Over the years, Steam has outdone itself consistently to improve the world of video games and give its users fresh experiences. In their effort to achieve this, they released the Workshop service, through which users got the opportunity to try out different mods and enhance their gaming experience. While this feature has been highly appreciated by many users, the Steam workshop tends to go off script and prevents people from downloading mods. If you have experienced this issue, then read ahead to figure out how to fix Steam workshop not downloading mods error on your PC.
Fix Steam Workshop Not Downloading Mods
Why can’t I Download Mods?
Mods on Steam are a tricky business and there are multiple reasons why you are unable to download them from the workshop. For instance, the platform does not let users view the download progress of mods and they are often left wondering if they are on the right path. Additionally, factors such as corrupt workshop files, increased download cache, and affiliation to a beta account can all be responsible for the error. Nevertheless, consider yourself lucky, because the ‘Steam workshop content not downloading’ error is fixable and can be resolved with a few easy procedures.
Method 1: Open Steam in Big Picture Mode to View Progress of Workshop Downloads
The Big Picture mode on Steam is primarily used to give users a console-like gaming experience on their PCs. Interestingly, users have reported that through this mode, they can see the progress of various downloads that are otherwise invisible in the normal mode. Therefore, through the big picture mode, you can verify if your mods are downloading or not, before proceeding with more advanced troubleshooting methods.
1. Run the Steam and on the top right corner, click on the icon resembling a rectangle with opposite arrows to open the Big Picture mode.
2. The Big Picture mode will open up with its boot animation and reveal a console-like interface. Click on the download icon in the top right corner to view all the downloads occurring through Steam.
3. If your mod download reflects on this page, then there is no error with the workshop. However, if it does not, you can try the methods mentioned below.
Method 2: Get Rid of Corrupt Mods
Incomplete or corrupt mods can also cause an error in your Steam workshop. These files accumulate in your Steam installation folder and remain hidden until you manually search for them. Here’s how you can remove corrupt mods and fix your Steam workshop.
1. Open ‘This PC’ and in the toolbar of the folder, move from ‘File’ to ‘View’ mode.
2. Here, enable the ‘Hidden Items’ option before you proceed.
3. Now, navigate to the installation folder of the game causing the error using the following address bar: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\*Game Name*\!Workshop. Note that instead of *Game Name*, you have to enter the real name of the game.
4. In this folder, open each individual mod and see if you get an error stating, ‘Location is not Available.’
5. If you do, then your mod files are corrupt and you have to fix them through the Steam app.
6. In the Steam library, right-click on the app whose mod you want to install.
7. From the options that appear, select ‘properties.’
8. A few options will be displayed on the left side, click on ‘Local files.’
9. In the Local Files menu, click on ‘Verify integrity of game files.’ Steam will then verify if all the files are functioning and fix corrupt mods.
10. Reinstall the mod from the Steam workshop and see if the error is resolved.
Also Read: Fix Steam Service Errors when launching Steam
Method 3: Opt-out of Steam Beta
A rather perplexing fix for the workshop not downloading mods error on Steam is to opt out of the Beta program offered by the app. If you are a member, consider opting out of the Beta participation program and see if the error is fixed.
1. On the Steam app, click on the ‘Steam’ button in the top left corner of the screen.
2. From the options that appear, click on ‘Settings.’
3. In the Account section of the settings, go to the panel titled ‘Beta Participation’ and click on the change button.
4. In the window that appears next, click on the drop-down list below ‘Beta Participation’ and select the ‘None – Opt out of all Beta programs’ option.
5. Click on ‘Ok’ to complete the process and then restart your Steam application and see if the workshop and mods error is fixed.
Method 4: Clear the Download Cache to Fix Mod Downloads in Workshop
Download cache on Steam is a serious issue that is the reason behind many errors on the application. The download cache in Steam contains corrupt files and data that slows down the platform and disrupts downloads happening through the app. Here’s how you can get rid of the download cache and fix the workshop error:
1. Following the steps mentioned above, open the Settings window in Steam.
2. From the panel on the left side, navigate to ‘Download’ Settings.
3. At the bottom of the Downloads page, click on ‘Clear Download Cache’ and then click on ‘Ok.’
4. This will clear the unnecessary cache storage. Reinstall the mods from the workshop and see if the error is resolved.
Also Read: 6 Ways To Fix Pending Transaction Steam Error
Method 5: Change Download Region
The download region on Steam is an important factor that determines the speed and quality of every application, game, and mod you download through Steam. While changing the download region, make sure you set it to a place, close to your actual location to fix download related issues.
1. By following the steps mentioned in the previous method, open the ‘Download’ settings page.
2. Click on the section titled ‘Download region’ to reveal the list of servers that Steam has across the world.
3. From the list of regions, select the area closest to your location and click on Ok.
4. Once the download region has been specified, restart Steam and download the mod once again. Chances are the ‘Workshop not downloading mods’ error will be fixed.
Method 6: Reinstall Steam
If all the methods mentioned above fail, then the error probably lies with your Steam application. For many errors on Steam, simply reinstalling the application has worked wonders and solved countless issues.
1. Open the Control Panel and click on ‘Uninstall a Program.’
2. From the list of applications, select Steam and click on ‘Uninstall.’
3. Once the app is removed, head to the official website of Steam. On the top right corner of the screen, click on ‘Install Steam’ and the app will be installed on your PC.
4. Reopen the game and see if the issue is resolved.
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With more features comes more room for error and Steam is the prime example of this phenomenon. Luckily for us, these errors are fixable and with the steps mentioned above, you should be able to tackle the workshop error with ease.
We hope that this guide was helpful and you were able to fix Steam workshop not downloading mods error on your PC. If you have any doubts or are unable to solve the issue, reach out to us through the comments section and we will help you out.