An Error Occurred While Updating Steam – How To Troubleshoot?

Steam is a well-optimized game distributing platform that is used all over the world. Even if a gamer doesn’t download games from Steam, it is likely they will have an account on Steam as Steam has become more of a hub for gamers to discuss and share reviews.

Games on Steam are automatically updated, they can be disabled or prevented to a certain extent, as mentioned here. Steam errors while updating or installing are quite common for users. In this article, I have discussed the troubleshooting procedure you need to follow when an error occurred while updating Steam.

What Triggers An Error On Steam While Updating Or Installing?

Steam is an online platform, so update issues related to network errors or server fails are common. Other than that there can be other causes of Steam update or installation errors. Here are some commonly known errors:

1. The corrupted cache is a persistent instigator of Steam update errors for various users.
2. The game that you are trying to update may have downloaded incorrectly, which is why the update can also get bugged out.
3. The download location of the Steam games can also be a problem. If the download drive doesn’t have enough space to install the game, then it will trigger errors.
4. Steam has limited region services and games. Not all games are allowed to install or download in every region. If your region is not included in the distributorship of a certain game you are trying to update or install, then errors will obviously trigger.
5. Internet connection issues are always a factor in such errors.
6. A firewall can prevent Steam from updating or downloading files if it considers it a threat. This can obviously trigger errors.

So, now that you know the commonly known causes behind Steam update errors, it’s time to troubleshoot.

How To Fix An Error Occurred While Updating Steam?

Here I have mentioned the troubleshooting procedures you need to follow in order to fix this error. Remember to read the instructions carefully before executing them to avoid making any mistakes.

Solution 1: Clear Download Cache

One of the first fixes that you should try is to clear the download cache of Steam. A corrupted cache is a well-known phenomenon that is a hub of errors and bugs. To clear the download cache, follow the steps given below:

1. Launch Steam and click on the Steam option.
2. Select the Settings option and click on the Downloads tab on the left panel.
3. Scroll down and locate the Clear Download Cache.

4. Confirm the process and wait for the download cache to clear up.
5. Restart Steam.

After Steam restarts, check whether in Steam an error occurred while installing or updating issue persists. If the error persists, try the next solution.

Solution 2: Repair Library Folder

The Steam library can become corrupted and cause various Steam errors. Repairing the Steam libraries should fix such errors.

To repair Steam libraries, follow the steps given below:

1. Open Steam and then click on the Steam option in the upper left corner of your screen.
2. Next, select the Settings option.
3. Click on the Downloads option and then click on the STEAM LIBRARY FOLDERS option below Content Libraries.
4. Right-click on the element in the Folder section and click on the Repair Library Folder option.

Check if the Steam an error occurred while updating issue has resolved.

Solution 3: Verify Integrity Of The Game Files

One cause for an error occurred while updating Steam issue is corrupted or missing game files. Corrupted or missing game files can be fixed by verifying the integrity of the game files. To verify the integrity of the game files, follow the steps given below:

To verify the integrity of game files, follow the steps given below:

1. Open Steam and select the Library option.
2. Right-click on the game that is triggering this error and selects the Properties option from the right-click context menu.
3. After the Properties dialog opens, select the Local Files tab.
4. Click on the Verify Integrity of Game Files option.
5. Wait for Steam to verify the game files.

After the process is complete, check whether the updates are still triggering error or not.

Solution 4: Change Download Location

A common incident of update or installation related error is insufficient drive space. Steam has a default download location in the system drive. This can be changed to any other drive. However, if the drive that you are trying to install Steam games or updating already installed games (which generally adds more files), then you will end up with an error and an incomplete installation or update.

This can be remedied by simply changing the download location to another drive. Other than insufficient space, sometimes changing the download location also bypasses errors caused by other issues related to the particular drive.

To change the download location of Steam, follow the steps given below:

1. Open Steam.
2. Click on the Steam option and select the Settings option.
3. Select the Downloads tab from the left panel and click on the Steam Library Folders option in the Content Libraries section.

4. Click on the Add library folder option and select a new location for installing the Steam games.
5. Now, click on Select to save the changes.
6. Close the Steam Library Folders and restart Steam.

After Steam restarts, try installing in the new directory and see if any error arises or not.

Solution 5: Change Download Region

Steam also has region-specific content. This means that some games and apps are unavailable for download in certain regions. If the region on your Steam account is set incorrectly, then you will face error downloading or updating content restricted in that region. This can be easily fixed by changing the region on your account. To do that, follow the steps given below:

1. Open Steam.
2. Click on the Steam option and select the Settings option.
3. Select the Downloads tab from the left panel.
4. Locate the Download Region section and click on the drop-down menu below it.

5. Select the correct region and click on OK to save the changes.
6. Restart Steam and check if the error persists.

Solution 6: Check Internet Connection

Internet connection plays a big role in Steam as it is a completely online platform. If the network connection is not strong or stable enough, you will face network-related errors while updating or download on Steam. Check out this article to learn what is a good internet speed.

Solution 7: Allow Steam Through Firewall

A firewall can block Steam from accessing the internet if it considers it as threatening. Allowing Steam through firewalls can get rid of such issues. To do it follow the steps given below:

1. Type Allow apps through Windows Firewall in the Start menu and select the top result. The Windows Defender menu in Control Panel will open.
2. Click on the Change Settings option.
3. Locate Steam among the other apps and check both the public and private network boxes beside it.
4. Click on OK to save the changes.

Similar to Windows Firewall, 3^rd party antiviruses can also trigger an error occurred while updating Steam. In such a scenario, you will have to disable the antivirus.

Wrapping Up

So, there you have it. Now you know what to do when an error occurred while updating Steam. The above solutions should be enough to fix update related errors on Steam. If you have any other questions regarding this article, ask them in the comment section below.