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PayPalMaking it easier to manage downloads and updates across systems from desktops to Steam Decks and other handhelds, Steam adds Remote Downloads Management.
With all the different ways you can play games from Steam on different systems, along with streaming via Remote Play, this seems like a really useful addition to the Steam Client. In my screenshots below you can see the new option on the downloads page, where I can switch between my desktop and Steam Deck:
Testing it myself, the feature also works with the Steam Deck's screen-off downloads mode too, as they continue running.
From the changelog:
Downloads
- Added Remote Downloads Management. This allows you to manage downloads on Remote Steam Clients from the downloads page.
- The App Details page now has the same options and statuses for remote clients as the local client.
- Both the local and remote clients must be updated to enable this feature.
Windows
- Updated CPUID SDK used for CPU Temperature in in-game overlay performance monitor when enabled
Store Home Beta
- Fixed "..." context menu in Discounts & Events section
- Increased number of capsules per page in various carousels
- Smoothed the Featured & Recommended carousel transitions
- Updated the Recently Updated section's capsules to link to the corresponding announcement for the game
Steam Input
- Fixed a case where radial menus would fail to dismiss after releasing the joystick on Steam Deck
The same applies to Steam Deck / SteamOS systems too.
Valve only continue to show why they get my money - constantly improving the Steam Client and store with actually useful features that make a lot of sense.
Now we just need that "Download All" button we've been asking for years, instead of having to individually click the download button on each or drag them into the Up Next section. I do wonder what the real reason is as to why they seem reluctant to add it.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
About the author - Liam Dawe
I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly checked on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly.
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7 comments
Drawing Pixels 11 hours ago
The lack of a download all is simply that they want to spread the load on their servers over the whole 24 hours, most people download in the evening after work.
They do provide an option to set specific games to high priority with immediate download, but for the rest of your collection they'd rather schedule those downloads during low traffic periods.
They do provide an option to set specific games to high priority with immediate download, but for the rest of your collection they'd rather schedule those downloads during low traffic periods.
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Liam Dawe 11 hours ago
Quoting: Drawing PixelsThe lack of a download all is simply that they want to spread the load on their servers over the whole 24 hours, most people download in the evening after work.I really doubt that is the actual real reason, because it's a bit silly if so considering you can just drag them all into the Up Next like I do.
They do provide an option to set specific games to high priority with immediate download, but for the rest of your collection they'd rather schedule those downloads during low traffic periods.
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This new remote download feature in the Steam Beta looks incredibly useful, but it honestly just makes me wish we could do the exact same thing directly through steamcmd remotely.
Being able to manage this on a TTY via SSH, or through a web interface like Cockpit, would be a game-changer. Even better would be an accessible CLI structure so we could easily wrap our own DIY bash/Python scripts or a custom web dashboard around it.
Being able to manage this on a TTY via SSH, or through a web interface like Cockpit, would be a game-changer. Even better would be an accessible CLI structure so we could easily wrap our own DIY bash/Python scripts or a custom web dashboard around it.
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Drawing Pixels 10 hours ago
Quoting: Liam DaweI really doubt that is the actual real reason, because it's a bit silly if so considering you can just drag them all into the Up Next like I do.The automated scheduling is intentional, the vast majority of people might have games installed they aren't immediately playing every day, and for the ones they do there is an option to avoid having to drag it at all.
Just to make sure you know about it, right-click on a game and go to its properties. Go to "Updates" then "Automatic Updates", you can select "Immediately download updates" for that title.
Last edited by Drawing Pixels on 3 Apr 2026 at 10:44 am UTC
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mr-victory 9 hours ago
Quoting: PyronickThis new remote download feature in the Steam Beta looks incredibly useful, but it honestly just makes me wish we could do the exact same thing directly through steamcmd remotely.I don't recall how exactly but I can start downloads on steam's website
Being able to manage this on a TTY via SSH, or through a web interface like Cockpit, would be a game-changer. Even better would be an accessible CLI structure so we could easily wrap our own DIY bash/Python scripts or a custom web dashboard around it.
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I can remember back a LONG time ago when I had a bunch of downloads to do, and I was thinking "where is the download all button" just not even comprehending the concept that there might not be one, I was just thinking I couldn't find it. Spent a good few minutes hunting then searched the web and was flabbergasted. Still to this continue to be amazed every time I go click every single title one after another.
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Philadelphus 2 hours ago
Interesting, sounds useful!
I suspect most people are not bothered by the lack of a Download All button. Like, I get it; I get that itch in my brain too when I go to the Downloads page and see a bunch of things queued up. But if I'm not looking at the Downloads page, I don't really think about it. As I checked just now, I have twelve games in the queue (from a library of over two hundred). At most I might want to play "a few" of those today, but it's not like I'm going to be playing all of them today, so whether they download right now or over the course of the day doesn't really make a meaningful difference to me. Any single game I want to update I can do so, but otherwise, the ability to update twelve games at once – while it might scratch that mental itch – doesn't actually do anything for me, practically.
That's not to say there aren't situations where the ability to queue up everything wouldn't be handy, like if I'm updating my Steam Deck library right before a trip where I won't have connectivity. But I suspect most users wouldn't particularly care if a Download All button existed. (Given Steam's huge userbase, there has to be a long tail of users with just a small number of games, most of which won't all have updates available at the same time – so even if they're prioritizing downloads, they might see two or three rather than 10+, at which point they can just click a few update buttons.)
I suspect most people are not bothered by the lack of a Download All button. Like, I get it; I get that itch in my brain too when I go to the Downloads page and see a bunch of things queued up. But if I'm not looking at the Downloads page, I don't really think about it. As I checked just now, I have twelve games in the queue (from a library of over two hundred). At most I might want to play "a few" of those today, but it's not like I'm going to be playing all of them today, so whether they download right now or over the course of the day doesn't really make a meaningful difference to me. Any single game I want to update I can do so, but otherwise, the ability to update twelve games at once – while it might scratch that mental itch – doesn't actually do anything for me, practically.
That's not to say there aren't situations where the ability to queue up everything wouldn't be handy, like if I'm updating my Steam Deck library right before a trip where I won't have connectivity. But I suspect most users wouldn't particularly care if a Download All button existed. (Given Steam's huge userbase, there has to be a long tail of users with just a small number of games, most of which won't all have updates available at the same time – so even if they're prioritizing downloads, they might see two or three rather than 10+, at which point they can just click a few update buttons.)
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