Steam

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Opting In and Out of Steam Client and Product Betas
By Jimo
I will give you instructions on how to opt-in and out of a client or product beta through Steam.
   
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Introduction
This guide will give you instructions on how to opt-in or out of a client or product beta through Steam.

Opting into a beta offers the opportunity to try out updates before they're officially released for the purpose of providing feedback to the developers. Some beta releases may contain bugs or differences from standard functionality, always read the change log before deciding to opt-in.

Client Betas
Opting in or out of a client beta can be done by opening the Steam Client and clicking on the "Steam" button located on the menu at the top left. Once you have the menu open click on "Settings".



Mac users will need to choose "Steam" and then "Preferences" from the applications menu at the top of the screen.



If an open beta is available or you're already opted in, it will be displayed within the beta participation section of the "Settings" page. To adjust your beta participation status click the "Change" button.



Once you've clicked "Change" a window will appear with a drop-down menu. From the menu you'll be able to choose from the available betas. You'll also be able to opt-out of all betas by selecting the menu option.

When you've made your selection click "Ok".



You'll then be required to restart Steam. Once Steam has been restarted it will begin updating.



If you chose to opt-in to a beta you'll continue to receive beta updates until the beta period is over, or until you opt-out. The changelog for beta update can be found within the announcements section of the Steam Client Beta group, it's also a great place to leave feedback and bug reports.
Client Betas with Big Picture
If you're using Steam Big Picture you can opt-in to the latest client beta by selecting the "Settings" button from the main screen.


On the settings page select the option which says "System".



Check the client beta participation box on the Settings page to opt-in to the latest beta. You can opt-out of the beta at any time by removing the checkmark.


Once you've checked the box you can select the "check for updates" button to begin downloading the latest Steam client beta if available. Once the download is done you'll be prompted to restart Steam to complete the installation.

Product Betas
Occasionally developers will provide a beta update for their game or software which requires the user to opt-in. You can opt-in to product betas by right clicking the game or software on your Steam Library and choosing "Properties".



From the properties window select the tab titled "Betas". From this page select the applicable beta from the drop-down menu. If you've previously opted into a beta you can opt out by selecting the menu option.



If you're opting in to a private beta which requires a password you'll need to type it into the access code box beneath the drop-down menu. Selecting "Check Code" will inform you if you've entered the correct password or not.



Once you're done making your selection close the properties window by selecting "Close". Once the window is closed it will begin updating to the selected version if you've met the requirements.
Product Betas with Big Picture
If you're using Steam Big Picture you can opt-in to product betas by selecting the product from your library and scrolling to the module titled "Links & More". From this menu choose "Select Beta".



Select the applicable beta from the drop-down menu and click "Close". If you've previously opted into a beta you can opt-out by selecting the menu option.



Once you've closed the window your product will begin updating to the selected version if you've met the requirements.
Closing Notes
If you have any questions or comments regarding this guide please feel free to leave a comment below.

You can also check out all of my other Steam Guides here.




http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=164655181
145 Comments
crunchy_soup Sep 12 @ 4:27am 
I actually just opted in, and it fixed some issues I was having!
Cuddlejam Sep 11 @ 9:49pm 
Where did you find that old interface setting, @Proximo?
Proximo Aug 28 @ 10:08am 
I got invited to the steam beta of Deadlock, had the option to opt in in the old interface. Now that i want to opt out, there is no such option anymore.
cSg|mc-Hotsauce Oct 19, 2023 @ 8:42am 
@Jimakus The Steam client beta is in the Interface options now.
Jimakus Oct 19, 2023 @ 8:33am 
I don't have the choices displayed in the 3rd picture, just when clicking Account.
dragon Aug 4, 2023 @ 5:03am 
Is there a standardized way to describe to players how to opt into product betas now? This guide is outdated but was the best quasi-official source I could find. It's still mostly right, things just look different now.
cSg|mc-Hotsauce Jul 5, 2023 @ 9:14am 
Beta participation was moved to the Interface tab in the new UI.
oliverward93 Jun 16, 2023 @ 3:04pm 
they really screwed this one up, when i open preferences i just get a black box so cant even opt out
W.A.R_Angel Jun 15, 2023 @ 11:57am 
I did all of that but none worked . I select no steam beta update , after restarting steam still it was beta ... pls some1 help me
Void Dragon YT Jun 14, 2023 @ 9:57pm 
This needs to be updated with the new update. I cannot find how to opt out anymore with the new UI.