This topic has been locked
IceBeam Sep 1, 2023 @ 3:22pm
[UI] Please let us delete servers from "Favorites" in bulk
The problem

This is a problem with the server browser that comes with the new Steam UI. In case you need to delete multiple servers from your list of favorites, you have to delete them 1 by 1. Only 1 server at a time can be selected, and selecting many of them (by holding the "Shift" key, for instance) is impossible. Moreover, as soon as you delete one of the servers, the list gets automatically refreshed.

It becomes a huge problem when you need to purge unresponsive servers that have piled up over the course of more than a decade (10 years). In my case, I have over 600 unresponsive entries for various games (CS 1.6, CS:S, TF 2). Purging this list using the server browser's UI at the moment requires repeating the following actions over 600 times:

1. Point at an unresponsive server in the list.
2. (Optional) Left-click it with a mouse to select it.
3. Right-click it to call the context menu.
4. Left-click the "Remove server from favorites" option from the drop-down list.
5. Wait until the server list repopulates with at least some unresponsive servers.

When you need to remove just a few unresponsive servers, it's not a big problem. However, when there are hundreds of them, purging the list will require a lot of manual work and idle time (since the server browser keeps refreshing the list each time you delete a server).

One may wonder, "Why not just let those unresponsive servers be there and forget about them? They are hidden by the games, and they are at the bottom of the server browser anyway". There is actually a good reason to purge them. Because of those hundreds of dead servers, the list of servers that are still alive refreshes much longer than it should. Moreover, favorite servers seem to get pinged in the background even when both the game and the Steam server browser are closed (according to Wireshark's monitoring tools).

The request

1. Please let us select multiple servers at a time in the server browser. It could be done with the standard ["Shift" + left mouse click], ["Shift" + arrow up/down], ["Ctrl" + left mouse click], ["Ctrl + A"], and other similar combinations.

2. Remove the automated refresh operation on each server removal. Let the user refresh the list manually.

EDIT: please apply these changes to other tabs, too (where it's applicable), especially the "History" tab.
Last edited by IceBeam; Sep 3, 2023 @ 12:30pm

Something went wrong while displaying this content. Refresh

Error Reference: Community_9734361_
Loading CSS chunk 7561 failed.
(error: https://community.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/public/css/applications/community/communityawardsapp.css?contenthash=789dd1fbdb6c6b5c773d)
Showing 1-13 of 13 comments
HikariLight Sep 1, 2023 @ 3:46pm 
This is not a Steam issue, but something you need to tell the dev team of what ever game this is from.
IceBeam Sep 1, 2023 @ 3:51pm 
Originally posted by HikariLight:
This is not a Steam issue, but something you need to tell the dev team of what ever game this is from.

The inability to select multiple servers from the browser simultaneously is an issue related to the new Steam UI. It is also important to note that the games I have mentioned (CS 1.6, CS:S, TF 2) have been developed by the same company that created the Steam platform.
Last edited by IceBeam; Sep 3, 2023 @ 12:37pm
HikariLight Sep 1, 2023 @ 3:58pm 
Steam is a STORE.
If you have an in-game issue, ask in the game hub for the game.
General forums are not the place to ask for help for in-game issues.
IceBeam Sep 1, 2023 @ 3:59pm 
Originally posted by HikariLight:
Steam is a STORE.
If you have an in-game issue, ask in the game hub for the game.
General forums are not the place to ask for help for in-game issues.

Please read my post carefully before commenting.
Blight Nov 3, 2023 @ 4:06am 
I agree with you IceBeam. Would be really good if they could add a feature like that cuz it's really boring to try and delete my all Ark servers. :steamthumbsup:
Originally posted by HikariLight:
This is not a Steam issue, but something you need to tell the dev team of what ever game this is from.
Yes it is. The server browser is part of Steams UI not the specific games. You really need to learn more about Steam before commenting here
curVV Nov 30, 2023 @ 11:57am 
+1 yes please

any idea where these favourites are stored? probably on user's cloud space, could only find history locally...
Last edited by curVV; Nov 30, 2023 @ 12:11pm
IceBeam Nov 30, 2023 @ 3:00pm 
Since the issue is still present and this topic keeps getting bumped, I will post an immediate solution for this problem.

Shut down the desktop Steam app, force steam.exe to download an old version of Steam with the VGUI design, and disable automatic Steam updates via a config file. The instructions can be found in this topic, make sure to read each step carefully.

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/0/6516193260168294059/

Use the old server browser, go to the "Favorites" tab, click "Change filters", and do not select any particular game to see all unresponsive servers.
IceBeam Nov 30, 2023 @ 3:07pm 
Originally posted by curVV:
+1 yes please

any idea where these favourites are stored? probably on user's cloud space, could only find history locally...

Just to clarify, this user is referring to the "serverbrowser_hist.vdf" file in

<steam_dir>\userdata\<steam3id>\7\remote\serverbrowser_hist.vdf

Your Steam3 ID can be discovered using third-party websites like https://steamid.uk.

This folder doesn't seem to have a file with favorite servers.
Last edited by IceBeam; Nov 30, 2023 @ 3:08pm
Loup Dec 2, 2023 @ 12:22pm 
Originally posted by IceBeam:
Since the issue is still present and this topic keeps getting bumped, I will post an immediate solution for this problem.

Shut down the desktop Steam app, force steam.exe to download an old version of Steam with the VGUI design, and disable automatic Steam updates via a config file. The instructions can be found in this topic, make sure to read each step carefully.

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/0/6516193260168294059/

Use the old server browser, go to the "Favorites" tab, click "Change filters", and do not select any particular game to see all unresponsive servers.

Thanks man. I had the same issue, and my OCD was getting triggered. I did that, removed all the old servers and updated steam again. I am happy now.
ORION Dec 2, 2023 @ 2:41pm 
HJK
Poor huwhyte Carl May 19, 2024 @ 11:53pm 
I double that. Worth noting, that this functionality DID exist before the UI uplift. But the new steam dumbed down GUI doesn't have it.
Adam May 20, 2024 @ 6:07am 
This thread was quite old before the recent post, so we're locking it to prevent confusion.
Showing 1-13 of 13 comments
Per page: 1530 50

Date Posted: Sep 1, 2023 @ 3:22pm
Posts: 13