v2 of the script has a new home at https://github.com/AveYo/Gaming/blob/main/steam_min.bat
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January 24, 2026 21:17
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Save AveYo/e98a6284d6ab2ba4ad725d605d23fd3e to your computer and use it in GitHub Desktop.
Steam minimal resource usage after removal of -no-browser & -vgui options. Enter script in powershell then use Steam_min shortcut on Desktop instead
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| @(set "0=%~f0" '& set 1=%*) & powershell -nop -c "type -lit $env:0 | out-string | powershell -nop -c -" & exit /b ');.{ | |
| " Steam_min : always restarts in SmallMode with reduced ram and cpu usage when idle - AveYo, 2025.08.23 " | |
| $FriendsSignIn = 0 | |
| $FriendsAnimed = 0 | |
| $ShowGameIcons = 0 | |
| $NoJoystick = 1 | |
| $NoShaders = 1 | |
| $NoGPU = 1 | |
| ## AveYo: steam launch options | |
| $QUICK = "-silent -quicklogin -forceservice -vrdisable -oldtraymenu -nofriendsui -no-dwrite " + ("","-nojoy ")[$NoJoystick -eq 1] | |
| $QUICK+= ("","-noshaders ")[$NoShaders -eq 1] + ("","-nodirectcomp -cef-disable-gpu -cef-disable-gpu-sandbox ")[$NoGPU -eq 1] | |
| $QUICK+= "-cef-allow-browser-underlay -cef-delaypageload -cef-force-occlusion -cef-disable-hang-timeouts -console" | |
| ## AveYo: abort if steam not found | |
| $STEAM = resolve-path (gp "HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Valve\Steam" -ea 0).SteamPath | |
| if (-not (test-path "$STEAM\steam.exe") -or -not (test-path "$STEAM\steamapps\libraryfolders.vdf")) { | |
| write-host " Steam not found! " -fore Black -back Yellow; sleep 7; return | |
| } | |
| ## AveYo: close steam gracefully if already running | |
| $focus = $false | |
| if ((gp "HKCU:\Software\Valve\Steam\ActiveProcess" -ea 0).pid -gt 0 -and (gps -name steamwebhelper -ea 0)) { | |
| start "$STEAM\Steam.exe" -args '-ifrunning -silent -shutdown +quit now' -wait; $focus = $true | |
| } | |
| ## AveYo: force close steam if needed | |
| while ((gps -name steamwebhelper -ea 0) -or (gps -name steam -ea 0)) { | |
| kill -name 'steamwebhelper','steam' -force -ea 0; del "$STEAM\.crash" -force -ea 0; $focus = $true; sleep -m 250 | |
| } | |
| if ($focus) { $QUICK+= " -foreground" } | |
| ## AveYo: lean and mean helper functions to process steam vdf files | |
| function vdf_parse { | |
| param([string[]]$vdf, [ref]$line = ([ref]0), [string]$re = '\A\s*("(?<k>[^"]+)"|(?<b>[\{\}]))\s*(?<v>"(?:\\"|[^"])*")?\Z') | |
| $obj = new-object System.Collections.Specialized.OrderedDictionary # ps 3.0: [ordered]@{} | |
| while ($line.Value -lt $vdf.count) { | |
| if ($vdf[$line.Value] -match $re) { | |
| if ($matches.k) { $key = $matches.k } | |
| if ($matches.v) { $obj[$key] = $matches.v } | |
| elseif ($matches.b -eq '{') { $line.Value++; $obj[$key] = vdf_parse -vdf $vdf -line $line } | |
| elseif ($matches.b -eq '}') { break } | |
| } | |
| $line.Value++ | |
| } | |
| return $obj | |
| } | |
| function vdf_print { | |
| param($vdf, [ref]$indent = ([ref]0)) | |
| if ($vdf -isnot [System.Collections.Specialized.OrderedDictionary]) {return} | |
| foreach ($key in $vdf.Keys) { | |
| if ($vdf[$key] -is [System.Collections.Specialized.OrderedDictionary]) { | |
| $tabs = "${\t}" * $indent.Value | |
| write-output "$tabs""$key""${\n}$tabs{${\n}" | |
| $indent.Value++; vdf_print -vdf $vdf[$key] -indent $indent; $indent.Value-- | |
| write-output "$tabs}${\n}" | |
| } else { | |
| $tabs = "${\t}" * $indent.Value | |
| write-output "$tabs""$key""${\t}${\t}$($vdf[$key])${\n}" | |
| } | |
| } | |
| } | |
| function vdf_mkdir { | |
| param($vdf, [string]$path = ''); $s = $path.split('\',2); $key = $s[0]; $recurse = $s[1] | |
| if ($key -and $vdf.Keys -notcontains $key) { $vdf[$key] = new-object System.Collections.Specialized.OrderedDictionary } | |
| if ($recurse) { vdf_mkdir $vdf[$key] $recurse } | |
| } | |
| function sc-nonew($fn, $txt) { | |
| if ((Get-Command set-content).Parameters['nonewline']) { set-content -lit $fn $txt -nonewline -force } | |
| else { [IO.File]::WriteAllText($fn, $txt -join [char]10) } # ps2.0 | |
| } | |
| @{'\t'=9; '\n'=10; '\f'=12; '\r'=13; '\"'=34; '\$'=36}.getenumerator() | foreach {set $_.Name $([char]($_.Value)) -force} | |
