My steam installed apps can't be found on windows (Setting > Apps > Installed Apps)

[Beelzebub]

I just transferred my games from my laptop to my pc, but i can't search it on windows and i can't pin them on start since the apps not detected. i can open them with steam apps, but i find it inconvenience to open steam > library > play.

[xarvn]

Go to your Steam library and select the games that are installed or alternatively click the "games ready to play" icon (at the top of the list and next to the clock symbol that looks like triangle pointing toward right) and then select the games. Then right-click the select games and then click Manage > "add desktop shortcut." If you want for whatever reason that the games appear in Windows installed app list then it is a more involved process. Note that adding the games to Windows apps does not create startup or desktop shortcuts.

edited for clarity

[Beelzebub]

Originally posted by xarvn:

Go to your Steam library and select the games that are installed or alternatively click the "games ready to play" icon (at the top of the list and next to the clock symbol that looks like triangle pointing toward right) and then select the games. Then right-click the select games and then click Manage > "add desktop shortcut." If you want for whatever reason that the games appear in Windows installed app list then it is a more involved process. Note that adding the games to Windows apps does not create startup or desktop shortcuts.

edited for clarity

Thanks it's work

[xarvn]

This method will take some time for large libraries. And data will need to be downloaded so be aware of this if you have metered internet (i.e. data caps).

1. Exit out of Steam
   
2. Go to your "steamapps" folder and delete all the "appmanifest_****.acf" files. Leave any ".gcf" or ".vdf" files and especially the sub-folders of "steamapps" alone.
   
3. Start Steam.
   
4. Go to your Library and you will see that all of the games that were in that library now appear to be uninstalled.
   
5. Now select these games (you can select many at a time) and attempt to install them in the location where they were installed before. Be sure to specify if you want (or do not want) Steam to create "desktop" or Windows "start menu" shortcuts. Steam will appear to go through the process of installing the selected games one-at-a-time. However, because the game files are already there, instead Steam will verify the files and minimize downloading. In rare instances when for example the game has not been updated, Steam may discard the now defunct game files and download the game from scratch, but this is rare. You should periodically check on the progress because some games will require accepting game specific EULAs.
   
6. Repeat from step 1 above for your Steam libraries that are in other drives; that is, go to the drive and delete the ".acf" files in the "steamapps" folder of the drive and then install the games that appear to be uninstalled. Generally it is a good idea to use the procedure one drive at-a-time so as not to accidentally install a game to the wrong drive which would lead to downloading of the game from scratch because the erroneously selected location would have no game files.

[xarvn]

It seems I have responded to a request that was later deleted. In any case, I am glad you got your problem solved.

[Masterkev]

Originally posted by xarvn:

This method will take some time for large libraries. And data will need to be downloaded so be aware of this if you have metered internet (i.e. data caps).

1. Exit out of Steam
   
2. Go to your "steamapps" folder and delete all the "appmanifest_****.acf" files. Leave any ".gcf" or ".vdf" files and especially the sub-folders of "steamapps" alone.
   
3. Start Steam.
   
4. Go to your Library and you will see that all of the games that were in that library now appear to be uninstalled.
   
5. Now select these games (you can select many at a time) and attempt to install them in the location where they were installed before. Be sure to specify if you want (or do not want) Steam to create "desktop" or Windows "start menu" shortcuts. Steam will appear to go through the process of installing the selected games one-at-a-time. However, because the game files are already there, instead Steam will verify the files and minimize downloading. In rare instances when for example the game has not been updated, Steam may discard the now defunct game files and download the game from scratch, but this is rare. You should periodically check on the progress because some games will require accepting game specific EULAs.
   
6. Repeat from step 1 above for your Steam libraries that are in other drives; that is, go to the drive and delete the ".acf" files in the "steamapps" folder of the drive and then install the games that appear to be uninstalled. Generally it is a good idea to use the procedure one drive at-a-time so as not to accidentally install a game to the wrong drive which would lead to downloading of the game from scratch because the erroneously selected location would have no game files.

You - miraculous - person. Thank you - thank you - thank you.
I do not know why this isn't in some FAQ in steam, but this fully works!

Few tips I've learned (in order of importance):
- Before starting any of this, specify under Steam (top left) > Settings > Storage - which drive you're working on should be the "Default" to ensure less odds of a mistake. Remember to change it if you have different drives like xarvn said!

- After moving/deleting the appmanifest, you can see the games that should be installed in that drive in the "common" folder within the same folder you've deleted the manifest. Note: Even deleted games you've had in the past will be in there if they existed in that drive before. Just mouse over each folder and see which one has larger than 50 or so MB of space taken up and those will be the games that were (and currently still are) downloaded prior. (if all the games you have downloaded were on your desktop prior as shortcuts - this tip is unnecessary).

- In step 5 when they say "(you can select many at a time)" - hold ctrl and click the games one by one in your library on the left, then right-click and "Install selected". Saves a good bit of time to do them in groups (As long as you do not click on a singular game in that list whilst not holding ctrl - the selected games stay selected, even if you go to a different tab of Steam entirely).

- If you followed these steps and the icons do not appear, mouse over the corresponding game in the steam application, right click, and under Manage: click "Add desktop shortcut". You do not need to delete the old shortcut - it'll fix the shortcut immediately (some games fix automatically, while others seem to need this. It may be due to the game either being entirely redownloaded, or if during the verification process a missing file was detected).

[xarvn]

Masterkev:

Thanks for your insights!

[Steve]

This thread was quite old before the recent post, so we're locking it to prevent confusion.