As you may know, the Steam Chat Friends performed a major update on 24, July 2018. New friends list, voice, and chat features were added to the Steam client. Some users like the new UI, but for others don’t like it and want to use the old design of Steam chat. Also, there are still no Steam skins to support Chat with the new interface.
The new Chat UI
Some themes were updated to support the new version of Steam Client, but the chat still uses the default style of Steam. Also, this update has ruined most of the themes that have not been updated for a long time.
Here is the list of all the Steam Skins that are compatible with the latest version of Steam.
- Compact Skin
- Plexed Skin
- Invert Skin
- PixelVision 2 Skin
- Pressure Skin
- Air Skin
- Minimal Steam UI Skin
- Metro Skin
Check our website regularly to see if a skin has been updated.
How to turn off new Steam Friends UI?
The old chat UI with the latest Steam Client.
Fortunately, there is a very easy way to activate the old Steam Chat UI, I’ll try to explain it below.
- 1) Right click on the Steam shortcut on your desktop, and select from the list “Properties”.
- 2) Now a new box is opened, and find “Target”.
Note: If you installed Steam in partition C:/, then you will get something like this:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\Steam.exe"
If you have Steam installed in another location, you will have to select the location where it is installed.
- 3) Added 2 commands at the end of the target text.
These commands were deleted in the latest version of Steam.
-nochatui -nofriendsui
The new commands code:
-steamos
OR:
-no-browser
In my case, the final result will be:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\Steam.exe" -nochatui -nofriendsui
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\Steam.exe" -steamos
OR:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\Steam.exe" -no-browser
- 4) After added commands from above, just click on “Apply” and then the “OK” button.
- 5) Now open the Steam normally, and the old chant style should be loaded. All the skins from the above list work with Chat UI disabled.
Why should I disable the new Chat Interface?
Pressure Skin with new Chat UI ON
Pressure Skin with new Chat UI OFF
If you have any problems, leave a comment below and I will help you as soon as possible.
“Any feedback will be appreciated.”
Hire someone who can actually write in English. The grammar in this entire article hurts my brain.
I’ve corrected all the grammar mistakes, thank you! 🙂
lmao the butthurt
https://youtube.com/watch?v=fY-CbcrFNd8 A better reason than just hating the UI is that new Steam Friends is a total nightmare for security and privacy
Simple, yet effective
Doesn’t work…no folder exists
THank you so much my friend. its working 100%.
im happy
Is there an equivalent of doing this for the ‘developer\publisher’ page when browsing through steam?
I am sick and tired of seeing the PUBLISHER every time I click on a DEVELOPER to see what other games the DEVELOPER has made.
I’m very sure i commented a moment ago. But at least this time I clicked on ‘notify me…’
Don’t suppose there is a similar way to revert the developers store page in this same manner?
I am very annoyed at clicking on a DEVELOPER’S name and being forwarded to the PUBLISHER!
How would you do this on a Mac?
Also need to know how to disable the new chat and friends on Mac. I tried using the arguments but only -silent is accepted. Thanks
it doesn’t work here
Is there any way to get the “friends 0 online” back instead of the button just saying “Friends & Chat?” Because that’s kinda dumb in comparison.
This wont work on startup?
You need to open it thru shortcut?
Thanks by the way. New steam chat so annoying not connecting to server right away.
God bless you
Its helpful ! thanks !
Nice simple fix, thank you Alex.
A lot of THANKS!!!! 🙂
Is there any way to remove the overlay? I use a skin for steam, and ah… look the print
http://prntscr.com/kleg86
it won’t work help pls
My reasons for wanting to go back to the old interface?
– It uses less system resources
– It actually remembers where I put it the next time I open Steam
Thank you for this nice, easy fix to a rather silly problem.
Just a heads-up, according to Valve’s official developer Website here: https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Command_Line_Options#Command-line_parameters_3
Only -nofriendsui is a valid command line parameter. -nochatui is not valid.
How to set up an old chat
it doesn’t work in my steam, please help 🙁
After the Steam update today, neither parameter is working.
Got patched in today’s steam update.
This method had apparently been disallowed or disabled. It was working fine for months. Until today. Even with the parameters it now still loads the new UI. 🙁
The new look of the friends list has returned 🙁 We are waiting for some update of the commands! Alex pls help us !
Not working anymore for me, idk why.
hey, after the new update of novmeber 2018, it does not work anymore, there’s another solution at moment but this will disable the overlay ( the SHIFT + TAB) if there is any other solution contact me on email pls
about the command i was talking about is instead of -nofriendsui -nochatui use -steamos you will head back to the old friend/chat UI but as said will disable ingame overlay
It worked the First few days now it doesnt work :/ and this new chat is so awful.
its not work after last update:((( you have a new solution???
The only solution for now is to use -steamos which will also disable the overlay. which is not ideal.
use “-no-browser”
It still works for me (yay yay yay!!!) even after the other parameters don’t work anymore. Thanks to Sonic65101 for the link^^
Well you COULD use “-no-browser”. It’s showing the old skin for me (here pixelvision, not vanilla), BUT you have no browser, which means no steam shop, nor community. You can still access all your games and also the old Chat/Friendlist without any problem.
Only solution for now is to use -steamos which will also disable the overlay so not ideal
This no longer works, unfortunately. Would you find a new way around?
Doesn’t work…my hopes were crushed…
Well you COULD use “-no-browser”. It’s showing the old skin for me (here pixelvision, not vanilla), BUT you have no browser, which means no steam shop, nor community. You can still access all your games and also the old Chat/Friendlist without any problem.
its not work after last steam client update
Steam completely disabled this feature
Update with the new command!
my steam does not load it keeps on loading on the “Connecting steam account: example…”
nevermind
it now starts but it does not show the old ui
it does not work please help
-steamos working now try it guys
-steamos works but doesn’t show the steam overlay for me anymore.