| ## AveYo: change steam startup location to Library window and set friendsui perfomance options | |
| dir "$STEAM\userdata\*\7\remote\sharedconfig.vdf" -Recurse |foreach { | |
| $file = $_; $write = $false; $vdf = vdf_parse -vdf (gc $file -force) | |
| if ($vdf.count -eq 0) { $vdf = vdf_parse @('"UserRoamingConfigStore"','{','}') } | |
| vdf_mkdir $vdf.Item(0) 'Software\Valve\Steam\FriendsUI' | |
| $key = $vdf.Item(0)["Software"]["Valve"]["Steam"] | |
| if ($key["SteamDefaultDialog"] -ne '"#app_games"') { $key["SteamDefaultDialog"] = '"#app_games"'; $write = $true } | |
| $ui = $key["FriendsUI"]["FriendsUIJSON"]; if ($ui -notlike '*{*') { $ui = '' } | |
| if ($FriendsSignIn -eq 0 -and ($ui -like '*bSignIntoFriends\":true*' -or $ui -like '*PersonaNotifications\":1*') ) { | |
| $ui = $ui.Replace('bSignIntoFriends\":true','bSignIntoFriends\":false') | |
| $ui = $ui.Replace('PersonaNotifications\":1','PersonaNotifications\":0'); $write = $true | |
| } | |
| if ($FriendsAnimed -eq 0 -and ($ui -like '*bAnimatedAvatars\":true*' -or $ui -like '*bDisableRoomEffects\":false*') ) { | |
| $ui = $ui.Replace('bAnimatedAvatars\":true','bAnimatedAvatars\":false') | |
| $ui = $ui.Replace('bDisableRoomEffects\":false','bDisableRoomEffects\":true'); $write = $true | |
| } | |
| $key["FriendsUI"]["FriendsUIJSON"] = $ui; if ($write) { sc-nonew $file $(vdf_print $vdf); write-output " $file " } | |
| } | |
| ## AveYo: enable Small Mode and library performance options | |
| $opt = @{LibraryDisableCommunityContent=1; LibraryLowBandwidthMode=1; LibraryLowPerfMode=1; LibraryDisplayIconInGameList=0} | |
| if ($ShowGameIcons -eq 1) {$opt.LibraryDisplayIconInGameList = 1} | |
| dir "$STEAM\userdata\*\config\localconfig.vdf" -Recurse |foreach { | |
| $file = $_; $write = $false; $vdf = vdf_parse -vdf (gc $file -force) | |
| if ($vdf.count -eq 0) { $vdf = vdf_parse @('"UserLocalConfigStore"','{','}') } | |
| vdf_mkdir $vdf.Item(0) 'Software\Valve\Steam'; vdf_mkdir $vdf.Item(0) 'friends' | |
| $key = $vdf.Item(0)["Software"]["Valve"]["Steam"] | |
| if ($key["SmallMode"] -ne '"1"') { $key["SmallMode"] = '"1"'; $write = $true } | |
| foreach ($o in $opt.Keys) { if ($vdf.Item(0)["$o"] -ne """$($opt[$o])""") { | |
| $vdf.Item(0)["$o"] = """$($opt[$o])"""; $write = $true | |
| }} | |
| if ($FriendsSignIn -eq 0) { | |
| $key = $vdf.Item(0)["friends"] | |
| if ($key["SignIntoFriends"] -ne '"0"') { $key["SignIntoFriends"] = '"0"'; $write = $true } | |
| } | |
| if ($write) { sc-nonew $file $(vdf_print $vdf); write-output " $file " } | |
| } | |
| ## AveYo: save to steam if pasted directly into powershell or content does not match | |
| $file = "$STEAM\steam_min.ps1"; $file_lines = if (test-path -lit $file) {(gc -lit $file) -ne ''} else {'file'} | |
| $env0 = if ($env:0 -and (test-path -lit $env:0)) {gc -lit $env:0} else {'env0'} ; $env0_lines = $env0 -ne '' | |
| $text = "@(set ""0=%~f0"" '${0=%~f0}');.{$($MyInvocation.MyCommand.Definition)} #_press_Enter_if_pasted_in_powershell" | |
| $text = $text -split '\r?\n'; $text_lines = $text -ne '' | |
| if (diff $text_lines $env0_lines) { if (diff $file_lines $text_lines) { $text | set-content -force $file} } | |
| else { if (diff $file_lines $env0_lines) {$env0 | set-content -force $file} } | |
| ## AveYo: refresh Steam_min desktop shortcut | |
| $wsh = new-object -ComObject WScript.Shell | |
| $lnk = $wsh.CreateShortcut("$([Environment]::GetFolderPath('Desktop'))\Steam_min.lnk") | |
| $lnk.Description = "$STEAM\steam.exe"; $lnk.IconLocation = "$STEAM\steam.exe,0"; $lnk.WindowStyle = 7 | |
| $lnk.TargetPath = "powershell"; $lnk.Arguments = "-nop -nol -ep remotesigned -file ""$STEAM\steam_min.ps1""" | |
| $lnk.Save(); $lnk = $null | |
| ## AveYo: start Steam with quick launch options | |
| [void]$wsh.Run("""$STEAM\Steam.exe"" $QUICK", 1, "false"); $wsh = $null | |
| } #_press_Enter_if_pasted_in_powershell |
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| * text=auto | |
| * eol=crlf |
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Is there a way you can add the feature that steam used to have where you can press enter in small mode in the library and you can launch the game and install it very easily Let me know please because this was available in VGUI