Steam Not Responding on Windows | 12 Solutions

Steam It is one of the most popular gaming platforms both in Windows as in MacHowever, the game client is known to be prone to several bugs, one of them being that Steam not respondingThis problem bothers thousands of players around the world. The reasons are different, but usually overloaded servers and computer errors are the main causes.

Many users complain that Steam is not responding or not opening from the taskbar, even though they can see the icon. The problem occurs on computers running Windows 7, 8, and 10 without exception. Some people report that the program starts in big picture mode and connects them, however, a blank screen appears afterwards.

The first thing we recommend checking is if the game client service is down. This will help you determine if it is a temporary issue since the end of service. To check this, you can go to the steamstat.us website and view the information based on your region.

Also, please remember that Steam has a scheduled maintenance routine that usually takes place every Tuesday around 1-3pm Pacific Time. During this time, some outages are to be expected.

Steam not responding or not opening. Solutions

If you are experiencing the Steam not responding issue and have not found an answer on the main page, you can try these methods below:

Method 1. Restart the Steam client

Steam might be running some of its processes in the background, which prevents you from opening it. To run the program without errors, we need to prepare a clean start. Therefore, end the active processes and open Steam by following these steps:

• Open the Task Manager by clicking on Ctrl + Alt + Delete > Task Manager, or by right-clicking the Windows icon on the taskbar and selecting Task Manager from there.
• Go to the tab Processes and look for processes related to Steam.
• Click on each of them and select Finish homework. Repeat until everyone is finished.
• Try clicking on the Steam shortcut to launch it again.

Method 2. Restart the computer

Restarting your computer often fixes many issues, including Steam not responding. To be precise, you should restart your computer, not log out/in of your account.

• Click on the windows icon, then click on the icon On and select Restart.
• Wait until the system reboots.
• Then open Steam again.

Method 3. Run Steam as administrator

If Steam is not responding you may need to run it as an administrator. Users report that this often fixes the problem for them. All you need to do is Right click on the Steam icon and choose Run as administratorIf the program still does not start, try the following methods we have listed.

Method 4. Unplug external devices

In case you have recently connected some external devices while playing, we suggest you to you eliminate them one by one and check if the Steam not responding issue persists. It could be a new keyboard, headphones, speakers, or some other devices.

Method 5. Update Windows

You may have seen the “update and restart” option in the method above, so if that’s the case, choose that option. Otherwise, you may need to check for Windows updates manually. To do so, follow the steps below.

• Click on the windows icon, then select the gear icon that represents Configuration.
• Go to Update and security. Here, click Search for updates
• The updates will start installing automatically, then you need to restart your computer.
• Simply click on the icon Windows > Power button > Restart.

Method 6. Update date and time settings

Surprisingly, incorrect date and time settings can cause many problems on your computer, including Steam won't open on Windows 10. This is because the game client collects some date and time data while you are playing the game.

Therefore, setting the correct date and time is a must to fix Steam not responding. To make sure that the time settings are correct, follow the steps given.

• Start the run prompt (press the start key) Windows + R on your keyboard at the same time) and type Control panel on it. Press OK or press Enter.
• In Settings, go to Clock and region
• Click on Date and Time, then go to the tab Internet time. Here, choose Change settings.
• Brand Synchronize with an Internet time server (if not already checked), then click Update Now and OK.

Method 7. Restart your router

Restarting your router is one of the easiest ways to fix Steam not responding.

• To start, turn off your computer.
• Go to your router and turn it off. Once all the lights go out, sit down and wait 2 or 3 minutes.
• Turn on your PC and try opening Steam.

Method 8. Run Automatic Error Repair Tools

You can check your hard drive for errors as well as scan your system for corrupted files and fix these problems using two simple steps. commands of the symbol of the systemThese methods are used for many PC-related issues. Of course, they can be helpful when it comes to Steam not responding or not opening.

• Write cmd in Windows search. Right-click on the command prompt result and choose Run as administrator.
• When the User Account Control window appears, click Yes. You will now have CMD with elevated privileges on your screen.
• First, write SFC / scannow and press Enter. Wait patiently until the process finishes.

• Now write chkdsk /f /r and press Enter. Then type Y and press Enter again
• Restart your computer. The disk check from step 4 will now be performed.
• Check if Steam opens on Windows.

