Completely stop background downloads while in-game

[Special K]

I'm getting tired of having Steam secretly decide to start downloading or uploading things while I am in-game. The whole purpose of Steam is to provide a platform to purchase and play games, right? So why does that platform get to decide that downloading stuff in the background while I am playing the games I have paid for is OK? This is seriously ruining my multiplayer experience.

For reference: I have gone through my settings, unchecked everything related to downloads while in-game, etc., so this isn't just a case of operator error. Despite this, the Steam processes "Steam Client Bootstrapper" and "Steam Web Helper" will start utilizing my network while I am playing online games, leading to drastically higher ping than when they are not doing so.

All I want is to be able to play the games in my library without having my ping spike up and ruin my experience. Is that really too much to ask? This issue has been affecting me across multiple versions of Steam. I have uninstalled, reinstalled, updated, and the issue still persists. A quick web search will show you that I am not the only one with this issue. FIX YOUR PLATFORM!

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

It should only be downloading client updates in the background if you have the option unchecked in the settings for "download while in game."

[Jaunitta 🌸]

Incase you havent checked all settings as suggested
Look to the top left corner above STORE >Steam>settings

[Special K]

Originally posted by cSg|mc-Hotsauce:

It should only be downloading client updates in the background if you have the option unchecked in the settings for "download while in game."

As I said, I have the "download while in game" box unchecked. The client is still trying to download something. I have no idea what it is, because there is no way to tell.

[Special K]

Right now I an online game running and the client is downloading at a rate that fluctuates between 0.1 and 0.8 Mbps. The internet I'm on right now gets me a maximum of like 1Mbps, so that's a huge chunk of my data. I can't even join a server because I have 800 ping showing...

[Jaunitta 🌸]

Check the download at the base of Steam does it happen to say Workshop content?
Have you subscribed to any mods? ?
Unfortunately mods updates and workshop content cannot be configured when to download.
Unsubscribe from them
You would assume they follow a global setting like in steam > settings> Downloads
Have you rebooted / restarted Steam not just closed it?
New settings apply after a full exit.
Can't say I have noticed the Workshop content downloading during playing obviously .
But do see them queued and scheduled .
I have also disabled downloading during game play.

"Steam Client Bootstrapper" and "Steam Web Helper"
Client boot strapper is only there when Steam desktop client is running.
All programs running will appear there on the running tasks .
Web helper usage can be minimized deleting Steam downloads and Web cache.
For higher than normal cpu
Refresh your Steam -client's files
Exit Steam Top left > Exit]
Hold down Windows key and R - key
Or open run type in
steam://flushconfig
Press Enter
See if the problem persists.

[Special K]

Originally posted by Jaunitta 🌸:

Check the download at the base of Steam does it happen to say Workshop content?
Have you subscribed to any mods? ?
Unfortunately mods updates and workshop content cannot be configured when to download.
Unsubscribe from them
You would assume they follow a global setting like in steam > settings> Downloads
Have you rebooted / restarted Steam not just closed it?
New settings apply after a full exit.
Can't say I have noticed the Workshop content downloading during playing obviously .
But do see them queued and scheduled .
I have also disabled downloading during game play.

"Steam Client Bootstrapper" and "Steam Web Helper"
Client boot strapper is only there when Steam desktop client is running.
All programs running will appear there on the running tasks .
Web helper usage can be minimized deleting Steam downloads and Web cache.
For higher than normal cpu
Refresh your Steam -client's files
Exit Steam Top left > Exit]
Hold down Windows key and R - key
Or open run type in
steam://flushconfig
Press Enter
See if the problem persists.

Hey, I appreciate your detailed reply. I only have two games installed and neither of them is modded. The only one I actually play atm is CS 1.6. I tried the flushconfig thing but the issue is still persisting. Right after it was all flushed I launched CS and was getting like 300 ping because of unidentifiable background downloads being conducted by the Bootstrapper. When these downloads aren't happening I usually get around 70-90 ping on the same server.

[ExGavator]

Originally posted by Special K:

Originally posted by Jaunitta 🌸:

Check the download at the base of Steam does it happen to say Workshop content?
Have you subscribed to any mods? ?
Unfortunately mods updates and workshop content cannot be configured when to download.
Unsubscribe from them
You would assume they follow a global setting like in steam > settings> Downloads
Have you rebooted / restarted Steam not just closed it?
New settings apply after a full exit.
Can't say I have noticed the Workshop content downloading during playing obviously .
But do see them queued and scheduled .
I have also disabled downloading during game play.

"Steam Client Bootstrapper" and "Steam Web Helper"
Client boot strapper is only there when Steam desktop client is running.
All programs running will appear there on the running tasks .
Web helper usage can be minimized deleting Steam downloads and Web cache.
For higher than normal cpu
Refresh your Steam -client's files
Exit Steam Top left > Exit]
Hold down Windows key and R - key
Or open run type in
steam://flushconfig
Press Enter
See if the problem persists.

Hey, I appreciate your detailed reply. I only have two games installed and neither of them is modded. The only one I actually play atm is CS 1.6. I tried the flushconfig thing but the issue is still persisting. Right after it was all flushed I launched CS and was getting like 300 ping because of unidentifiable background downloads being conducted by the Bootstrapper. When these downloads aren't happening I usually get around 70-90 ping on the same server.

I have exact same problem. Did you solve it?