The last 4 days have been such a pain. I really dislike we do not have a simple option to disable auto mod updates, especially when it can BREAK a save.

I found some working ways to prevent autoupdate of a Game , and of Workshop Mod DLC.

The short answer is: Just write protect your appmanifest file and launch the game as a shortcut ...

Steps to block game client updates:

Find the game's app manifest by

find game's app ID by

Steam ► right click on game ► Properties ► Updates ► App ID is listed below

Steam ► right click on game ► Manage ► Browse local files

Go 2 folders above that game folder (you should land in steam(or steamlibrary)\steamapps)

Find your appmanifest_YourGame'sAppID file and now

right click it ► Properties ► Check "Write protected" ► OK

Done

Now the game won't update any longer and will show a "DISK WRITE ERROR" in Steam's Downloads tab, written in red. You cannot launch the game any longer, as it still tries to update, but can't. This is what we want.



How to block workshop/DLC stuff from updating:

Find the game's app manifest by

find game's app ID by

Steam ► right click on game ► Properties ► Updates ► App ID is listed below

Steam ► right click on game ► Manage ► Browse local files

Go 2 folders above that game folder (you should land in steam(or steamlibrary)\steamapps)

Go to folder "workshop"

Find your appworkshop_YourGame'sAppID file and now

right click it ► Properties ► Check "Write protected" ► OK

Done



How to launch the game now:

either as Desktop Shortcut:

Steam ► Manage ► Add Desktop Shortcut

or as Steam Library Shortcut:

Steam ► right click your game ► Manage ► Browse local files

Copy the address to your game files location from windows explorer's address line (eg. C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Icarus)

Steam ► ADD A GAME (at the bottom) ► Add a Non-Steam Game ► Browse

Paste the earlier copied address to the address line ► press Enter

Find your game's executable (eg. in the root or a "binaries" folder) ► press Open

Back in the Steam's "Add a Game" window ► ADD SELECTED PROGRAMS

You now have created a shortcut you can launch within Steam without updating the game

Alternative you can rename it as you like by right clicking ► Properties

As of today, this is working well for me.Also this is game mod compatible, whose updates should be blocked automatically as well, like for Conan Exiles, but still being loaded without any problem.Service required functions, like internal account logins etc. should work, too.

Steps to unblock game client updates again:

Find the game's app manifest by

find game's app ID by

Steam ► right click on game ► Properties ► Updates ► App ID is listed below

Steam ► right click on game ► Manage ► Browse local files

Go 2 folders above that game folder (you should land in steam(or steamlibrary)\steamapps)

Find your appmanifest_YourGame'sAppID file and now

right click it ► Properties ► Uncheck "Write protected" ► OK

Done

Have fun playing!