Is Steam updating uninstalled games by installing them without my permission? *edited

[RJGrayLight]

So I open steam for the first time in a day. I notice that there are 6 active downloads, so I go and check the downloads section to see what games are being updated. I initially thought they would be updates for my installed games, but when I checked out what was being downloaded, steam was installing games onto my system that I didn't want installed. Games that I had already beaten in the past or games that take up too much space in my system to remain installed indefinitely. Games that, for all intents and purposes, are not installed on my device and that I don't want installed on my device.

To clarify, these are not updates to installed games but to uninstalled games. To my knowledge there is no reason for them to get installed on my computer without my hitting the install game button, and yet here they are getting installed without my permission or prompt. And the only connecting factor I've found so far is that the games have a new update since I last opened steam.

So why is steam installing/updating uninstalled games on my computer without my prompt or permission? And how do I stop this? Because I doubt it's a good thing that this is happening.

*edit 11/12/23* For the record, I'm the only person with access to my account and my devices, there has been no unaccounted for access to my account or devices according to the access logs, I have multi-factor authentication in place, remote install is disabled for my account, and nobody else is capable of accessing my account at this time. So I highly doubt that anyone is installing games on my behalf without my knowledge. And I have confirmed that my account is not compromised so we can rule that out as an option too.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Update 11.13.23
Here are the results of the tests so far.

Three fully debunked theories.
1. The games that steam was downloading were already installed on my device. (Verified not true.)
2. My computer or steam account has been compromised. (Verified not true.)
3. I accidentally downloaded them myself without knowing about it myself. (Verified not true.)

One semi-debunked theory.
1. My cloud storage (Google Drive) somehow prompted steam to download games that were last on my computer up to 10 month ago upon starting up my computer. (very unlikely, unknown verification method)

One Active theory.
1. Steam was updating games that weren't installed by installing them without my permission. (Evidences actively support this theory)

[Iceira]

Only hidden title can do that afaik it, a uninstall game cant update, you need to have it schedule before you uninstall so it might think you had it, no other thing make sense here.

steam cant patch a game thats not there.


ps.
old ways clear download cache or locate steam folder download and wipe all there.

new ways make sure you dont have schedule item hanging in cue also.

[Jaunitta 🌸]

Uninstall them to stop auto updates for specials like Haloween and week end sales.

[RJGrayLight]

Originally posted by Jaunitta 🌸:

Uninstall them to stop auto updates for specials like Haloween and week end sales.

I don't think you realise what I'm posting about. Steam is installing games that are not installed on my computer without my permission.

It's not updating games that are already installed, it's installing games that it shouldn't be installing. Though I suppose it may be installing games that have recently received updates since it's not consistent? idk

See the edits to the OP, since I guess it wasn't clear.

[Iceira]

Change steam PW then.

Check steam security "deauthorize all devices"
its steam client settings and under security

[RJGrayLight]

Originally posted by Iceira:

Change steam PW then.

Check steam security "deauthorize all devices"
its steam client settings and under security

Read the last paragraph of my post. There is only one person logged into my account, and that's me.

Also, how in the world would changing my steam password do anything for steam installing games on my computer that I don't want it to the moment I open steam for the first time that day? Stop trolling and actually read posts before responding to them.

[Teksura]

Originally posted by RJGrayLight:

Originally posted by Iceira:

Change steam PW then.

Check steam security "deauthorize all devices"
its steam client settings and under security

Read the last paragraph of my post. There is only one person logged into my account, and that's me.

Also, how in the world would changing my steam password do anything for steam installing games on my computer that I don't want it to the moment I open steam for the first time that day? Stop trolling and actually read posts before responding to them.

Because your assumptions could be wrong. It's possible to remote install games if you have access to the account; you're describing symptoms of a compromised account. Instead about arguing about how you don't want to try basic troubleshooting steps you came here for, try the basic troubleshooting steps and see?


Scan for malware https://www.malwarebytes.com/
Deauthorize all other devices https://store.steampowered.com/twofactor/manage
Change passwords from a clean computer
Generate new backup codes https://store.steampowered.com/twofactor/manage
Revoke the API key https://steamcommunity.com/dev/apikey
Stop using shady third party trade sites or clicking suspicious links.


Do each of the steps.

[Iceira]

Originally posted by RJGrayLight:

Originally posted by Iceira:

Change steam PW then.

Check steam security "deauthorize all devices"
its steam client settings and under security

Read the last paragraph of my post. There is only one person logged into my account, and that's me.

Also, how in the world would changing my steam password do anything for steam installing games on my computer that I don't want it to the moment I open steam for the first time that day? Stop trolling and actually read posts before responding to them.

Ask steam suppoirt complain there we can only deal with what if this and that.
steam has over 10-000 of tiles and you claim you had more then 1 installed without your accept,

this is seen before with steam tiltle as spiral Knights and other things steam seem to either brake pc core rules or you are not safe as you think you are or somethings is doing it,

i dont want to add to what else can do this, why should i do that, give bad guys idea, ask steam support let them deal with it.

I can see Teksura already think on what im thinking.could have happend here.

[RJGrayLight]

Originally posted by Teksura:

Originally posted by RJGrayLight:

Read the last paragraph of my post. There is only one person logged into my account, and that's me.

Also, how in the world would changing my steam password do anything for steam installing games on my computer that I don't want it to the moment I open steam for the first time that day? Stop trolling and actually read posts before responding to them.

