In June, this option was just easier, as it wasn't involving using a different client. Now... <insert HowTurntables meme>.


Note that the Friends List is not working properly. It might not work at all or it might work intermittently. Sometimes I saw it working after a retry, sometimes it didn't, after several retries. I couldn't find any reproducible steps to make it work. I've read a few people saying it's working fine, but I'm not sure if they use the old build from OP or the newer CEF build with -vgui. You could try...
- closing and opening Friends List window;
- using the retry button that appears after the error shows up;
- changing your status from the Friends List window, somehow (I couldn't make it work, I had no dropdown list available).

Originally posted by anon_amos:

I may have a fix for the friends list not working with the -vgui option. Open Friends & Chat and click Sign In. It will disappear and appear to have not connected.

Open the Friends & Chat again and you should notice that it now says 'Offline'. Click the drop down and select Online.

You should now be connected and your Friends List should appear.

Later Edit 6 (2023-09-10 UTC): Due to sheer volume of unmoderated trolling (plus being modded myself for "Disrespectful Post" while stating the obvious about the main troll here), I won't be answering any new questions on this subject. I've unsubscribed from this thread. If you have any questions, please read the whole thread, from top to bottom, maybe the question was posted and answered before.

The most common question of value that I can remember is about installing another version that the ones posted. Yes, it is possible, if you search for the specific date when that version was published on web archive.

Originally posted by Radoo:

Originally posted by Limbert:

This is great! Is it possible to revert back to before they messed up the steam controller gyro in May/June (not sure exactly which version)?

Sure, if you know when it happened...
1. Try to find a snapshot from
a) here https://web.archive.org/web/20230000000000*/media.steampowered.com
... or ...
b) here (looking for when the Windows client was backed up might reveal a better snapshot for the updates files which are under https://media.steampowered.com/client and can't be listed) https://web.archive.org/web/20230000000000*/https://media.steampowered.com/client/installer/SteamSetup.exe
2. From that snapshot URL, just copy the timestamp part
Example:

https://web.archive.org/web/20230329081100/https://media.steampowered.com/client/installer/SteamSetup.exe

... copy ...

20230329081100

3. Run the downgrade command with the changed URL, modifying the timestamp part
Example:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steam.exe" -forcesteamupdate -forcepackagedownload -overridepackageurl https://web.archive.org/web/20230616124219if_/media.steampowered.com/client -exitsteam

... changed URL ...

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steam.exe" -forcesteamupdate -forcepackagedownload -overridepackageurl https://web.archive.org/web/20230329081100if_/media.steampowered.com/client -exitsteam

Another interesting aspect of keeping the memory to its lowest is enabling Family View. One helpful user did a test on this.

Originally posted by SAUNA:

Originally posted by Radoo:

That gave me an idea. What if you run Steam using Family View, disabling access to "Steam store", "Community-generated content", "Friends, chat and groups", "My online profile, screenshots, and achievements". How much better Steam would run? Did anyone try it out?

Steam client application
Built: Jun 15 2023
Steam API: v020
Steam package versions: 1686880776

Family view OFF:
323.2 - 383.2 MB large mode, open

Family view ON:
223.1 - 259 MB small mode, minimized on task bar.


First number is just after launch, after a while it grows and seems to stop there.

My toaster specs:

Intel Core i3
4Gb RAM
Win10 32bit

(dont judge me XD)

Later Edit 5 (2023-08-02 UTC): The latest Steam release from 2023-08-01 has removed the -vgui option. This means that for this alternative method to work you will need June/July Steam version which still has the newer underlying CEF - that will allow for newer authentication method in the long run - but also has the -vgui option.

Clean installation is intended for people with no Steam installed at all or people who have issues when trying to downgrade. Skip to Downgrade to Older CEF Steam Version with VGUI Option otherwise.

As most people already have Steam installed and the few links found weren't tested enough by people, the clean install steps will be deferred for now

If you need a clean installation, you could try these download links. After the initial installation, you could continue with the Downgrade steps, as the forced downgrade steps were tested.

Windows Steam Client Install Files

Both links download the same client.

https://web.archive.org/web/20230702125953if_/https://media.steampowered.com/client/installer/SteamSetup.exe
https://web.archive.org/web/20230616124219if_/https://media.steampowered.com/client/installer/SteamSetup.exe

There were two reports of failing to run Steam: "Steam - Critical error. Fail to load steamui.dll". This issue is fixed by "downgrading" using the Windows Downgrade Steps to Older CEF Steam Version with VGUI Option from below.


GNU/Linux Steam Client Deb Files for Debian Based Distros
(E.g. Debian, Ubuntu, Mint)

Packages differ based on the link used. First one should contain the 21 June client, second one the 16 June one.

https://web.archive.org/web/20230702125953if_/https://repo.steampowered.com/steam/archive/precise/steam_latest.deb
https://web.archive.org/web/20230618205131if_/https://repo.steampowered.com/steam/archive/precise/steam_latest.deb

* for Fedora and Arch distros, if you don't want to use the downgrade steps, the solution is to find the archived version from the distro repos - I don't think we've got any updates yet, usually packages are updated later, depending on the maintainer. Note that (at least on Fedora) some distros will not keep old package versions for long. You should save the old package locally in a safe place (not the main system partition - e.g. home dir if it's o a separate partition than root (/), a kits partition you might have, on an USB sick/drive, on a NAS).


