Steam is one of the biggest gaming platforms where you can buy, download and play games. It doubles up as a community and allows you to manage your games as well. However, it may run into several problems from time to time. A common problem faced by many users is the Steam Service error. This problem occurs whenever a user launches the Steam client on his system.
It is caused when the program doesn’t have any admin privileges on the computer. As a result, Steam is unable to access, read or write files onto your Hard Disk. This can create a big problem as paid games fail to get downloaded or saved on your computer.
How to Solve Steam Service Error?
Incidentally, it is very easy to solve the Steam Service error. Here, we have provided some effective ways to fix this issue in no time. Therefore, try out these solutions one by one until your problem gets fixed.
Solution 1 – Run Steam as Admin
The first thing that you need to do is to simply run the Steam program as an Administrator. You can run Steam as an Administrator by default. You can easily do this by following the instructions given below.
- First, locate the Steam app either on your desktop or from the Start menu. Thereafter, right-click on it and select Properties.
- Now, head over to the Compatibility tab. Here, select the checkbox beside Run as Administrator.
- Finally, click Apply and then on Ok to save your changes.
Thereafter, restart the Steam application and you shouldn’t face the Steam Service error anymore.
Solution 2 – Disable Firewall and Security Software
Another reason to get the Steam Service error is due to a restriction from a security software or a Firewall. Therefore, you need to temporarily or permanently disable it by following the instructions provided below.
Disable Firewall
- First, go to the Start menu by pressing the Windows logo button on your keyboard. There, type ‘windows firewall’ in the search bar and press Enter.
- Now, click on ‘Turn Windows Firewall on or off’ from the left menu pane. Next, choose the Turn off bullet point for both the options on your screen.
- Finally, save your settings and exit the window.
Disable Security Software
- Most security software runs in the background. As a result, they can be accessed through the System tray. Therefore, click on the upper arrow of the System tray and right-click on your security software.
- Next, click on the Disable option. A small window will appear asking for the time period it should be deactivated. Here, you can choose to disable it for a certain period of time or disable it permanently. Choose the options according to your own preference.
- Thereafter, save your settings and close the window.
After following the above steps, relaunch the Steam application and check if you’re still facing the problem or not.
Solution 3 – Reinstall the Steam Application
If the above solutions do not work for you, then there could be a problem with Steam’s system files. Hence, you need to reinstall the application to fix this problem on your system. Thus, follow the steps provided below to do so.
- Press Windows + R buttons from your keyboard at the same time. This will open the Run dialog box.
- Here, type ‘appwiz.cpl’ and press Enter. The Programs and Features window will appear on your screen.
- Next, scroll and locate the Steam application from the list and right-click on it. From the list of options, click on Uninstall.
- Now, follow the instructions that are being displayed on your screen to uninstall the program. Restart your computer to complete the uninstallation process.
- Thereafter, download the latest version of Steam from the official website and run the installation file as an Administrator.
Do not forget to give Admin privileges to the Steam application once it is successfully installed on your PC. This is necessary as it helps the program to download and save game files on your Hard disk. If Admin privileges are not granted, then you will not be able to save your game progress. However, still, you will be able to play it from the Steam client.
Conclusion
Finally, the Steam Service error should be resolved after following one of the solutions provided above. Usually, running the program as an Administrator will help to fix the problem easily. If not, then reinstalling the program surely will. However, if you are still facing this problem, then you need to consult the Technical Support team to receive further help.