Steam is the most famous gaming platform all over the world. Generally, it works fine and smooth without any issues. However, Steam running slow is a real problem and several users have reported facing this issue when their game gets disrupted due to a slow Steam application.
As a result, you won’t be able to play a game smoothly and the situation is very frustrating.
This problem mainly appears if the Steam application is corrupted or damaged.
What are the Causes of Steam Running Slow?
Before moving to the solutions, first, you should know why this problem occurs. Below we are going to list most of the common causes that might be responsible for Steam running slow.
- An older version of the Steam application
- Steam cache, download cache, and Cookies
- An outdated version of the device driver
- Incorrect proxy settings
- Third-party security software or Windows firewall
- Corrupted or missing game files
How to Fix Steam Running Slow
When you encounter this problem, first, you need to restart your device. Sometimes, this issue can be resolved by simply restarting the system.
After restarting the device, if you still find that Steam is running slow on the device, just try the methods provided below to get out of trouble. Here, almost all the possible and useful methods are discussed. Therefore, follow and implement them exactly as mentioned below.
Method 1 – End Unnecessary Background Programs
One of the easy methods by which you will be able to get rid of this problem on the device is to end the unnecessary background programs. To learn how to do that, follow the directions cited below:
- Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys together to launch the Task Manager window.
- When you are in the Task Manager window, go to the Processes tab and look for the unnecessary programs, select them.
- Thereafter, click on the End Task button to end the processes.
Method 2 – Remove Steam Cache and Cookies
If you do not remove the Steam cache and cookies from time to time then you can find that Steam is running slow on the device. Therefore, you should delete these following these steps:
- Locate the Steam icon on the desktop, right-click on it and then choose the Run as administrator option from the menu list.
- In the Steam window, click on Steam at the top left corner and then choose Settings.
- From the Settings window, go to the Web Browser tab on the left panel.
- On the right, click on the DELETE WEB BROWSER CACHE option and then click on the OK option.
- Next, click on the DELETE ALL BROWSER COOKIES button and then click on the OK button.
- After removing these, reboot the device and then check if Steam works properly or not.
Method 3 – Install the Latest Version of the Steam Application
In order to resolve this issue, it is necessary to keep the Steam application up to date. To update it, follow these steps:
- Visit the official website of Steam and look for the latest version of the Steam application.
- After finding it, click on the Download button to start the process.
- Once the file is downloaded, install it correctly.
- After installing this application, open Steam and check if the problem still persists or not.
Method 4 – Update the Device Driver
If you are using an older version of the device drivers on your PC then you can encounter the Steam running slow issue. Therefore, you must update the device drivers immediately. The following steps will help you:
- Press the Windows Home button and then choose Device Manager.
- Once the Device Manager window opens, look for the driver with a yellow mark beside it and then right-click on it.
- After that, select the Update Software Driver option to begin the update process.
- After the application finishes updating, restart your system and then check if the glitch is resolved or not.
Method 5 – Clear Download Cache
Removing the Download cache can also eliminate this problem on the computer. Perform the following steps:
- Go to Method 2 and then follow the first two steps.
- From the Settings window, select the Downloads tab on the left panel.
- In the Downloads tab, click on the CLEAR DOWNLOAD CACHE option. After that, click on the OK button to remove them.
Method 6 – Change the Proxy Settings
Incorrect Proxy settings can cause Steam to run slow. Therefore, you need to change the Proxy settings. Follow the directions given below:
- Hit the Start button and then select Control Panel.
- In the Control Panel window, double-click on Internet Options.
- When you are in the Internet Options window, navigate to the Connections tab and then click on the LAN Settings option.
- From the LAN Settings window, untick the Automatically detect settings option and then click on the OK button to save the changes.
Method 7 – Repair Steam
A corrupted Steam application can result in the “Steam running slow” issue on the system. Therefore, you should repair this application as soon as possible. Below are certain steps that you can try:
- Press Win + X buttons to launch the WinX menu list and then choose Control Panel.
- From the Control Panel window, navigate to the Programs & Features section.
- Look for the Steam application, select it and then click on the Repair button to repair Steam.
- Once the repair process is done, reboot the device and then open the Steam application.
Method 8 – Verifying the Integrity of Game Files
If the game files are missing then also you can face this problem on the system. Therefore, you should repair them. If you do not know how to do that then follow the directions as stated below:
- Launch the Steam application and then click on Library at the top menu bar.
- In the Library window, locate the game, right-click on it and then choose Properties.
- From the Properties window, go to the LOCAL FILES tab and then click on the VERIFY INTEGRITY OF GAME FILES…
- Now Steam will begin verifying all the files. If you find that any files are missing or corrupted then download them.
- Now, go to the Settings section and then select the Downloads tab on the left panel.
- In that tab, click on the Steam Library Folders. Here all the Steam files will be listed
- Right-click on it and then choose the Repair Library Files button from the menu list.
- Once done, restart Steam and then check if it solves the problem or not.
Method 9 – Reinstall Steam
If Steam is still running slow then you can try to reinstall Steam which will hopefully resolve this problem. Therefore, go through these steps:
- Press the Windows Home key and then click on the Settings icon.
- Go to the Apps section and then select the Apps & Features tab on the left navigation pane.
- Scroll down the page and find the Steam application, select it. After that, click on the Uninstall option.
- Once Steam is uninstalled, restart the PC and then reinstall it.
- To install it, go to the Steam official website and download and then install the latest version of the Steam application.
- After installing it, reboot your device and then check whether the issue is fixed or not.
