[SOLVED] Steam can’t log in

Can’t log in to the Steam client? What a bummer! But you’re not alone, many players run into Steam login issues from time to time. The good news is, there are some known fixes available. Read on and find out what they are…

Try these fixes…

You don’t have to try them all; just work your way down the list until you find the one that does the trick!

1: Check your credentials

2: Check Steam server status

3: Log in from a web browser

4: Clear Steam cache

5: Test your internet connection

6: Check your firewall and antivirus

7: Disable background programs

8: Update your network driver

Fix 1: Check your credentials

When you’re having trouble logging in to Steam, the first thing you should always do is to make sure your credentials are correct. This may sound silly, but it does work. Make sure you’re logging in with your username, not your email. For password, you can type it down somewhere and paste it in Steam to make sure it’s correct.

Players also found some minor bugs in the Steam login system that prevent users from logging in. Although they’re yet to be fixed, you can try these workarounds to see if they help:

• Try typing your username in uppercase, no matter if it was uppercase or lowercase.
• Use a new password that contains purely letters and numbers (aka only 1-9 and a-z are allowed). Avoid using symbols in your password will make sure that Steam is reading your password right, as some users found out the bugs are keystroke-related for different keyboards.

If you’ve checked your credentials and everything looks fine, move on to the next fix.

Fix 2: Check Steam server status

Another quick fix is to see if the problem is with Steam server instead of user-end. You can check the server status on Steam stats page, where you’ll see the number of real-time concurrent players. If the server is down, there should be a sharp decline on the current users.

If the server is working just fine, try the next fix.

Fix 3: Log in from a web browser

Sometimes the problem is with the Steam client instead of your account. If you can’t log in via the Steam client, try the web browser.

Go to the Steam login page and try logging in. If you can log in now, then we know for sure that the problem was with your Steam client. Jump to Fix 4 to fix your Steam client.

If you’re having trouble logging in from the browser, try disabling the browser extension one by one and then logging in to test if anything was causing the problem.

If this doesn’t work, try the next fix.

Fix 4: Clear Steam cache

Broken cache files can prevent you from logging in to Steam via the Steam client. You can delete the local files to get it fixed. Here’s how:

1. Press the Windows key and E to open the File Explorer.
2. Navigate to C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local\Steam.
3. Delete everything in the Steam folder. These are all temporary files so you won’t have to worry .
4. Run the Steam client and try logging in.

After clearing the cache files, your Steam client won’t remember the auto-filled credentials and it’s like when you first installed it. Your account and game files won’t be affected. If this doesn’t give you luck, try the next fix.

Fix 5: Test your internet connection

If you’ve tried the above fixes but nothing worked, then the problem is likely with your PC, not Steam. You can test your internet connection first to see you can connect to the Steam server. Here’s a few things you can do:

• Power cycle your router and modem. Unplug the power cables from your router and your modem, leave them disconnected for at least 30 seconds, then plug the cables back into both devices. When your Internet is working again, check if you can log in to Steam.
• If you use Wi-Fi which is connected to multiple devices, turn off Wi-Fi on the devices you don’t currently need to use. Overcrowding can slow your connection down and may lead to other connection issues.
  (Side note, using a wired connection generally provides a more stable connection for gaming.)
• Google “Internet speed test” and pick a tool to test your Internet speed. When your Internet connection is unreasonably slow, consider contacting your Internet provider for help.

If your Internet connection is valid but you still get the login error from Steam, try the next fix.

Fix 6: Check your firewall and antivirus

Your firewall or antivirus, if you use any, can block Steam if it thinks Steam is risky. The connection to the Steam server could be interfered with, so you keep getting login errors. In this case, you can allow Steam through your firewall and/or your antivirus.

To check if your firewall is blocking Steam:

1. Press the Windows key and R on your keyboard to invoke the Run box.
2. Type control panel, then click OK.
   
3. Select View by: Small icons. Click Windows Defender Firewall.
   
4. Click Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall.
   
5. Scroll down and you should see Steam.exe, and other Steam related programs. You can tick the box of Private to allow Steam through the firewall when you’re using a private network. Click OK to save.
   

If you didn’t find Steam in the exception list above, you’ll need to manually add it to the list then allow it through the firewall. Here’s how:

1. Click Change Settings.
   
2. Click Allow another app.
   
3. Click Browse then navigate to the Steam local folder. The default path is C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam.
   
4. Select Steam.exe, then click Open.
   
5. If you want to add other Steam-related programs to the exception list, you can repeat Step 3 and 4. Once you’re done, select all the programs you wish to add to the list, then click Add.
   
6. Tick the box of Private to allow Steam.exe (and other programs if you need) through the firewall when you’re using a private network. Click OK to apply the changes.
   

The steps for your antivirus software should be similar. You’ll need to add the Steam executable file or select the Steam client, then add it to the whitelist of your antivirus.

If this doesn’t solve your problem, try the next fix.

Fix 7: Disable background programs

Programs running in the background may have been interfering with Steam so you couldn’t log in to Steam. Here’s a list of programs that could possibly cause the issue. If you suspect any of the programs on your PC, you can close it in the Task Manager then try to log into Steam. Here’s how:

1. Right-click your taskbar, then click Task Manager.
   
2. Under the Processes tab, look for the processes that you think could be problematic. Right-click it then select End task.
   

If this doesn’t give you luck, there’s one more fix you can try.

Fix 8: Update your network driver

If you’ve tried the above fixes but nothing worked, you can try updating your network driver. An outdated or faulty driver can cause many random errors. You may want to update your network adapter driver to make sure it’s functioning properly

There are two ways you can get the right driver for your network adapter: manually or automatically.

Manual driver update – You can update the network driver via Device Manager. Note that Windows may not be able to give you the latest available update. You can go to the manufacturer’s website, and search for the most recent correct driver. Be sure to choose only the driver that are compatible with your Windows version.

Automatic driver update – If you don’t have the time, patience, or computer skills to update your drivers manually, you can, instead, do it automatically with Driver Easy. Driver Easy will automatically recognize your system and find the correct driver for your exact network adapter, and your Windows version, then it will download and install it correctly:

1) Download and install Driver Easy.

2) Run Driver Easy and click the Scan Now button. Driver Easy will then scan your computer and detect any problem drivers.

3) Click the Update button next to the flagged network driver to automatically download the correct version of the driver, then you can manually install it(you can do this with the FREE version).

Or click Update All to automatically download and install the correct version of all the drivers that are missing or out of date on your system. (This requires the Pro version which comes with full support and a 30-day money-back guarantee. You’ll be prompted to upgrade when you click Update All.)

Restart your PC for the new drivers to take effect.

Hopefully this article helps and you can now log into Steam! Please feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions or suggestions.

• network issues
• Steam