MacOS Steam Client Install Files

Both links download the same client.

https://web.archive.org/web/20230702125953if_/https://media.steampowered.com/client/installer/steam.dmg
https://web.archive.org/web/20230714110541if_/https://media.steampowered.com/client/installer/steam.dmg



Windows Downgrade Steps to Older CEF Steam Version with VGUI Option
This requires Steam client to be already installed.
I need people to test this. Let me know the build date and size of download. Also let me know if the Steam pop-up message is correct for Steam Client Updates. Thanks!


GNU/Linux Downgrade Steps to Older CEF Steam version with VGUI Option
This requires Steam client to be already installed.


MacOS Downgrade Steps to Older CEF Steam version with VGUI Option
This requires Steam client to be already installed.





Here, you will find more info about Custom Skins Q&A, StartUp options and alternative ways to block the updates.


Easier Workaround for now (though it seems like Friends List is not working all the time): start Steam in VGUI mode.

GNU/Linux & Windows*

macOS**

* Windows not tested tested by other users
** macOS High Sierra tested



Later Edit: Wow! Thanks for all the awards. Now I feel like I have to tell the story on how I found out about this option:
1. After updating Steam on the newest GNU/Linux PC, I was browsing the new UI drama topics, posting along like most people reading this, and then decided to upgrade my pretty old Mac as well, just to be greeted with black windows
2. Looking up for black windows, screen, something, I found this topic on Steam For Mac, all caps: BLACKSCREEN, and inside this user had come up with a workaround: https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/discussions/forum/2/6516193260165563446/#c6516193260168282748
3. From there, I've did a bit of research on what that option meant, what other options are there and testing it out on my GNU/Linux machine. References:
- VGUI https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/VGUI_Documentation
- Steam options: from this user's post https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/discussions/forum/7/616189106612574150/#c2989789048621125077 to this list https://gist.github.com/xPaw/fe7d275d31da14d70481
- new CEF based GUI engine: https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Chromium_Embedded_Framework
Probably, there were other sources I've seen while trying things out, but these are the main ones.

Thanks again for the awards! If you can, please share your love with the users referenced in the Steam Community links.


Later Edit 2: Sorry OP for the mish mash of posts in this topic between the hard solution you posted and the temporary one I wrote. In the end, both are helping someone, both are trying to tackle the same problem, and any of them can be used, for now. It just depends on how much somebody wants to go to stay away from the new UI.


Later Edit 3 (2023-06-17 UTC): Additional info coming from users posts on the topic:

Custom Skins

Originally posted by Crystal Sharrd:

Originally posted by Crystal Sharrd:

Does -vgui enable custom skins again?

To answer my own question, it does.

StartUp Options other than running from a Command Line Terminal

Windows - Application Shortcut

Originally posted by Wiawyr:

Originally posted by madelai:

Where do I put that code at? Do I include "steam" as well or just "-vgui".

For the shortcut, after the "filepath" in Target, put a space and then -vgui.

Windows - Run Steam when my computer starts

Originally posted by JermioneGranger:

I posted this in the other discussion, but I'll post it here also.

If you have Steam launch when Windows starts, you can make it start with -vgui by adding it to the Steam registry entry at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

It will take effect the next time you restart Windows

GNU/Linux - Run Steam when my computer starts

Originally posted by Radoo:

On GNU/Linux...

1. when you check "Run Steam when my computer starts", Steam creates a desktop file called steam.desktop in ~/.config/autostart/. So modifying that should give you the equivalent of Windows settings;

# Force Steam VGUI on computer startup sed -r 's#^(Exec=/usr/bin/steam %U)$#\1 -vgui#' -i ~/.config/autostart/steam.desktop # Revert Steam VGUI settings on computer startup sed -r 's#^(Exec=/usr/bin/steam %U) -vgui$#\1#' -i ~/.config/autostart/steam.desktop

GNU/Linux - Change Steam to work with VGUI in any situation

Originally posted by Radoo:

On GNU/Linux...

2. if you want to make this work "globally", even when manually opening Steam, even from the terminal, instead of editing your Desktop/Launch bar shortcut, you can edit the steam file, which is actually a bash file.

# Force Steam VGUI globally sudo su -c 'sed -r '\''s#^(exec "\$LAUNCHSTEAMDIR/\$STEAMBOOTSTRAP" "\$@")$#\1 -vgui#'\'' -i /usr/bin/steam' # Revert Steam VGUI settings globally sudo su -c 'sed -r '\''s#^(exec "\$LAUNCHSTEAMDIR/\$STEAMBOOTSTRAP" "\$@") -vgui$#\1#'\'' -i /usr/bin/steam'

Later Edit 4 (2023-07-24 UTC): Just a heads up, I saw a few reports on the forums about -vgui option not working anymore in the latest Beta. Valve might be killing this alternative in the next update.

Anyone with limited resources should try to block any updates from now forward or just go with OP's solution.

Info found on how to block updates

Originally posted by Wikarian99PL:

• Open Steam Main Folder
  Default "C:\Program Files\Steam" or Your Location
  
• In this folder create File "steam.cfg" (.cfg Needs To Be File Extension, not steam.cfg.txt)
  
• Paste This in our "steam.cfg" File (It will prevent form Automatic Updates)
  BootStrapperInhibitAll=Enable
  BootStrapperForceSelfUpdate=False

Originally posted by _I_:

you can stop steam from updating

open folder
..\steam\package
delete the 'tmp' folder if there is one

create a file named 'tmp' with no extension

then steam cannot make the tmp folder to update its client files
done