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Steam Update Stuck: How to Fix & Download Faster

If Steam isn’t updating make sure you have administrative privileges

7 min. read

Updated onOctober 2, 2024

updated onOctober 2, 2024

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It’s important to update your games, but what if a Steam update is stuck? Speaking of issuesSteam downloads can drop to 0sometimes or completely hang.

These are all major problems, and in today’s guide, we’ll show you how to fix them.

Why is my Steam update stuck?

Why is my Steam update stuck?

There are multiple reasons for this problems, but here are the most common ones:

What are other Steam update issues?

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

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How do I fix Steam stuck on checking for available updates?

How do I fix Steam stuck on checking for available updates?

1. Open Steam as an Administrator

First, make sure thatSteamhas admin privileges. Without admin rights,Steammight get stuck updating at some point.

Users can configure to run that game client software as an administrator using the steps from above.

2. Clear the download cache

Clearing the download cache can resolve someSteamupdate issues. Clearing that cache will clear out cached data. Follow the guidelines above to clear the download cache.

3. Edit the host File

ChangingSteam’s content server might fix stuckSteamupdates for some users. Users can do that by editing the hosts file just like we’ve shown.

4. Delete the package folder

The steam update might hang when the update package files get corrupted.

Erasing the Package folder will enableSteamto download again and might resolve the issue. Users can deleteSteam’s Package folder as instructed above.

5. Turn off Windows Defender Firewall

It might be the case that Windows Defender Firewall is blockingSteamupdating. In this case, turning WDF off might fix stuck updates.

6. Clean boot the Windows

Somethird-party antivirus software, firewalls, recording software, and other system utilities can also conflict withSteamand generate update errors.

If the issue is gone after disabling these services, start them one by one until you find the culprit.

7. Remove additional Steam library folders

Some of the above resolutions might fixSteamupdates. Then users can launchSteamand enjoy the very bestWindowsgames once again.

Users also reported that theSteam download goes on and off, but we covered that in a separate guide, so be sure to check it if you have more problems.

TheSteam manifest unavailableerror can cause issues with download, so it’s advised to fix it as soon as possible. For more information on Steam errors, don’t miss ourerror code 20 on Steamarticle.

Did you find a different solution? Share it with us in the comments below.

More about the topics:Steam Guides

Matthew Adams

Windows Hardware Expert

Matthew is a freelancer who has produced a variety of articles on various topics related to technology. His main focus is the Windows OS and all the things surrounding it.

He is passionate about the tech world, always staying up-to-date with the latest and greatest. With an analytical view, he likes problem-solving, focusing on errors and their causes.

In his free time, he likes to read and write about history and tries to always develop new skills.

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Matthew Adams

Windows Hardware Expert

He is passionate about everything surrounding Microsoft’s OS, focusing on troubleshooting guides & tips for everyday problems.