You will need to install .NET 6.0 desktop runtime and download Depot Downloader in order to do this. The latest version of Depot Downloader as of this writing is 2.4.7.

Unfortunately I cannot provide direct links to these for you, you will have to find them yourself.

1. Extract Depot Downloader anywhere you like. I have a dedicated Utilities folder for programs such as this one so I put mine there.


2. Create a new .txt file in the folder that Depot Downloader is in.

3. Open the .txt file and enter the following. You can copy and paste this into the file from here, just be sure to replace the bracketed username and password parts with your actual username and password. Save and close it when done.

Note: I realise that this part seems incredibly suspicious, but I can personally attest that this is legitimate. Check the Questions section for proof.

4. Change the file name extension from ".txt" to ".bat". You may have to enable file name extensions to do this.

5. Run the .bat file

This will open a command prompt window with all of the text that you input while it was a .txt file, then it will get started after a few seconds.

Be sure not to show this to anyone such as in a stream, as it will show them your Steam username and password!

If you have two factor authentication enabled on your Steam account - which you really should - you will be prompted to enter your authentication code. Do so. You may also get a Windows SmartScreen warning. That's normal, let it run anyway.


Depot Downloader will then begin downloading the bulk of Saints Row IV's game files. This will take some time and create a new folder named "depots" in your Depot Downloader which is where the downloaded files are going.

This process will always generate a folder named "206421" and another one in a moment named "206422" for the uncensored version or "206425" for the censored version. Within each of them, there will be a subfolder that will have an eight digit name - specifically, "10105076" - and the contents of these identically named subfolders are what we want.

Once it finishes, command prompt will automatically close. The next thing we need to do is grab the correct .exe file; however, Low Violence version owners will need to do a little more.

1. Right-click on the .bat file and open it in any text editor.

2. Change "206421" to "206422".

3. Change "32002699204955846" to "6013726710204312506".

4. Save, close and run the file. This will download the .exe.

There is a little bit more that needs to be done to restore this version. I blame Michael Atkinson.

1. Right-click on the .bat file and open it in any text editor.

2. Change "206421" to "206425".

3. Change "32002699204955846" to "3029064039942818866".

4. Save, close and run the file. This will download the .exe.

5. Open the .bat file again.

6. Change "206425" to "206424".

7. Change "3029064039942818866" to "4175297753291580241"

8. Save, close, run one more time. This will download the files that were altered due to the demands of our Aussie government overlords.

Now that you've got everything downloaded, all you need to do is copy and paste the right things to the right location.


1. Open the game's directory.

2. Delete everything in the folder. You will know that you are in the correct place if there is a folder called "redist" in the game directory that has an installer for Epic's online services in it.

(Pictured: The parasite, seconds before eradication.)

3. In the "depots" folder that Depot Downloader created, open the folder named "206421" and then the folder within it named "10105076".

4. Copy and paste the contents to wherever the game's data was that you deleted in step 2. It will look like there are two or three files missing compared to before, but that's normal since the redist folder was a Re-Elected update addition and we are about to throw the .exe in.

4. Go back to the depots folder and copy the .exe file from "206422", placing it alongside the rest of the game files you copied in step 3.

4. Same as above, but you're getting the .exe file from "206425" instead.

5. Additionally, copy the files from "206424" into the game directory and overwrite everything it asks you to.

You can delete the ".DepotDownloader" folder, it doesn't need to remain in the game's directory. With all of that done, it should now look like this:
My SRIV installation is on my F: drive but the path after that will be the same if you've done everything right.

You're finished! Now you can continue to enjoy Saints Row IV the way you always used to.

The icon for the game's .exe might change to look like the Epic Games logo, but that doesn't seem to actually affect anything.

Please note that due to the fact that I own the uncensored version of the game, I am unable to personally test the censored version to verify that the extra steps needed to get it working are correct although I am certain it will work. If anybody is able to and would like to test the method that I outlined, feel free to let me know and I will update the guide should I need to.

If you would prefer not to use Depot Downloader or even the method outlined in this guide for any reason, then I advise you to instead follow Batata's guide:
https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2899380550
It uses Steam's console to download the game's files and additionally includes the original library assets for those who want to completely and perfectly rebuild the game down to its artwork.

Q. "Does this allow me to play the uncensored version of the game if I bought the censored version, or vice versa?"
A. No. I found this out myself by trying to download the data from the version that I didn't own. I live in Australia and received the uncensored version as a Steam gift, so I have to download the uncensored version of the game. You have to download the version that matches the one that you purchased and there's no legitimate way around it.

Q. "Does this allow me to get the game for free if I don't already own it?"
A. No. Depot Downloader uses your Steam info to retrieve these depots, which is also why the method in the previous question doesn't let you pick and choose between the censored or uncensored version of the same game regardless which one you bought. Piracy is bad, m'kay?

Q. "Is Depot Downloader/this method safe to use?"
A. Yes. I received credit in a Steam guide on how to use this procedure to downgrade SUPERHOT VR to restore some scenes that the developers promised not to edit out of the game, then later edited out of the game anyway. See here:
https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2553741268
There is a bit more to it in this case due to the two different versions of Saints Row IV creating a few extra steps, but the method does not get any more complicated, only needing to be tweaked and repeated no more than once or twice.

Q. "What if the game gets updated again?"
A. You will simply have to repeat the process to restore your old version of the game, including using Depot Downloader to redownload everything if you didn't keep the files that you downloaded through it the first time.

Q. "Why not just revert to the legacy version using the Betas tab?"
A. It is the exact same as the updated Re-Elected version and just as broken as a result. The only way to actually revert to the pre-Re-Elected version as of this guide's initial writing is to download an older version of the game.
Thanks to #Gamer#2002 for confirming this!
Update (18/12/2022) - The legacy version of the game has been fixed and you can now use the Betas tab to roll the game back to its original version before the Re-Elected update. No fuss.
Thanks to bim_1337 for the information!