Method 9. Perform a clean boot of Windows

Un Boot A clean boot can help identify if third-party applications and services are interfering with the game client and causing Steam to become unresponsive. Here's how to perform a clean boot:

• Open the run prompt (press the key Windows + R at the same time) and writes msconfig. Press OK.
• Go to Services > check Hide all Microsoft services > Disable all.
• Go to the Home tab and click on Open Task Manager. Here, go to the Home tab. Find all the enabled entries, select each one and disable them. Finally, close Task Manager.
• In the window System settingspress Apply to save the changes and then click You acceptr to close the window.
• Restart your computer: Click the Windows icon on the taskbar, then click the Power icon.
• Choose Restart.
• Try running Steam.

IMPORTANT NOTE. If you were able to successfully open and use Steam in this mode, this could mean that one of the services you disabled is interfering with the game client. In such a case, we highly recommend tracking down the applications you recently installed and uninstalling them.

To start your computer in normal mode, repeat all the steps, but remember to enable all the startup services and processes that you disabled earlier. Then restart your PC.

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Method 10. Uninstall third-party applications that cause Steam to not respond

Steam won't open from the taskbar for several third-party programs that might interfere with it. Typical programs that can cause the problem are:

• Antivirus software;
• Anti-spyware software;
• VPN;
• Firewall;
• P2P Clients;
• IP filtering programs;
• Accelerators of downloads;
• FTP/Web server applications.

If you have recently installed and started using any of these programs, they may be causing the Steam not responding issue. In such case, please follow the instructions below.

10.1 Uninstall unnecessary third-party applications

In some cases, third-party programs can interfere with Steam and prevent it from running. Here's how to uninstall some recently installed programs that might be interfering with Steam:

• In Windows search, type control Panel. Select a matching result and then go to Uninstall a program.
• Click on “Installed on“ to sort installed programs by date. Then, check which programs you installed recently. Try uninstalling them one by one and check if Steam opens afterward. Simply select a program and click uninstall.

10.2 Check if a third-party antivirus is blocking Steam

In some cases, third-party antivirus solutions are to blame for Steam not responding. First of all, you should check if you are running security solutions right away (in case you are using a third-party antivirus). So, start by disabling Windows Defender (also known as Windows Security).

• Press the Windows icon on the taskbar > gear icon to open Configuration.
• In Settings, go to Update and security. Then go to Windows security (left panel). Click on Protection against viruses and threats.
• Now click on Manage settings in Virus & threat protection settings.
• Disable real-time protection
• Check if Steam opens now. If not, continue completing the steps below:
• You can disable or uninstall your antivirus temporarily. To disable, click the ^ arrow on the taskbar, find your antivirus icon, right-click and look for a disable option. Try running Steam afterwards. If you want to uninstall an antivirus, follow the steps provided in part 8.1.

IMPORTANT: Never leave your computer unprotected (without real-time protection). Turn on Windows Defender or try another antivirus provider that will allow Steam Games at all times. Another solution would be to create an exception rule in your antivirus for Steam or the particular game you are playing.

Method 11. Update drivers

This is often the solution for the Steam not responding problem. It is a time-consuming task, so be prepared to spend some time here.

• Once again, open the Run prompt. Type devmgmt.msc and press Accept.
• Here, look for drivers with the yellow icon next to them indicating that these need to be updated. Otherwise, you will need to update them manually. Double-click the device to view the drivers, right-click one and select Update driver.
• Then choose search automatically updated driver software.
• If updates are found, install them.
• You will need to repeat this step for all drivers.
• Restart your pc and check if Steam opens now.

Method 12. Recover using System Restore

This is another way to resolve Steam not responding. System restore points are a great way to roll back in time. There before problems started to occur. If you create them manually or have set up automatic creation of system restore points, see the instructions below. Windows can also create system restore points before installing updates.

• Go to Configuring Windows (Windows icon > gear icon).
• Go to Update and security> Recovery.
• Search Advanced start and click Restart now under it
• Choose Solve problems on the advanced startup options screen.
• Choose Advanced Options > System Restore
• Choose a restore point and click Next. Continue and wait until the system backs out.

NOTE. If you don't have a restore point or if you have an old one, you may want to skip this method as too much data may be lost.

Final words

If you have the problem that Steam is not responding or not opening on your Windows PC, the methods we have shown you should help you solve the problem.