Steam is one of the best gaming platforms with a range of titles, both free and paid, and has a user base of more than 120 million. However, many users have reported that the Steam update is stuck.

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  • Internet problems, Windows Firewall, or issues with the app can cause your Steam update to get stuck.

  • If your Steam is not downloading the update, open it with administrator privileges.

  • Clearing the download cache or whitelisting Steam in the Firewall might do the trick.

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This affects the update process for games and the Steam client itself. If you, too, are facing the problem, fret not! We will walk you through everything there’s to know and the solutions that worked for others.

Why is Steam not updating games?

Here are some of the reasons Steam is stuck on starting download:

  • Corrupt game files – If the present game files are corrupt or a few are missing, the update process might be affected.
  • Issues with the download cache – The gaming platform maintains a download cache, issue which can lead to a stuck update on Steam.
  • Third-party antivirus or VPN affecting the process – An antivirus may be blocking the update or a VPN reconfiguring the network parameters. In both these cases, it is stuck.
  • Not enough free resources – If the PC doesn’t have enough free RAM, the CPU usage is high, or it’s running low on Disk, the ones allocated to Steam would be pretty low, thus causing Steam to be stuck on installing.

Related issues such as the ones below can also be fixed with at least one of the solutions from this article:

  • Steam update stuck at 100 – This can happen sometimes, but you shouldn’t worry. Restarting or clearing the download cache usually does the trick.
  • Steam stuck in update loop – Break the loop by removing Steam and performing a clean install with the latest version.
  • Steam download stuck – Check your Internet connection. Then turn off the firewall.
  • Steam game not updating – The error can affect almost any game, and our solutions should help.

How do I fix the Steam update if it’s stuck?

Before you head to the slightly more complex solutions, it’s best to try a few quick ones and see if that fixes things when a Steam update is stuck on verifying:

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  • Restart the computer and check if the problem is resolved.
  • Launch the Steam client with administrative privileges. To do that, right-click on the Steam shortcut, and select Run as administrator.
  • Disable any third-party antivirus or firewall installed on the PC. If that works, we recommend you switch to a reliable antivirus and an effective firewall.
  • If you have overclocked the PC, disable it and verify if the problem is fixed.
  • Connect to another network and check if the Steam update is still stuck on patching. In many cases, the problem lies with the ISP, so we recommend trying another one to be sure.
  • Free up space on the computer. To do that, you may run Disk Cleanup, clear the contents of the Recycle Bin, and uninstall apps you that don’t use anymore.

If none of these worked, the ones listed next definitely would.

1. Clear the Download cache

  • Launch the application, click on the Steam menu at the top-right, and select Settings.
  • Head to the Downloads tab, and click on Clear Download Cache.
  • Click OK in the confirmation prompt.

Your primary approach when dealing with a stuck game update in Steam should be to clear the download cache. Then, in most cases, it should fix things.

2. Verify the integrity of game files

  • Launch Steam, navigate to the Library, right-click on the game facing trouble with the updates, and select Properties.
  • Now, go to Local Files, and click on Verify integrity of games files.
  • Wait for the process to complete, and once done, check if the problem is fixed.

3. Change the download region

  • Launch the gaming platform, click on the Steam menu, and select Settings.
  • Now, navigate the Downloads tab, select a different place from the Download Region dropdown menu, and click OK to save the changes.
  • Finally, click on Restart Steam in the prompt.

You may change the download region if you can’t get things to work and the Steam update is stuck at resume. Remember, you may have to choose multiple entries until one finally works.

4. Whitelist Steam in Windows Firewall

  • Type Allow an app through Windows Firewall in the Search bar, and then click on the relevant search result.
  • Click on Change settings.
  • Now, click on Allow another app.
  • Click on Browse.
  • Locate the Steam launcher (steam.exe), select it, and click Open.
  • Click on Add.
  • Finally, verify that both the Private and Public checkboxes are ticked, and click OK to save the changes.

Once done, verify if the Steam is still stuck on update. In most cases, it shouldn’t be, but if the problem persists, head to the last solution.

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5. Clear the content of the Package folder

  • Restart the computer.
  • Press Windows + E to launch File Explorer, paste the following path in the address bar, and hit Enter:C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\package
  • Now, press Ctrl + A to select all the files and then hit Delete.
  • Choose the appropriate response in case a confirmation prompt pops up.
  • Now, launch Steam, which will automatically download the required files repeatedly.

That’s it! Things should now be running if the problem lies with the Steam files. However, if the issue remains unresolved, the last option is to uninstall the app and then download the latest version of Steam.

Once you fix the error, do not forget to check the most reviewed games on Steam and play them all today!

Do drop in the comments section below if you have any other queries or know of another solution.

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