it gets disabled).
Alternative: Hiding Uninstalled Games in Desktop Mode
If you use your Steam Deck in Desktop Mode frequently, you can also hide uninstalled games there. In the desktop Steam client, click Library, then use the dropdown filter at the top of your game list to select Ready to Play. This shows only installed games. You can also create a dynamic collection: right-click a game, go to Add to > Create Collection, and in the collection settings, check Show only Ready to Play. Linking this dynamic collection to your sidebar gives you quick access to installed titles without touching the home screen layout in Gaming Mode.
Maintaining Your Library Long-Term
Once you’ve hidden uninstalled games, you might start noticing other clutter, like duplicate entries from free weekends or demos you don’t intend to play. Steam’s native “Hide this game” feature (right-click a game in the desktop client) can permanently remove unwanted titles from your library. On the Steam Deck, you can achieve the same by launching the desktop client or using a plugin like Steam Library Manager. Hiding games via the official method moves them to a separate “Hidden” category, which you can still access if needed but doesn’t appear in your main list. Combine this with your uninstalled filter and you’ll have a library that’s both clean and focused.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a plugin to hide uninstalled games on Steam Deck?
Yes. The Decky Loader plugin system offers TabMaster, which can create custom library tabs that show only installed games. CSS Loader also has community themes and custom CSS snippets that hide uninstalled game tiles directly.
Can I hide uninstalled games without using a plugin?
You can filter the library to show only installed games by pressing R1 and selecting “Show only installed games”. This is temporary and must be reapplied each session. You can also manually create a collection of installed games, but it requires ongoing maintenance.
How do I install Decky Loader on my Steam Deck?
Switch to Desktop Mode, download the installer from the official Decky Loader GitHub page, run it, and follow the prompts. After a reboot, press the “…” button in Gaming Mode to access the plugin menu.
What is the best Decky Loader plugin for hiding uninstalled games?
TabMaster is the most robust because it lets you create persistent custom tabs with install-status filters. CSS Loader is a lighter alternative that simply hides the uninstalled game icons via CSS.
Will using plugins like Decky Loader cause issues with SteamOS updates?
Generally, no. Decky Loader is designed to be compatible with SteamOS updates, but major system updates can sometimes temporarily disable plugins until their developers release compatibility fixes. This rarely causes lasting problems, and reinstalling Decky is straightforward if needed.
Can I hide games from my library on the desktop version of Steam?
Yes. Right-click any game in your desktop Steam library, select “Manage”, and choose “Hide this game”. The game moves to a hidden category, out of your main list. This is permanent and synced to your Steam Deck if you’re online.
A tidy library makes every gaming session on your Steam Deck more enjoyable. Whether you stick with the built-in filters or embrace the flexibility of Decky Loader, hiding uninstalled games takes only a few minutes and pays off every time you turn on the device. Experiment with the methods above to find the balance that works best for you—your future self will thank you when you’re actually playing instead of scrolling past dozens of grey icons.
