FIXED: Steam Disk Usage Slow | 8 Proven Ways?

Steam disk usage refers to the amount of storage capacity on a computer's hard drive (HDD/SDD) that is utilized per second for writing data when downloading games. It may sometimes appear slow or non-existent during the writing process, especially when downloading large files or updating games.

If the disk usage indicator is low, it suggests that your Steam disk writing speed is decreasing. This issue might be related to your network or storage device. Thankfully, there are tools available that can efficiently resolve the problem of slow Steam disk usage.

如何解决Steam磁盘使用率低的问题

Many users from Tom's Hardware or the Steam community have encountered similar issues with slow Steam disk usage:

If you encounter issues, pause the download for a while and resume it later, ensuring your internet connection remains stable during the process. If this approach doesn't help, don't worry; based on successful experiences shared by users on forums, we have compiled more effective solutions to address slow disk usage in Steam and Steam's slow disk write speed errors. Share this tutorial if you find it helpful.

Method 1: Increase the Free Space on the Steam Disk

The "Steam disk usage low" error typically occurs when there isn't sufficient space on your hard drive. You can enhance Steam's download speed and decrease loading times by deleting unnecessary files. If you have adequate space on other partitions, you can expand your Steam drive without deleting any files:

Partition Master Professional offers a comprehensive solution to address Steam's low disk space issues, which includes:

• Extend Partition: Increase the drive's free space to ensure it has enough room for new game downloads.
• App Mover: Move Steam games to another drive to free up space.
• Delete Partition: Removing a partition erases its contents and frees up the space for other use.

Here, we will select the "Extend Partition" feature and demonstrate how to expand the free space on your Steam disk without compromising your data:

Step 1. Go to Partition Manager, hover your mouse over the target drive with low disk space, and click "Resize with 1-Click".

When your partition is out of space and shows read, Partition Master will pop up low disk space warning and offer "Adjust with 1-click" option.

Step 2. Click "OK" to automatically extend the partition.

The tool Partition Master will intelligently extend the partition to solve the low space issue, and you just need to click "OK" to continue.

If Smart Space Adjustment doesn't meet your needs, you can also click "Manual Adjustment" to extend the partition size manually. Then, click "OK" to proceed.

Step 3. Perform operations to extend the low disk space partition.

Click the "Execute Task" button in the top corner and save all changes by clicking "Apply."

Method 2: Set Steam to High Priority in Task Manager

Setting Steam to high priority in the Task Manager ensures that system resources are directed to Steam primarily, thus enhancing its performance. Here's a step-by-step guide to prioritize Steam in Task Manager and boost its disk usage speed: 1. **Open Task Manager**: Press the `Ctrl + Shift + Esc` keys simultaneously on your keyboard to launch the Task Manager. 2. **Navigate to the Processes Tab**: Click on the "Processes" tab at the top of the Task Manager window. This will display all running applications and processes. 3. **Find Steam**: Scroll down the list to locate the Steam process. It might be listed under "Apps" or "Background Processes," depending on whether you have Steam running or if it's running in the background. 4. **Right-Click on Steam**: Once you find the Steam process, right-click on it. 5. **Select "Set Priority"**: From the context menu that appears, choose "Set Priority" option. 6. **Choose "High" Priority**: A sub-menu will pop up. Select "High" from the options. This will prioritize Steam over other non-essential processes. 7. **Close Task Manager**: After setting the priority, you can close the Task Manager. Steam will now utilize more system resources, potentially increasing its speed and disk usage efficiency. Please note that while this may improve Steam's performance, it could also affect the overall system responsiveness. Monitor your system's behavior, and if you notice any issues, reset the priority back to "Normal."

Step 1. Right-click on the Start button icon and open the Task Manager.

Step 2. Locate the Steam.exe program, right-click on it, and go to Set Priority > High.

Finish the settings, then return to the Steam Client application and check if it impacts the game download speed. This solution is also applicable for resolving Steam unpacking slow issues.

Method 3: Change the Download Server Location

Steam determines your location and assigns you the closest download server. You might experience slow disk usage when the server is congested or far away. Changing the download server you're connected to can resolve this issue.

Navigate to Steam > Settings > Downloads. On the right side, choose your download region, click the drop-down menu, and select the server that's closest to your location.

Additionally, below the Download area, you'll find the Limit download speed option, a setting that might already be in place and affecting the download process. If the download speed is slow, you can disable this feature.

