Although Steam is a well-optimized digital game store, you may run into issues like could not connect to Steam network. In this article, you will learn some general workarounds to fix the said network issue. Keep reading!
How to Fix Could Not Connect to Steam Network Error
Steam is the go-to online digital store for games with the biggest library of games. You can also use your Steam account on multiple different platforms. There may be several reasons why you are encountering network issues with Steam
- Steam is not updated to the latest version.
- PC background running apps are conflicting with Steam.
- System firewall or Antivirus is not connecting to the internet or server properly.
- Network driver is outdated.
Quick Answer
Follow the below steps to fix this issue by updatimg it:
1. Open Steam Client.
2. Click on Steam and select Check for Steam Client Updates… option.
3A. If an update is pending, Steam will automatically update. Once done, click on RESTART STEAM.
3B. If Steam is already up-to-date, it will display Your Steam client is up-to-date.
We shall begin with generic and in-Steam fixes first to resolve said error.
Method 1: Simple Fixes
Restart Steam or PC
1. Launch the Steam app.
2. On the top left corner, click Steam.
3. Select Exit on PC.
4. Open Steam again and log back in if you’ve been logged out.
Wait for Steam Server Uptime – you can check the status of the Steam servers by clicking the Steam Charts overview page.
Troubleshoot Internet Connection – In case you are using a wireless internet connection and facing this issue, you can try switching to a wired connection that is usually faster & more stable. Moreover, you can read our guide on How to Troubleshoot network connectivity problems on Windows 10.
Method 2: Restart Steam from Within Program
Firstly try to reboot the Steam app as shown in the steps below.
1. Launch Steam and click on Steam at the top.
2. Click on Go Online
3. Go to the LEAVE OFFLINE MODE option.
4. Restart Steam.
Also Read: How to Fix Steam Not Downloading Games
Method 3: Run Steam as Administrator
You can try to run Steam as administrator to solve could not connect to Steam network error on Windows PC as shown in the steps below.
1. Left-click on the Steam shortcut.
2. Click on the Run as administrator option
Method 4: Update Steam Client
A fix that you can also follow to resolve this could not connect to Steam network issue is to update the Steam client. Likewise, you may be facing issues because your Steam version is outdated. Therefore, make sure that your version of Steam is on the latest stable version available.
1. Open Steam Client.
2. Click on Steam at the top left corner and select the Check for Steam Client Updates… option.
3A. If any new updates are available, wait until the update is complete and click on RESTART STEAM.
3B. If the Steam client is already up-to-date, it will display Your Steam client is up-to-date.
Also Read: Fix AppHangB1 Error on Steam
Method 5: Change Steam IP
Another method to fix could not connect to Steam network on Windows PC is to change Steam IP by following the steps given below.
1. Right-click on the Steam desktop shortcut.
2. Click on the Properties option.
3. In the Target dialogue box, add –tcp at the end of the path.
4. Click on Apply and OK.
Method 6: Update Network Driver
You can face a problem where you can’t connect your computer to a network. There are many possibilities for this error, but the most common is outdated network adapter drivers. It is recommended that you update your network adapter drivers regularly to avoid issues with connection. Read out our on How to update network drivers on Windows 10.
Method 7: Repair System Files
Windows System Files can get corrupt due to many reasons such as incomplete Windows Update, improper shutdown, virus or malware attacks, etc, Also, a system crash or a bad sector on your hard disk can lead to corrupt files, which can prove to be deadly in the long run. Read out our guide on How to Repair system files.
Also Read: Fix Steam Error 26 on Windows 10
Method 8: Disable Windows Firewall (Not Recommended)
The Windows Firewall also helps in keeping unauthorized users away from accessing resources or files of your computer by blocking them. So, a Firewall is a very important feature for your computer and it is absolutely necessary if you want your PC to be safe & secure. Read out our guide on How to Disable Windows Firewall.
Method 9: Reinstall Steam (Last Resort)
In case any of the other fixes fail to resolve this could not connect to Steam network issue, you can resort to performing a complete reinstall of Steam.
Note: Directly uninstalling the Steam client app using the Control Panel or Start menu will result in a loss of game data. To prevent this, it is imperative that you carefully follow these steps. Moreover, ensure to keep a backup before uninstalling.
1. Open the Steam app and click on Steam at the top left corner. Here, select the Settings option in the menu.
2. In the Downloads tab, click on STEAM LIBRARY FOLDERS to open the storage manager.
3. Choose the local drive on which the games are installed. Here, we have chosen Local drive (d).
Note: The default installation location for Steam games is Local Drive (c).
4. Click on the three dots and select Browse Folder to open the steamapps folder.
5. Click on the SteamLibrary as shown below to go back.
Note: If you couldn’t find SteamLibrary in the address bar, go to the previous folder and look for the SteamLibrary folder.
6. Copy the steamapps folder by pressing Ctrl + C keys together.
7. Paste the steamapps folder to another location for backup by pressing Ctrl + V keys simultaneously.
8. Press the Windows key, type Control Panel, and then click on Open.
9. Set View by > Category, then click on the Uninstall a program option under the Programs section.
10. Locate Steam and right-click on it.
11. Finally, click Uninstall.
12. Click on Yes in the UAC prompt.
13. Click on Uninstall to confirm the uninstallation.
14. Click on Close once the application is entirely uninstalled from the system.
15. Click on Start, type %localappdata% and hit the Enter key.
16. Now, right-click on the Steam folder and select Delete.
17. Again, press the Windows key, type %appdata% and click on Open.
18. Delete the Steam folder as done previously.
19. Then, restart the PC.
20. Visit the Steam official site and click on INSTALL STEAM to get the Steam installation executable.
21. Click on the installed executable file to install the application.
22. Click on Yes in the prompt.
23. In the installation wizard, click on Next >.
24. Select the desired language and click on Next >.
25. Then, click on Install.
Note: If you do not want the app installed on the default folder mentioned, choose the desired destination folder by clicking on the Browse option.
26. Wait for the Steam to be installed and click on Finish.
27. Once the installation is complete, log in with your Steam credentials.
Also Read: Fix No Steam User Steam Error on Garry’s Mod
How to Fix Could Not Connect to Steam Network on Mac
Here are the methods to fix could not connect to the Steam network on MacBook.
Method 1: Force Quit Steam and Restart
1. Launch the Apple menu and select Force Quit.
2. Select Steam in the Force Quit Applications box.
3. Select Force Quit and wait for up to 10 seconds.
4. Launch Steam again.
Method 2: Force Update Steam
1. Open the Finder app and select Applications.
2. Control-click on Steam and select Show Package Contents.
3. Go to the Contents folder and open MacOS folders.
4. Open the steam_osx file.
Method 3: Reinstall Steam
1. Open Finder and open the Go to Folder box.
2. Type in ~/Library/Application Support/Steam.
3. Select all the files and folders except the steamapps folder.
4. Delete the selected files and folders.
5. Drag Steam from Mac’s Applications folder to the Trash.
6. Download Steam for Mac from Steam download page and install.
Recommended: How to Disable Shader Pre Caching in Steam
We hope that this guide was helpful and that you were able to learn about the steps on how to fix could not connect to the Steam network issue on Windows and Mac. Let us know which method worked for you best. If you have any queries or suggestions, then feel free to drop them in the comments section below.
