Need to Constantly restart steam/computer for any game updates to show up

[Kiori Bug]

I have cleared my download cache, restarted my PC, and restarted Steam just to finally see if a game needs/requires an update.

If I launch a game to try and play with friends I constantly run into issues of "mismatched version" while my download queue is barren of any updates. I restart steam, sometimes they show up, and sometimes they don't. Verify the game files sometimes works but this is an issue I'm quickly growing tired of when I never had this issue before.

I've gone through my settings, and my games are set to update when an update is available/keep them updated ect but these options mean nothing if my client doesn't seem to get the "updates".

This isn't related to a single game, but multiple games. Helldivers 2, Palworld, Demonologist, Phasmophobia, Smallands, and Stardew Valley just to name a few of the games this is a constant issue. I don't play these games every day and when I try to play with friends and see the game had an update a few days to over a week before my first thought isn't "Oh, I should restart Steam to make sure these games have updated" but if I see no queue I should be good to load the game and play it.

If anyone can help point me in a direction or a setting I may have clicked and not realized I would appreciate it. I'm at my wit's end with this.

[Kiori Bug]

It has been several months and this is still a constant issue. It's not select games, it's all/any game. New purchases and old. No exception.

[miamew3]

Did you try clearing your download cache?
Steam -> Settings -> Downloads -> clear download cache

[Aluvard]

Did you do everything on this list?
https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/21F5-8D5D-0141-7A5E

[Kiori Bug]

Originally posted by miamew3:

Did you try clearing your download cache?
Steam -> Settings -> Downloads -> clear download cache

First sentence of post answers your question. I have also done it again recently.

Originally posted by Aluvard:

Did you do everything on this list?
https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/21F5-8D5D-0141-7A5E

I have tried everything on this list. I have tried to look up steam support but can't find a way to contact anyone directly for this issue since it only links to the page you linked.

[457s]

Is "download while playing games" enabled?
Have you right clicked all of the listed games and went under updates to see if the option is to "keep games updated"?

[457s]

Weird issue. Not sure if those will work actually but I'm curious now.

[Kiori Bug]

Originally posted by 457s:

Weird issue. Not sure if those will work actually but I'm curious now.

It is not, but I will try that. Unfortunately, I just have to wait for a game to receive a new update to know if this works or not.

I do have "Always keep this game updated" as an option. When I'm not playing a game for a long period I just uninstall it to save space.

This issue only becomes annoying with multiplayer games. The ones I listed above are just a few, but any multiplayer game that receives an update is the ones I notice because I try to actively play with friends who receive the updates like normal. Single-player games I don't notice it as often because it doesn't disrupt me from playing the game when I launch it.

[457s]

Do you accidentally have schedule auto updates enabled? (I don't think this is it, because the downloads should at least show in the tab if so.)

Have you tried a different download region? (Also less likely to work.)

Have you tried backing up your /steam/steamapps/common and just deleting everything except your games -> reinstalling steam?

[Kiori Bug]

I do not have scheduled updates enabled.

I have changed my download region.

This issue has happened across two PCs. I will try reinstalling again for maybe something has changed since April.

[457s]

Does it happen across both PCs in the same network? You'll have that every once and a while but it shouldn't be all of the time.

Are you both using the same platform to play the game? Updates for games on different platforms roll out at different times.

[Iceira]

Well anything lesser then 500gb on boot disk you could be in trouble if its a BGIII game
and you still need 200gb free space after this , and more space doing process of data.

this will soon increase within a year or 2 , then game install hit 250gb some games with dlc and collection is already past such tiny disk space issue.

and future post will say do you have 1TB free space, or we are done talking.

game 250gb multiplyed by 3 to 5 then you are in 750gb to 1,25TB on boot disk with OS and windows DL folder and Document ( you are already in trouble. ) depend on DL size.

[457s]

Originally posted by Iceira:

Well anything lesser then 500gb on boot disk you could be in trouble if its a BGIII game
and you still need 200gb free space after this , and more space doing process of data.

this will soon increase within a year or 2 , then game install hit 250gb some games with dlc and collection is already past such tiny disk space issue.

and future post will say do you have 1TB free space, or we are done talking.

I get auto updates and cram every last MB onto my NVME. It'll just show a failed, rather than not showing at all.

[Iceira]

Originally posted by 457s:

Originally posted by Iceira:

Well anything lesser then 500gb on boot disk you could be in trouble if its a BGIII game
and you still need 200gb free space after this , and more space doing process of data.

this will soon increase within a year or 2 , then game install hit 250gb some games with dlc and collection is already past such tiny disk space issue.

and future post will say do you have 1TB free space, or we are done talking.

I get auto updates and cram every last MB onto my NVME. It'll just show a failed, rather than not showing at all.

its not our job or steam/games devs job to say to you free a space is a nessary thing on every disk to have.

small TB disk is worse today % dont explan it and same goes with 10TB+ disk its here % in free space fail to explan performance and unpacking issue.

[457s]

He's not having an unpacking issue. His downloads just don't show up in general.

[Iceira]

Originally posted by 457s:

He's not having an unpacking issue. His downloads just don't show up in general.

You can try clear cache "in game" steam menu ( web browser data ) and DL , and try steam flush cmd. ( assume it has worked before. )
( make sure steam storage management know all multi disk still )

assume its not a dlc , they will not be showed therer the get added direrctly into game dlc sections.