Method 4: Clear Steam Download Cache

The Steam client creates a hidden folder to cache download files and store temporary items. If you've downloaded anything recently, attempting to clear the Steam download cache might help. Clearing this cache can resolve issues with games and applications that won't launch or download.

Step 1. Open the Steam client and click on the "Steam" tab in the top left corner.

Step 2. Choose Settings > Downloads.

Step 3. Select CLEAR DOWNLOAD CACHE on the right side.

Method 5: Check for Disk Errors

Logical errors in the storage device can also lead to slow disk performance. If the drive is damaged or contains bad sectors, writing to the volume may be hindered or proceed slowly. To address this issue, utilize the command **Chkdsk**. Alternatively, you can use the HDD health checker tool, Partition Master. It offers a Disk Surface Test feature to fix bad sectors:

Step 1. Launch tools Partition Master. Right-click the disk that you wish to check and select "Surface Test".

Step 2. The operation will be performed immediately, and all bad sectors will be marked in red.

Method 6: Reduce Disk Load

Steam downloads may also slow down when the disk load is too high. You can reduce disk usage by disabling Connected User Experience.

Step 1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.

Step 2. Enter the following commands in sequence to disable the connection user experience and startup process:

These are commands in PowerShell to stop and disable the 'diagtrack' service. Here's their translation in English:
• Stop-Service diagtrack
• Set-Service diagtrack -StartupType Disabled

This method can significantly reduce disk usage.

Method 7: Uninstall and Reinstall the Steam Application

An outdated or corrupted Steam client can also cause slow disk usage; please download and reinstall the client.

Stage 1. Uninstall the Steam app

You can uninstall the Steam client through Windows' built-in settings or utilize a tool like Todo PCTrans, a valuable and versatile software management utility. It allows you to uninstall applications or fix corrupted ones with just one click.

Step 1. Select App Management, then click "Start" to securely uninstall your apps and fix any damaged ones.

Step 2. Select the app that you want to uninstall or repair from all the installed apps on your PC. (If the uninstallation fails, click the small triangle icon and choose "Delete.")

Step 3. Click "Uninstall." (If you want to repair apps, click the icon right behind "Uninstall" and select "Repair.")

Stage 2: Reinstall the Steam application

Step 1. Go to the Steam website to download and install the client.

Step 2. Click the "Install Steam" button and download Steam.

Step 3. Click on the executable file and install it.

Method 8: Disable Anti-Virus Software

Antivirus or firewall software might flag Steam games as malware, resulting in slow disk write speed issues. Temporarily disable your antivirus or firewall software:

Step 1. Locate the running antivirus software.

Step 2. If the antivirus is scanning your device, wait for the virus removal process to complete.

Step 3. Close the antivirus and exit it from the Windows 10 taskbar.

Above is the quick solution to fix Steam disk usage issues. If the aforementioned methods fail to resolve your problem, upgrading your hardware might be necessary. If you find these solutions helpful, don't forget to share them on social media buttons to assist more people in need.

Final Words

If you encounter extremely low disk usage or slow disk performance in Steam, try implementing the solutions provided in this article to enhance speed and resolve the issue. Partition Master provides multidimensional fixes, including expanding storage space, removing junk files, repairing bad sectors, and optimizing SSD read and write speeds. Furthermore, in the following section, I will outline a few issues relevant to today's topic. Please continue reading.

Frequently Asked Questions About Slow Steam Disk Usage

Still have more queries about the Steam Disk Usage high issue? Scroll down and find all your answers in this section.

**1. What is disk usage when downloading?**

Disk usage refers to the percentage of a computer's hard drive space that is utilized for running programs and carrying out tasks. It is more connected to the performance of the hard drive rather than its storage capacity.

**2. Why does Steam use so much disk space?**

由于Steam游戏占用的空间很大，所以Steam会“按需”下载和安装它们。文件一旦被写入、解压缩、处理和安装。因此，硬盘和CPU需要跟上网络提供的速度。

3. How do you optimize Steam's disk usage?

You can employ a few tricks to enhance the speed of disk usage in Steam. Here are some popular methods:

• Clean the download cache
• Increase the bandwidth limit (or set it to unlimited)
• Change the download region
• Update network drivers

If you're encountering slow issues with Steam's disk usage, refer to the solutions in this article.