Command line options (Steam)
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Command line options (frequently command line arguments or command line parameters; launch options on Steam) are additional arguments specified before the program starts, these functionally change the behavior of the program in some way, such as launching the game and start the game with the specified map directly, or play a demo for example.
Command line arguments are traditionally prefixed with a hyphen (-), but some 
Windows applications (especially system ones) will use a forward slash (/) instead.
This page contains command-line parameters for the Steam application.
Command-Line Parameters
| Argument | Description |
|---|---|
| -480p | Run tenfoot in 480p rather than 1080p |
| -720p | Run tenfoot in 720p rather than 1080p |
| -accesscode | |
| -all_languages | show longest loc string from any language |
| -applaunch <appID> [launch parameters] | Launches an Game or Application through Steam. |
| -batterytestmode | rapidly cycle battery percentages for testing |
| -bigpicture | Start in Steam Big Picture mode |
| -blefw | |
| -cafeapplaunch | Launch apps in a cyber cafe context |
| -cafeapplaunch | Launch apps in a cyber cafe context (Forces apps to be verified / validated before launch). |
| -candidates | Show libjingle candidates for local connection as they are processed |
| -ccsyntax | Spew details about the localized strings we load |
| -ccsyntax | Spew details about the localized strings we load. |
| -cef-delaypageload | Enable early-out for known page loads |
| -cef-disable-breakpad | disables breakpad in crash dumps |
| -cef-disable-d3d11 | disable D3D11 usage in CEF |
| -cef-disable-delaypageload | Disable early-out for known page loads |
| -cef-disable-gpu | Disable GPU usage in CEF (force software rendering/compositing) |
| -cef-disable-gpu-compositing | Disable GPU accelerated compositing in browsers |
| -cef-disable-hang-timeouts | disables GPU and renderer hang timeouts |
| -cef-disable-js-logging | disables console and log file logging of JS console events |
| -cef-disable-occlusion | disables Chromium window occlusion testing on Windows |
| -cef-disable-renderer-restart | Disable auto-restart of renderer process for existing browsers |
| -cef-disable-sandbox | disables sandboxing in CEF |
| -cef-disable-seccomp-sandbox | disables CEF seccomp-bpf sandbox on Linux |
| -cef-enable-debugging | enables Chromium remote debugging, defaulting to localhost:8080 |
| -cef-enable-gpu-debugging | Enable GPU debugging in Chromium, costs a glGetError() call after every command |
| -cef-enable-samesite-by-default-cookies | Treat unspecified samesite as samesite=lax |
| -cef-force-32bit | forces usage of 32-bit steamwebhelper when available |
| -cef-force-gpu | Force enable GPU acceleration |
| -cef-force-sandbox | force sandboxing in CEF |
| -cef-full-memory-crash-report | enables full crash dumps |
| -cef-ignore-certificate-errors | allow self-signed certificates |
| -cef-in-process-gpu | runs CEF GPU processing as thread of browser process |
| -cef-no-linux-angle | Don't use ANGLE for rendering backend on Linux |
| -cef-single-process | runs CEF processes in single process |
| -cef-use-shell-exec | Launch CEF process via sub-shell |
| -cef-verbose-js-logging | enables verbose logging of JS console events |
| -cef-verbose-logging | enables verbose logging from CEF |
| -cef-winxp | force running the WinXP compatible CEF browser |
| -clearbeta | Opts out of beta participation (in case for some reason it can't be done via settings). |
| -clientui | |
| -community | Set the community URL |
| -complete_install_via_http | Run installation completion over HTTP by default |
| -complete_install_via_http | Run installation completion over HTTP by default. |
| -console | |
| -console | Enables the Steam debug console tab. |
| -controllertypeoverride | |
| -debug_steamapi | Enables logging of Steam API functions. |
| -debug_steamapi | enables logging of Steam API functions |
| -debugbutton | Show debug button in content frame header |
| -dev | |
