Valve, we need a fix for this ASAP.

I’m running multiple portable devices (Steam Deck and a Windows handheld), and I’ve noticed that installing a game on one device automatically triggers a download on the other—even when they’re in completely different locations. This isn’t a feature I opted into. It’s a forced behavior that wastes bandwidth and storage, especially on devices with limited capacity.

I love the idea of remote installs via the Steam website or mobile app. That’s a great feature—*when it’s optional*. But this isn’t optional. It’s happening automatically, and there’s no way to disable it.

Just like we get the option to stream a game from another device or play it locally, we should have the same flexibility with installations. For example, clicking the install button should offer a dropdown:
**“Install to this device only”**
This would give users full control over where games are installed, regardless of OS or location.

And no, the workarounds I’ve seen—disabling internet, signing out, turning off auto-start, disabling cloud saves—are unacceptable. These are band-aids, not solutions. A simple UI update could fix this and give us the install freedom we need.

Maybe I’m missing something here, Valve? If there’s a hidden setting or workaround I haven’t found, I’d love to hear it. But so far, I’ve come up empty after searching forums and support pages.

Please consider adding this feature. It’s long overdue, and I know I’m not the only one dealing with this.