Having Trouble Playing Steam Games on Windows? A Troubleshooting Guide

You can run into issues with your Steam games for many reasons. Problems such as outdated graphics drivers, corrupt game files, and third-party software conflicts can prevent the games from working properly.

If you have trouble playing Steam games on your Windows PC, this guide should help. We have jotted down a list of seven effective troubleshooting tips to help you play your Steam games in Windows.

1. Install the Latest Windows Updates

If you are on Windows 11, you may experience Steam games launching slowly. While a known issue, there is no go-to solution to fix the problem.

If it is a widespread issue in Windows 11, newer Windows updates will likely include a hotfix. Check if you have new Windows updates available and install them to see if that resolves the problem.

To install Windows updates:

1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Next, open the Windows Update tab in the left pane.
3. Click on Check for updates. Wait for the scan to complete and install any critical updates available for your PC.
4. Once installed, restart your PC and check for any improvements.

2. Verify the Integrity of Game Files

Extracted Steam game files can get corrupted due to various reasons and cause the game to malfunction. Fortunately, Steam includes a built-in game files verification tool. It will scan for bad files and replace them as required.

To verify the integrity of games files:

1. Launch the Steam client on your PC.
2. Open the Library tab to view your installed games.

3. Right-click on the game you want to troubleshoot and select Properties.
4. Open the Local Files tab in the left pane.

5. Next, click on Verify integrity of game files. Steam will begin validating the game files. This process may take some time to complete depending on the size of the game.
6. Once the process is complete, Steam will show the repair status. Click Close and relaunch the client to see if the problem is resolved.

3. Run the Game With Administrative Privilege

If Steam has difficulty updating games, it can be due to insufficient permission issues. In this instance, you can run the game as an administrator to fix this problem.

To run the game as an administrator:

1. Launch the Steam client on your PC. Make sure you are not in the family view.
2. Next, open the Library tab to view all the installed games.

3. Right-click on the game you want to troubleshoot and select Manage > Browse local files.
4. Steam will open the installation folder in File Explorer.
5. Right-click on the executable file for your game. For example, to run Counter-Strike: GO as admin, right-click on the csgo.exe file and select Properties.
6. Open the Compatibility tab in the Properties window.

7. Select the Run this program as an administrator option under the Settings section.
8. Click Apply and OK to save the changes.

Relaunch Steam and try to update or run the game to see if the problem is resolved.

4. Run the Game in Compatibility Mode

Windows OS is backward compatible, so most Steam games and apps created for the earlier version of Windows will work without any issues. However, some legacy games may work poorly or run into compatibility issues.

Fortunately, Windows includes a built-in compatibility troubleshooter to mitigate this problem. Follow the steps below or check our guide on how to run older apps in Windows 10 for a more detailed process.

1. Open the installation folder for your Steam game.
2. Right-click on the executable file (.exe) and select Properties.
3. Open the Compatibility tab in the Properties window.
4. Select Run this program in compatibility mode for option.
5. Then, click the drop-down icon and select the compatible version of Windows for the game.
6. Click Apply and OK to save the changes.

5. Update Your Graphics Drivers

GPU manufacturers often release new updates consisting of patches for specific games. These updates include performance improvements and bug fixes for the Windows operating system and the GPU drivers.

Check if you have a new update available for your graphics processing unit to see if that helps resolve the problem. Here’s how to do it.

1. Press Win + R to open Run.
2. Type devmgmt.msc and click OK to open Device Manager.
3. In Device Manager, expand the Display adapters section.
4. Right-click on the graphics device and select Update driver.
5. Click on Search automatically for drivers. Windows will scan for new drivers and prompt you to install, if any. Once installed, restart your PC and check if the issue is resolved.

If Device Manager fails to find new graphics drivers, check your GPU manufacturer’s companion app or the website for new drivers. Refer to our guide on updating GPU drivers in Windows 10 for detailed instructions.

6. Check for Third-Party Program Conflict

Third-party game overlays, antivirus tools, firewall configuration, and other issues can also prevent Steam games from opening. Here are a few options to prevent third-party programs from affecting Steam games in Windows.

6.1 Disable Your VPN

If you have an active VPN (virtual private network) client running, it can affect games that require internet connectivity. To determine the cause, temporarily disable your VPN client and restart the game.

If it works outside the VPN, configure the Steam client and your game traffic to allow it through the network.

6.2 Disable Your Antivirus Program

Third-party antivirus programs can interfere with Steam games and prevent them from launching. It can also falsely detect a game or outgoing connection as malicious and block the access or delete the file.

Check if your antivirus has the Game Mode feature and enable it to reduce antivirus intrusion during gaming. If your antivirus doesn’t have this feature, try adding the Steam client and games to the exclusion list.

Alternatively, you can also temporarily disable your antivirus before your gaming session. Or switch to a different antivirus with game optimization features.

6.3 Disable Startup Apps

Startup apps such as third-party game overlays can conflict with Steam games. First, disable all the startup apps and restart the Steam client to see if that resolves the problem.

To disable startup apps:

1. Press Win + X to open the WinX menu.
2. Click on Task Manager.
3. Open the Startup tab.
4. Here, locate all the enabled startup apps and disable them.
5. Once all are disabled, restart your PC and launch Steam. If the games start working, you can safely assume a third-party startup app conflict is causing the problem.

Note that you may not be able to disable all the startup apps from Task Manager. Some apps have their own startup options to enable and disable the startup functionality. Refer to our guide to learn all the ways to disable startup apps in Windows 11.

In addition, look for FTP and web server applications, P2P clients downloading large files in the background, and disable download managers to free your internet resources.

7. Reinstall the Steam Client

You can also perform a Steam reinstall to diagnose the app for bugs and file corruption problems. This will allow you to install the latest version and fix any temporary glitches with the app.

You can uninstall Steam without deleting all the installed games. For this, simply move the steamapps folder before uninstalling the app. After reinstallation, you can restore the folder and continue playing your games.

To uninstall Steam:

1. Press Win + E to open File Explorer.
2. Next, navigate to the following location:

   C:Program Files (x86)Steam

3. Here, move the steamapps folder to a different partition or storage drive. The folder size can vary depending on the number of installed games.

4. Next, press Win + I to open Settings.
5. Click on Apps and then on Apps & features.

6. Locate the Steam client and click the three-dots menu on the right side.
7. Select Uninstall and then Uninstall again to confirm the action.
8. Once uninstalled, download and reinstall the Steam client.

To restore the games, move the steamapps folder back to C:Program Files (x86)Steam. Relaunch Steam, and you should have all your games ready to play. If Steam still can’t find your game, here is how to force Steam to recognize installed games.

Troubleshooting Steam Games in Windows

Your Steam games can act up for various reasons. While it can be hard to pinpoint the fault, some of these tips should help you fix the problem.

If the issue persists, consider switching to alternative game launchers. These game launchers can auto-detect installed games on your system and offer a central place to access all your games.

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