How To Fix Can't Sign In To Steam | NEW & Updated in 2024

Are you having trouble with Steam? In this troubleshooting guide, we’ll show the ten solutions that you can try if you can’t sign in to the Steam client, or if Steam is unable to connect to the network.

How to fix “can’t sign in to Steam” issue?

Below are solutions that you can try if you are experiencing a Steam login issue:

Fix #1: Restart the Steam client.

Connection problems involving Steam or one of its games are usually fixed by doing a simple trick — restarting the Steam client. If you haven’t done it yet, make sure that the first thing that you do is to refresh your connection to the servers by turning off and on the Steam client. To do that, simply log out of your account and close the Steam app. Then, relaunch the Steam client and check for the problem.

Fix #2: Verify the Steam server status.

If a quick restart of the Steam client did not help, your next move is to ensure that you’re not wasting your time troubleshooting your PC, network, and software when the issue is coming from the server side of things.

To check the server status of Steam or its games, visit the official Steam website.

Fix #3: Power cycle your PC.

If there’s no known Steam issues at the moment, you should start troubleshooting your PC. The first step to do that is by restarting the PC. If the cause of the problem is due to a minor bug in your computer, this might help.

Fix #4: Reboot the modem or router.

Another simple trick to try is by refreshing your network equipment such as modem or router. Sometimes, a router may freeze or become unresponsive if left running for a long time. A quick reboot may help clear the network of any bugs that’s causing the connection to your PC to fail.

To do it effectively, make sure that you turn the router off for 30 seconds after unplugging it from the power source. This allows the device to refresh its memory and entire system.

Fix #5: Disable your Windows Defender Firewall.

Your Windows Firewall, if not properly configured, can sometimes interfere with programs that use internet connection to work. If you keep on getting the “can’t sign in” error when logging in to Steam, the next good thing that you can do is to try and disable your firewall. Here’s how:

Click on the Start button or press the Windows key on your keyboard.
Type in “control panel” and select Control Panel to open it.
Make sure that the View by option is set to Category and select System and Security.
Select Windows Defender Firewall.
Click on Turn Windows Firewall on or off on the left side.
Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Firewall & network protection.
Open Windows Security settings.
Select a network profile.
Select the bubble next to Turn off Windows Firewall (not recommended).
Click OK.
Check Steam to see if it now works normally again, or if your Steam account login is working.

Keep in mind that turning off your Windows Firewall is highly discouraged even if you’re using a third party firewall. Be sure to turn it back on after your troubleshooting.

Fix #6: Run Steam as Administrator.

Some programs may not work properly if they’re not allowed to run with elevated system access. The same is true for the Steam app so be sure to try running it as Administrator this time.

Follow the steps below if you don’t know how to do it:

Close any game (if you’re running one).
Right-click on the Steam icon on your desktop or Navigate to your Steam installation folder and right-click Steam.exe.
Select Properties.
Click on the Compatibility tab.
Check Run This Program As An Administrator.
Click the Apply button.
Click the OK button.
Restart Steam and check if it can now connect to the network.

Fix #7: Check for slow or intermittent internet connection.

For some people, the main reason for their Steam connection issues has something to do with their internet connection at home. If your internet is slow or if it keeps disconnecting, the Steam client may have a hard time establishing or maintaining a connection to the server. This goes true if you’re trying to log in to your account, or when trying to load an online game.

Try to observe how your internet connection at home works using your other devices. If you too are having connection issues when you use your wifi on, say, your mobile phone, laptop, console, or another computer, your Steam signing in issue is most likely caused by your local network.

If necessary, get help from your Internet Service Provider so they can assist you in fixing the problem.

Fix #8: Try a different Steam account.

In case there’s an issue with the current Steam account, consider logging in to a different account and see how that works. If the second account connects to the Steam network without any issues, it’s possible that your other account may be suspended, banned, or restricted.

If you suspect that you Steam account has been banned, consider contacting the Steam support team..

Fix #9: Use TCP instead of UDP.

The Steam client is designed to prioritize User Datagram Protocol or UDP over TCP. However, you can try to check if your Steam client is having a UDP issue at the moment by switching to TCP instead. Here’s what you can do:

Close any game (if you’re running one).
Right-click on the Steam icon on your desktop or Navigate to your Steam installation folder and right-click Steam.exe.
Select Properties.
In the Target field, add -tcp to the end of the path and select OK or Apply. Depending on the installation path, the line should now say “C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steam.exe” -tcp. This flag forces Steam to utilize TCP over UDP.

Fix #10: Delete and reinstall Steam.

The final solution that you can try is to reinstall the Steam client. Before you do so, make sure to create a backup of any games in the Steamapps folder (which should be located in the installation folder for Steam). Once you’ve created the backup, move it to a location that you can easily remember so you can restore it later after reinstalling Steam client.

How To Fix Can’t Sign In To Steam | NEW & Updated in 2024