Steam gives an error. Steam fatal error - what to do yourself

Very often, players and Steam users experience various kinds of errors. All these errors are scattered on the Internet, without detailed guides for their correction. We decided to collect everything in this guide.

Getting Started with Steam Errors

You will find answers to questions:

  • How to fix a bug in Steam?
  • What to do if it was not possible to start the game and there is Unknown error Steam?
  • What to do if steam gives an error or fails to update the client?

Steam api_dll what is this error and where can I download

Causes of the Steam api dll error

Most common case: when the antivirus perceives the modified file as virus attack and places it in Quarantine. This can happen both during the installation of the game and during further anti-virus checks.
In addition, a file error sometimes occurs on licensed computer games. Then the user receives a message with the text: The entry point was not found in dynamic library steam_api.dll". This is due to the fact that the file itself has been modified by a certain computer game.

In this case, there are two ways to solve the problem:

  1. Reinstall Steam client and everything will work again
  2. and install in the System32 folder for XP, 7/8 32-bit version, in the SysWOW64 folder of the 64-bit version.

steam api_64 error

The most common errors of this nature are:

  • "steam_api64.dll not found."
  • "The file steam_api64.dll is missing."
  • "steam_api64.dll Access Violation."
  • "Cannot register steam_api64.dll."
  • "The file C:\Windows\System32\steam_api64.dll was not found."

This error is very easy to fix:

  • Download the file to your computer.
  • Unpack and place the file in the folder with the program that requires it.
  • Copy the steam_api64.dll file to the following system directories.
    • (Windows 95/98/Me) - C:\Windows\System
    • (Windows NT/2000) - C:\WINNT\System32
    • (Windows XP, Vista, 7) - C:\Windows\System32

    On Windows x64, you need to place the file in the directory C:\Windows\SysWOW64\

  • Restart your computer.

Steam update error, unable to launch game (Steam Unknown Error)

In the event that Steam gives an error that occurs during the update, or you were unable to start the game.
Often in steam you can trace the error code, in some cases this can help fix it. Very often an unknown error occurs.

All these problems are not your fault. You just have to wait. These are Steam server crashes. In case it doesn't work long time, you need to write to support, and they will definitely help you.

Steam error failed to start the game or steam must be running error

The steam must be running to play error occurs in several cases:

  • you installed pirated games bypassing steam
  • you put cheats and trainers for games
  • you installed a broken steam

It is very easy to fix, but takes time. Folder needs to be deleted appcache (search via search). In the event that the removal did not help, then you need to completely clean up all the game files manually. All mention of the game on your hard drive must be erased. After that, reinstall the game and everything will work. In some cases, you can leave the game saves so as not to lose progress.


Manually editing the Windows registry to remove invalid Error 2 keys is not recommended unless you are PC service professional. Mistakes made while editing the registry can render your PC unusable and cause irreparable damage to your operating system. In fact, even a single comma in the wrong place can prevent your computer from booting up!

Because of this risk, we highly recommend using a trusted registry cleaner such as WinThruster [Download] (Developed by Microsoft Gold Certified Partner) to scan and repair any Error 2 related issues. By using the [Download] Registry Cleaner, you can automate the process of looking for broken registry entries, missing file references (such as those causing the %%error_name%% error), and broken links within the registry. Before each scan, an automatically created backup copy, which allows you to undo any changes with a single click and protects you from possible damage to your computer. The best part is that fixing [Download] registry errors can drastically improve system speed and performance.


A warning: If you are not experienced user PC, we do NOT recommend editing the Windows registry manually. Incorrect use of the Registry Editor can lead to serious problems and require reinstalling Windows. We do not guarantee that problems resulting from misuse of Registry Editor can be resolved. You use the Registry Editor at your own risk.

Before manually restoring Windows registry, you need to create a backup by exporting a part of the registry related to Error 2 (for example, Steam):

  1. Click on the button To begin.
  2. Enter " command" in search bar... DO NOT PRESS YET ENTER!
  3. Holding keys CTRL-Shift on the keyboard, press ENTER.
  4. An access dialog will be displayed.
  5. Click Yes.
  6. The black box opens with a blinking cursor.
  7. Enter " regedit" and press ENTER.
  8. In the Registry Editor, select the Error 2-related key (eg. Steam) you want to back up.
  9. On the menu File select Export.
  10. Listed Save to select the folder where you want to save your Steam key backup.
  11. In field File name enter a name for the backup file, such as "Steam Backup".
  12. Make sure the field Export range value selected Selected branch.
  13. Click Save.
  14. The file will be saved with .reg extension.
  15. You now have a backup of your Steam-related registry entry.

The next steps for manually editing the registry will not be covered in this article, as they are likely to damage your system. If you would like more information on editing the registry manually, please see the links below.

Probably every Steam user at least once, but met with client crashes. Moreover, errors can occur in a variety of ways, and there are so many reasons for problems that you can’t even count them. In this article, we decided to talk about the most popular errors and how to deal with them.

It often happens that a user, for some reason, cannot log into his account. If you are sure that all the data is entered correctly, then in this case you need to check your Internet connection. It may also be that you have blocked the client from accessing the Internet and Windows Firewall has blocked Steam. Another reason for the error may be damage to some files.

In the end, if you do not want to delve into the causes of the problem, then simply reinstall the client. You can read more about the login error in the article below:

Steam Client not found error

It is also quite common to encounter such an error as Steam Client not found. There may be several reasons for this problem. If you run steam app, without having administrator rights, this may be the cause of Steam issues Client not found. The client tries to start, but this user missing the necessary rights in Windows and operating system prevents the program from starting, as a result of which you get the corresponding error. To solve this problem, you need to run the program as an administrator.

Another reason for the error may be a corrupted configuration file. It is located in the following path, which you can paste into Windows Explorer:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata779646\config

More this problem discussed in the article below:

Steam game won't launch

Most common cause this error - damage to some game files. In this case, you need to check the integrity of the cache through the client. You can do this by right-clicking on the game and in the properties in the "Local files" item, click on the "Verify integrity of cache ..." button.

Perhaps the problem is that you are missing the necessary software libraries that are required to run the game normally. Such libraries can be a C++ language extension, or Direct X libraries. In this case, in the requirements of the game, look at what libraries it uses and install them manually.

Also, make sure your computer meets the minimum system requirements games.

Steam client connection issues

Sometimes there are situations when Steam stops loading pages: store, games, news, and so on. There can be many reasons for such an error. First of all, check that the Windows firewall is not blocking the client from accessing the Internet. It is also worth checking the integrity of the Steam files.

It may be that the cause of the error is not on your side, but simply in this moment technical work is underway and there is no reason to worry.

Confirmation error on Steam. Time error

One of common problems, which users meet during the exchange Steam Items, is an error over time. The error occurs over time because Steam does not like the time zone set on your phone. There are several ways to solve this problem.

In order to solve the problem with time, you can set the time zone on your phone manually. To do this, go to your phone settings and turn off automatic time zone setting.

You can try to turn it on automatic detection belt if it is disabled on your phone. This is also done through the time zone settings on your phone.

For more information on this subject, see the article below.