| -dev | Sets the 'developer' variable to 1. Can be used to open the VGUI editor by pressing F6 or VGUI zoo by pressing F7. Intended for skin development, also enables the debug console tab. |
| -disable-winh264 | disables loading winh264.dll |
| -disablehighdpi | disables high-DPI support in CEF |
| -disablepartnerlicenses | disable automatically granted partner licenses |
| -dumpvideostream | Dump the game stream as an elementary video file |
| -enable-desktop-gl-fallback | |
| -enable-keyring | enables CEF usage of the Chromium keyring |
| -enablealloobesteps | |
| -fasthtml | Enable fast child html for any platform |
| -flushconfig | |
| -forcecontrollerappid | Force a Specific AppID for Steam Controller Config - Prevents context/app switching from changing configuration |
| -forcedeckcontroller | |
| -forcedesktopscaling | Scale the desktop UI |
| -forceservice | Run Steam Client Service even if Steam has admin rights |
| -forceservice | Run Steam Client Service even if Steam has admin rights. |
| -forcevgui | |
| -friendsui | |
| -fs_log | Log file system accesses |
| -fs_log | Log file system accesses. |
| -fs_logbins | Log the binaries we load during operation |
| -fs_logbins | Log the binaries we load during operation. |
| -fs_target | Set target syntax |
| -fs_target | Set target syntax. |
| -fulldesktopres | Run tenfoot in full desktop resolution rather than 1080p, overrides -720p as well. |
| -fullscreen | Set BPM to fullscreen |
| -fullscreenopengl | Use the full screen OpenGL render for the UI |
| -gameoverlayinject | Sets the method how GameOverlay is injected. |
| -gamepadui | Same as -tenfoot.  Note:Was used to start Big Picture in the Steam Deck UI, but this is now the default as of February 2023. |
| -gamepadui | Start in gamepadui mode |
| -help | Set the help/support URL |
| -hidelibmenu | |
| -html-perf-monitor | Draws html perf data |
| -init_universe | |
| -install <path> | Install a product from a specified path (e.g. "D:" for the DVD-ROM drive if D: is one). |
| -installer_test | Changes installing a retail game to emit all files to install_validate/ folder instead of to the steam cache. |
| -language <language> | Sets the Steam language to the one specified. (Examples: "english", "german"). |
| -language | Set Steam client UI language |
| -log_voice | Writes voice chat data to the logs/voice_log.txt file. |
| -log_voice | writes voice chat data to the logs/voice_log.txt file |
| -login <[username]|anonymous> [password] | Logs into Steam with the specified Username and Password combination. Note: Steam must be off for this to work. |
| -login | Automatically logs in user |
| -lognetapi | Logs all P2P networking info to log/netapi_log.txt. |
| -lognetapi | logs all P2P networking info to log/netapi_log.txt |
| -master_ipc_name_override | |
| -musiccrawltrack | Add menu to crawl track and print result to console |
| -musicdbforcerebuild | Forces a rebuild and recrawl of the music database |
| -net_fake_state | Set initial value for net_fake_state |
| -net_start_wifi_disabled | Set the initial value for wifi enabled to false. (Useful when emulating SteamDeck) |
| -no-cef-sandbox | disables sandboxing in CEF |
| -no-dwrite | Forces vgui to use GDI text even if DWrite support is available. |
| -no-dwrite | forces CEF to use GDI text even if DWrite support is available |
| -no-shared-textures | forces overlay to avoid sharing texture handles with game process |
| -noasync | Don't use async file operations, run them synchronous instead. |
| -nobigpicture | Start in regular mode (force Big Picture mode off) |
| -nocache | Starts steam with no cache (Steam must be off for this to work properly). |
| -noconsole | |
| -nocrashmonitor | |
| -nofasthtml | Disables new fast child hwnd direct in vgui hwnd rendering path |
| -nofriendsui | |
| -nofriendsui | Prevents the friends list window from showing automatically upon start. |
| -nointro | Skip intro movie |
| -noshaders | Disable the shader manager |
| -noverifyfiles | Prevents from the client from checking files integrity, especially useful when testing localization. |
| -offlinemode | Always attempt to start in offline mode |
