Steam’s September 9 Update Brings Long-Awaited Library and Accessibility Upgrades

Steam has rolled out a major client update on September 9, 2025, packed with features and quality-of-life improvements that address longstanding user requests. For gamers with large libraries, those who prefer cleaner UI, or anyone with accessibility needs, there’s a lot to like in this release.

What’s New

• Custom Sort Titles & Custom Artwork
  Steam now includes a Customization tab in game properties. Users can assign custom sort titles—this lets you reorder game series in your library without changing the visible title. For example, games like Assassin’s Creed or Yakuza can now appear in narrative or release order instead of strictly alphabetical. (PC Gamer) Additionally, users can upload custom artwork per game. (PC Gamer)
• Accessibility & UI Scaling Improvements
  High-contrast mode, reduced motion settings, and more precise UI scaling have been introduced. These changes aim to assist users with vision impairments or those who prefer more control over interface visuals. (GamesRadar+)
  An Accessibility settings menu in desktop mode has been added. UI components now include better annotations, making Steam more navigable and legible. (Steam Community)
• Performance Monitoring & CPU Temp Option
  The update graduates the CPU temperature monitor (previously in beta). It now supports optional kernel-mode driver under Windows for advanced performance overlay. Users can decide whether or not to enable this level of detail. (PC Gamer)
  Also, GPU usage reporting on Windows (especially with Nvidia cards) has been refined to give more accurate metrics. (TechSpot)
• Library & Private Game Filters
  Dynamic collections and filtered views now support filtering private games. Users with large or varied libraries can better organize their libraries by showing/hiding private titles. (PC Gamer)
• Steam Deck-Specific Fixes
  Many improvements apply to the Steam Deck client: improved startup performance (especially for large libraries or libraries with non-Steam games), better performance during profile switching, and more robust collection storage. (Steam Deck HQ)

Why This Matters

For users who’ve long been frustrated by Steam’s strictly alphabetical sort order, this update delivers relief. Custom sort titles mean game series can finally be ordered in a way that makes sense to the gamer—not to the auto-alphabetizer.

Accessibility features make Steam more usable and inclusive. Big wins for users who need UI elements to scale, want reduced motion, or need high contrast. These are not just nice add-ons—they affect comfort and usability.

Performance improvements and quality-of-life fixes reduce friction for players, especially those with large or mixed libraries. The Deck improvements also show Valve is still working to smooth out Steam Deck experience.

Reddit users are broadly positive. From r/pcgaming, one comment reads:

“Holy jesus the UI scale is a mega W, at last no more having to open Steam in my browser to zoom in because I couldn’t read the small text in-client.” (Reddit)

Another user in the Steam Deck subreddit writes:

“Steam library navigation!!!! You can go in and out of a game, and it keeps you in the same position of the games list now!!” (Reddit)

Some note that not all features are fully visible yet (for instance, wide-store pages mentioned in the announcement are not live for everyone). (Steam Community)

What’s Still Missing / What to Watch For

• Users have asked for better options around display names for games or further customization in how games are labeled beyond sort titles.
• Some features (like wide store pages) are in announcement but not always enabled or visible, suggesting a phased rollout.
• Kernel-mode driver for CPU temp monitoring may raise concern among users wary of deeper system access. It remains optional. (TechSpot)

Steam’s September 9 update may not be flashy in terms of new games or content, but it’s one of its more meaningful updates in recent years. Between better accessibility, custom sorting, and performance tweaks, this release shows Valve is listening. If you haven’t updated yet, it’s worth doing so—and exploring the new features to see what improves your day-to-day Steam experience.