How to disable your Steam overlay in the app, to fix games that can't run with it turned on

• You can disable the Steam overlay through the Settings or Preferences menu, depending on whether you're using a PC or Mac, respectively.
• The Steam overlay allows you to surf the web and message friends while in-game, but can also cause performance issues with some games.
• Disabling the Steam overlay will allow games that have those performance issues to run more smoothly. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The Steam overlay is a feature that lets you check your achievements, message your friends, open an internet browser, and more — all while you're playing a game. All you need to do to open it is press Shift + Tab while playing.

However, if your computer isn't very powerful, opening the Steam overlay during a game can cause heavy lag. Some users have also reported issues playing certain games while the overlay is enabled.

Fortunately, you can disable the Steam overlay directly from your Steam app. This will make it so pressing Shift + Tab won't do anything.

However, you can't disable it only for specific games. If you want to disable the Steam overlay, you'll have to turn it off completely.

Here's how to do so on both Mac and PC.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Steam Gift Card (From $20 at Best Buy)

Lenovo IdeaPad 130 (From $299.99 at Best Buy)

MacBook Pro (From $1,299.99 at Best Buy)

How to disable the Steam overlay

Make sure that Steam is open and that you're logged in.

1. In the top-right corner of the screen, click "Steam." Once the drop-down menu appears, select "Settings" if you're using a PC, or "Preferences..." if you're on a Mac.

2. Once the Settings page opens, click on the "In-Game" tab in the left sidebar.

3. Uncheck the box that reads "Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game." 

4. Click "OK" to confirm the changes. 

You now shouldn't be able to open the overlay while in-game.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

• How to find your Steam ID, the unique 17-digit code that identifies your gaming account, and what to do if it won't appear

• How to share games on Steam with anyone on a single computer, or on another computer anywhere in the world

• How to add friends on Steam in 3 different ways, to join their multiplayer games and more

• How to change your Steam username in 4 simple steps, and delete all traces of what your username used to be

• How to move your Steam games to another drive, and make sure you never run out of storage space

Insider Inc. receives a commission when you buy through our links.

Watch: The easy steps everyone should take to get out of debt, according to a certified financial planner

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o8HSoqWeq6Oeu7S1w56pZ5ufonyowcidnKxnpJqwqXvHqK5mrJ9isaq%2FwJujnmWjqbKiuYyorZ6qnJbG