Because your assumptions could be wrong. It's possible to remote install games if you have access to the account; you're describing symptoms of a compromised account. Instead about arguing about how you don't want to try basic troubleshooting steps you came here for, try the basic troubleshooting steps and see?


Scan for malware https://www.malwarebytes.com/
Deauthorize all other devices https://store.steampowered.com/twofactor/manage
Change passwords from a clean computer
Generate new backup codes https://store.steampowered.com/twofactor/manage
Revoke the API key https://steamcommunity.com/dev/apikey
Stop using shady third party trade sites or clicking suspicious links.


Do each of the steps.

I have two apps on my computer to detect malware, viruses, bloatware, bundleware, and similar, and run them regularly. I just reran another scan with both of them, and nothing came up.

Two-factor Authentication is and has been on for at least the last year. Anytime anyone tries to log onto my account, they have to input a code that is sent to my phone. That's why I'm confident that nobody else is on my account. I am also able to see the device history of devices that have accessed my account, as well as their relative locations and IP addresses, and nobody but myself has accessed my steam account, or any other account for that matter for at least the last 3 months. Also, the only two IPs that currently have access to my steam account are my cell phone and my computer.

I don't use any shady third-party sites or click on suspicious links.

For some background information, I work in IT and do coding for a living, and I actively help others when they get hacked. So I know what not to do and what to do to avoid this sort of thing, as well as how to spot the signs.

(Also, Iceira has a history of trolling my account and anything/everything I have ever posted here in the steam forums. They rarely read my full posts before commenting and often suggest entirely irrelevant things that have nothing to do with the issue at hand or things that I have clearly listed out as having already tried to no effect. They're just a troll that has latched onto me I can't get rid of or report sadly.)

[RJGrayLight]

Now what I suspect is happening is that there's some kind of issue with Steam's cloud saves, or perhaps the settings themselves. I did consider the possibility of my third-party cloud service (google drive) interfering in some way, but this remains the case even when it's fully disabled/turned off. Same with running my computer in safe mode, running steam as an admin, or even opening steam with my alt account that has only FTP games on it.

As such, I'm intending to do a config flush shortly after taking some screenshots of my current settings, as this isn't the only issue I've had where steam isn't keeping things the way I've set them between sessions. And it's only gotten worse since the UI got overhauled a few months back.

For some examples, I have consistent issues with notifications for all steam screenshots that have not yet been deleted popping up every time I open steam or a steam game even when all notifications are disabled. I have issues with non-steam games not staying removed from my library after I hard-close steam then reopen it. I have issues with certain settings within steam's settings don't sticking take effect I close the setting box. I've also have issues where there is no confirm or save button within the steam settings either when I believe there is supposed to be one.

So my thought is that all of these things are the result of something being wrong with steam's configs, so hopefully this config flush will fix this issue and all the others. I will post back here if that fixes it or not and go from there though.

[RJGrayLight]

So the Config flush did nothing beyond reset my steam settings to default unfortunately.

I did just have the thought that perhaps Steam is attempting to update games that aren't actively installed on my computer for some reason, and that by attempting to update a game that isn't installed, it ends up downloading it in order to apply the update? If so, that's definitely a strange and unusual bug.

I have disabled auto-updates in my settings (post-config flush) so we'll see if it'll keep doing it going forward.

[RJGrayLight]

Originally posted by Iceira:

a uninstall game cant update, you need to have it schedule before you uninstall so it might think you had it, no other thing make sense here.

steam cant patch a game thats not there.

Seeing as that's exactly what's happening here, idk what to tell ya. Games that are uninstalled are somehow getting installed/patched/updated. Hence the entire purpose of this post.

[Kargor]

There's only a limited number of options:

• They are updates for stuff you forgot you had installed
  
• Somebody other than you has initiated a download for your box, either on-site or remotely (I'm assuming Steam still has this option to remotely install?)
  
• You initiated a downlad for your box, either on-site or remotely, and then forgot about it
  
• Someone with mind control powers made you initiate the download for your box, and made you not remember it

[RJGrayLight]

Originally posted by Kargor:

There's only a limited number of options:

• They are updates for stuff you forgot you had installed
  
• Somebody other than you has initiated a download for your box, either on-site or remotely (I'm assuming Steam still has this option to remotely install?)
  
• You initiated a downlad for your box, either on-site or remotely, and then forgot about it
  
• Someone with mind control powers made you initiate the download for your box, and made you not remember it

lol to that last one.

I can guarantee that it's none of the above though.

And I can confirm with 100% certainty given my access logs, multi-factor authentication, and 20+ character complex passcode that my account has not been accessed by anyone besides myself. Also, remote install is one of those settings that I always have disabled.

As I've mentioned, the current theory is that game updates are causing game installations. Though as you and other have mentioned, that should be impossible. And yet, that or something similar is happening.

Of note, some of the games that I've seen trying to be installed on my device without my permission within the last month are the following...

Spider-Man Remastered
Lords of the Fallen
Cult of the Lamb
Cyberpunk 2077
The Forest
Green Hell
Godhood
Hogwarts Legacy
Scrap Mechanic
Going Medieval
Last Stand Aftermath

and at least two or three others... All of which had updates around the time that Steam tried to install them on my device. Which only seems to corroborate the theory that steam is trying to update uninstalled games by installing them to my device.

[Aluvard]

If you're using any cloud storage, check if it is not trying to restore some files.

[Muppet among Puppets]

I would do the steps to secure your account, and look if it happens again.