How to update a Steam demo, and when to take it down
2 min read
By Eduardo Orellana ·
A Steam demo is its own app, so you update it like any app: upload a new build to the demo's depots and set it live; after its first approval, updates are not reviewed again. A separate demo page keeps its user reviews across updates, so fix what reviewers complained about and say so in an announcement on the base game. You can deactivate a demo later, which stops new downloads and launches; whether to do so depends on how much of the game it gives away.
A demo is a living build
A demo that went up for Next Fest and never changed is showing a months-old game. Updating it when the game improves keeps the first impression current, and a note about the update gives wishlisters a reason to come back.
Updating
- Build the new demo and upload it to the demo app's depots with SteamPipe.
- Set the build live on the demo's default branch.
- Post an announcement on the base game: what changed, especially fixes players asked for.
Share depots and Steam Cloud saves with the full game where you can, so progress carries over.
Reviews
A demo with its own store page collects user reviews, and they stay with the demo through updates. Reply to them, fix what they name, and mention the fixes; a demo with old negative reviews and a changelog that answers them reads well.
When to take it down
Deactivating a demo stops new downloads and launches; owners still see it in their library. Keep it up while it earns wishlists and does not give away too much. Take it down when it shows most of a short game, or when it is so far behind the full game that it misrepresents it.
Where Flockbay fits
Flockbay's playtest links test each demo update on testers' machines before you upload it. Free in beta until 1 December 2026.