Please have an option to keep demos on library after uninstalling them

[JCB]

A recent Steam update changed the way demos are handled, and it makes it so you can either download a demo from the store page, or add it to the library, for later installation.

The thing is, after you install a demo (even if you click to add it to your library, and install from there), and then uninstall it, the demo is fully gone from your library, and from the licenses page (the license is fully removed from your account), and can only be installed again if one goes back to the demo page, and install it again.
That is, if the demo isn't removed from Steam in the meantime, in which case you are out of luck.

This may seem unimportant, but various demos on Steam are actually standalone titles or prequel chapters, and if one can't re-install them and they are removed from the store, these titles/content will be lost.

A few random examples:
-the Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars "demo" is actually a prequel story, set before the main game, a completely independent small story;
-the Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony Demo Ver. actually has a different story, and unlocks stuff in the full game;
-the Read Only Memories: NEURODIVER Pilot Memory "Demo" is actually a prequel story, that takes place before the main game.

These examples and more makes some of the existing demos worth playing and revisiting, even if you own the full games, and it would be great to have a way to keep them in our accounts.

May I suggest, for example, that when you uninstall a demo, you don't lose the license to it (which would keep it in your library, for future re-installation), since there's already an option to remove it from your library/account?
Or, that a prompt may be added that, when you uninstall a demo, it asks the user if you also want to remove the license from your library/account, or not?

Hopefully this is something that can be considered.
I know people don't like having demos "cluttering" their libraries, since indeed in some cases it's just small bits from the full game, and mostly useless when you buy the full game, but for these "special" cases where the demos are actually standalone titles, prequel chapters, or feature exclusive content and/or unlockables for the full game, it would be great to be able to add them to our accounts, and keep them, if a users wishes to do so.

thank you

[BO7AMMOOD]

Well said! I like having the option to add demos to the library directly now, but It would be a shame indeed to lose "special" demos/prologues from the library once they get uninstalled. Hopefully this get fixed soon.

[toal]

+1, Another requestor here

[TonyK]

+1
I like to keep completed demos in my library. So I always have to go back to the store page and readd the demo. Interestingly, demos I add back to the library this way stay in the collections I put them into before.

[keimbo13]

+1
I just want keep the demo to not forget what the game's name is. Happened that I played a game's demo but the forgot the name and spent a long time searching for the full game.

[widgity]

+1
Currently I just go to "browse local files" and delete the files manually rather than uninstalling through steam. This means they stay in my library, but also means that my "Downloads" page is full of demos with updates since I deleted them (I set them all to update on launch).

[The Defective Butcher]

+1 Losing the Chainsaw Demo from my Library just because I needed space made me panic, I still need to beat the secret hard mode, and having to go back to the REmake 4 page gets pretty annoying. Same can be said about all demos.

[nathany]

+1 The decision to delete the demo license when uninstalling is extra strange when multiple computers are involved. I cancelled the installation of demos on a new computer, which removed the demos from my library. That was surprising! But the demos were still installed on my other computer, so I was able to click through them and click Add Library on each demo to get them back.

[J.]

+1 It's really annoying when it just removes the demo from the library. Sometimes i need to temporarily make space, or plan to visit it again in the future either when updated or when i feel like trying it again. It's just a hindrance when it removes itself entirely after uninstalling.

[Dogas]

Idk if they updated it, but now you can "add to library" demos from the store pages

[widgity]

Originally posted by Dogas:

Idk if they updated it, but now you can "add to library" demos from the store pages

You can, and it still removes it from your library when you uninstall it You have to uninstall it, then go back to the store page, and add it back to your library again.

[Dogas]

Originally posted by widgity:

Originally posted by Dogas:

Idk if they updated it, but now you can "add to library" demos from the store pages

You can, and it still removes it from your library when you uninstall it You have to uninstall it, then go back to the store page, and add it back to your library again.

hmm if you add then install then uninstall do it remove it after still?

[widgity]

Originally posted by Dogas:

hmm if you add then install then uninstall do it remove it after still?

Yup, still removes it (for me at least).

[JCB]

Originally posted by widgity:

You can, and it still removes it from your library when you uninstall it You have to uninstall it, then go back to the store page, and add it back to your library again.

And, I noticed a couple of demos (regular demos, not those event "time limited" demos) I had in my library were removed from the store, and also vanished from my library.

I really hope Valve does something about this, although considering the time that has passed, I sadly fear they won't.

All that would be needed is for the uninstall option to not automatically remove the license from the library (there's already an option to remove the license from the library, and you can always do that also through the licenses page, like you could always do).

[SergeyDoes]

+1

Every Next Fest raises the issue for me. I often seek some demos on mobile app, and it is ridiculous you have the Add To Library button which still makes you look for the demo in Licenses list later

[nibiron]

+1