| -oldtraymenu | use old tray menu instead of browser-based menu |
| -openalldevtools | Open Chrome devtools on launch for every HTML window |
| -opendevtools | Open Chrome devtools for shared JS context (offscreen window) on launch |
| -opengl | Use the OpenGL render for the UI |
| -openoverlaydevtools | Open Chrome devtools on creation of any overlay browsers |
| -overlaytestmode | Forces overlay testmode mode for debugging |
| -perfectworld | Identifies processes that were launched by the Perfect world launcher |
| -pid | Pid that we should be watching for |
| -private_ip_override | |
| -quicklogin | Set the base used to construct quick login URLs |
| -rememberpassword | If logging in user with credentials specified on the command line, proceed as if 'remember my password' had been enabled |
| -script <file name> | Runs a Steam script. All scripts must be in a subdirectory of the Steam folder called test scripts (Steam must be off for this to work). |
| -showallbetas | Disable client beta filtering |
| -shutdown | Shuts down (exits) Steam. |
| -silent | Silent startup mode (tray mode only) |
| -silent | Suppresses the dialog box that opens when you start steam. It is used when you have Steam set to auto-start when your computer turns on. (Steam must be off for this to work). |
| -single_core | Force Steam to run on your primary CPU only |
| -single_core | Force Steam to run on your primary CPU only. |
| -skipstreamingdrivers | Skip streaming driver checks |
| -steamos | |
| -store | Set the store URL |
| -storebeta | 0 |
| -system-composer | Force the use of the system browser composer |
| -tcp | Forces connection to Steam backend to be via TCP. |
| -tcp | forces connection to Steam backend to be via TCP - deprecated, will be replaced by websockets only for TCP soon |
| -tenfoot | Start Steam in Big Picture Mode. |
| -tenfoot | Start in Steam Big Picture mode |
| -testbutton | Show test button on main menu |
| -testssa | force display of SSA |
| -teststoragedata | Enable test storage data |
| -toggle-overlay-html-mode | Disables new faster overlay HTML path (or enables if on a branch it's not on by default for) |
| -udpforce | forces connection to Steam backend to be via UDP - deprecated, won't exist for too long |
| -unhidefriendsui | |
| -userchooser | Sends the user to the User Chooser even if they have 0 or 1 accounts |
| -vgui | Start in vgui mode |
| -vguifocus | Print out details of which panel has keyboard focus |
| -vguimessages | set to see debug vgiui2 messages |
| -voice_quality | Sets audio quality, range [1,3]. |
| -voicerelay | Only allow 'relay' connections for voice (testing). |
| -voicerelay | Only allow 'relay' connections for voice (testing). |
| -vrdisable | Disable VR - never even try to load OpenVR DLLs |
| -vrforce | Always perform Hmd status check even if we crashed the last time we tried |
| -vronly | |
| -vrskip | Skip VR initialization entirely no matter who asks for it |
| -websocket | forces connection to Steam backend to be via WebSocket |
| -websocketignorecertissues | says it's ok to ignore cert validation issues if using WebSocket connections, for dev use only |
| -windowed | Run Steam tenfoot mode in a window rather than a fullscreen borderless window |
Deprecated Command-Line Parameters
- -no-browser - Disables all instances of CEF. CEF stands for Chromium Embedded Framework, which Steam uses for its built-in web browser components (including the in-game overlay browser), and also for WebViews used by the new Panorama-based friends/chat UI, and Library. Using this option will —among other things— disable the new Library UI, and restore the old friends list and chat UI. However, it won't restore the old Library UI, requiring the use of Small Mode to view the list of games. Note:Deprecated as of January 2023.
- -noreactlogin - Switches to the old login UI, but disables login confirmations via the mobile app and QR code logins. Note:Deprecated as of January 2023.
- -oldbigpicture - Restores the old Big Picture Mode UI.
- -vgui - Start Steam with VGUI as the main window renderer instead of being Chromium. Note:Deprecated as of January 2023.