Steam browser protocol

There are numerous system-wide commands available that interact with Steam. All of them open up Steam if it is not open. They can either be typed into a command box (Start-> Run) or through your browser's address bar (you can normally create links to them as you would web page links). Use a Steam Application ID in place of <id> (i.e. 211 for the Source SDK).

• steam:<commands> Opens Steam with command line arguments, which can be found here.

Note:If you forget the closing quote on a steam:"<command>", you will get an assertion failed error from Steam.exe/BootStrapperApp.cpp.

• steam://advertise/<id> Opens up the store for an application.
• steam://ackMessage/ackGuestPass/<pass> Accepts the Gift or Guest Pass.
• steam://appnews/<id> Opens up the news page for an app.
• steam://backup/<id> Opens up the Backup Wizard and checks the specified application. If an application is not specified then nothing will be checked.
• steam://connect/<IP or DNS name>[:<port>] Connects the user to the server specified by the IP or DNS name. You don't have to specify anything for connecting a third party mod server, it will be automaticly detected.
  • Example: steam://connect/1.0.0.27:27015
  • Example: steam://connect/dns.server.com
• steam://defrag/<id> Defragments files of the application.
• steam://friends/
  • add/<id> - Adds user with specified id number
  • players - Shows list of users with whom you recently played
  • joinchat/<id> - Joins a chat with a specified id number
  • message/<id> -
• Template:Steamlink Opens up the Guest Passes window
• steam://hardwarepromo/ Executes hardware promo method.
  • Example: Template:Steamlink gets the products for this offer.
  • Example: Template:Steamlink gets the products for this offer.
• steam://install/<id> Installs an application.
  • Example: Template:Steamlink installs Sam & Max: Episode 4.
• steam://installaddon/<addon> Installs the specified add-on.
  • Example: Template:Steamlink installs HL High-Def Pack.
• steam://open/<component> Opens a Steam window. Known <component> values:
  • Template:Steamlinktitled
  • Template:Steamlinktitled
  • Template:Steamlinktitled
  • Template:Steamlinktitled
  • Template:Steamlinktitled
  • Template:Steamlinktitled - Allows registering of keys from different games (e.g Prey)
  • Template:Steamlinktitled
  • Template:Steamlinktitled
• steam://openurl/<url> Opens URL in default web browser.
• steam://paypal/cancel Cancels an ongoing PayPal transaction.
• steam://preload/<id> Preloads an application.
• steam://publisher/<name> Loads the specified publisher catalogue in the Store. Type the publisher's name in lowercase, e.g. activision or valve.
• steam://purchase/<id> Opens a dialog box to buy an application from Steam.
• steam://purchase/subscription/<id> Opens up a dialog box to buy a subscription to a Steam product/service. None are available yet.
• steam://removeaddon/<addon> Uninstalls the specified add-on.
  • Example: Template:Steamlink uninstalls HL High-Def Pack
• steam://run/<id> Runs an application.
• steam://runsafe/<id> Resets CVARs of an app.
• Template:Steamlink Same as Template:Steamlink, but also allows for subcommands for each page:
  • Template:Steamlinktitled
  • Template:Steamlinktitled
  • Template:Steamlinktitled
  • Template:Steamlinktitled
  • Template:Steamlinktitled
  • Template:Steamlinktitled
• steam://store/<id> Opens up the store for an app, if no app is specified then the default one is opened.
• steam://support/<params> Launches the Steam Support utility, running all tests. Enter valid support string to filter results.
• steam://uninstall/<id> Deletes the specified apps' cache files.
• steam://updatenews/<id> Opens the news about the latest updates for an app.
• steam://url/<page>[/<params>] Opens a specified Steam Community page
  • ChatBanListAdmin/...
  • Template:Steamlinktitled - Opens support.valvesoftware.com in your default browser
  • GroupEventsPage/<id>
  • GroupSteamIDPage/<id>
  • GroupSteamIDAdmin/<id>
  • Template:Steamlinktitled
  • Template:Steamlinktitled
  • Template:Steamlinktitled
  • SteamIDLoginPage/... - ???
  • SteamIDPage/<id>
  • StoreFrontPage - ???
  • Template:Steamlinktitled - Opens support.valvesoftware.com in your default browser
• steam://validate/<id> Validates the GCFs of an app.

Suggested commands

The following commands are community suggestions and are not presently featured in Steam:

• steam://connect/<IP or DNS name>[:port]/<password>
  • Connects to the specified server with the right password --Semi
    • I think that this is a must due to the fact that the appid's are complete bs when it comes to launching steam remotely. --pumakuma
• steam://connect/<IP or DNS name>[:port]/'command1 "arg1" "arg2";command2 "arg1";password "blah";etc..'
  • Connects to the specified server after executing the specified commands --ts2do
  • An alternate syntax which makes more sense if you're familiar with HTTP URL syntax: steam://connect/<IP or DNS name>[:port]/?cvar1=value&cvar2=value&password=blah&etc.. --The MAZZTer 21:03, 31 Jul 2008 (PDT)
• steam://vdc/<page title>
  • Open title page on the VDC. -- AiusEpsi and ts2do
    • Why would this be useful? We already have steam://openurl/<url>. -- WildCat
      • Saves us from having to type http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/ for everything. We're not completely obsessed, we don't use steam:// to open hypertext pages --Alph Tech STUART 17:13, 9 Jun 2006 (PDT).
• steam://gameinfo/<IP or DNS name>[:port]
  • Opens the "Game Info" dialog for the specified server. Maybe also integrated into the server browser, so you don't have to add a server to the favorites to have access to that window. --Koraktor

Appreciated -Rotzi

• steam://runsingle/<AppID>
  • Runs an app, then shuts down Steam once the game closes. -- AiusEpsi
    • This is stupid. All Source games needs Steam open in order to do anything concerning gcf files, which is the game itself.--Sortie 23:53, 5 Apr 2007 (PDT)

it shuts down steam AFTER the game ran and closed! Leopard84

• steam://forceupdate/<AppID>

I don't get the point. Useless in my point of view. -Rotzi

• • Forces update (if autoupdate fails) of all files (including all linked .gcf) for defined AppID. -- Dwarden

Restarting Steam would be simpler, and have the same effect. --TomEdwards 08:23, 13 Sep 2006 (PDT)

i'm afraid it's not that simple, see my post there http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=485982 -- Dwarden

Yea, my steam REFUSES to update ANYTHING, even after re-installing it. A force update would be nice. --PanFrie 04:50, 1 Feb 2008 (EST)

• steam://checkbuild/<AppID>
  • Compares actual local build of AppID with latest version available at Steam servers for defined AppID.
  • Results displayed in way: '<AppID> - <ActualLocalBuild>:<LatestBuildAtSteamServers>
  • and if they not match it offers user dialog to force update to latest build.