The “Steam Must Be Running To Play This Game” problem has been reported by a number of Windows users who have attempted to launch a game executable. All the most recent versions of Windows (XP, Vista, 7, 8.1, and 10) have been reported to be affected.
Method 1: How to Set Up the Steam Client (if applicable)
You must first ensure that the Steam client is installed on your machine before proceeding. Even if you prefer to install games off a disc, you’ll still need Steam installed on your PC to play the great majority of today’s PC games.
This occurs because the majority of games make use of many services for various forms of online authentication and multiplayer features.
In light of this, you should ensure that Steam is installed on your machine. Here’s how to get Steam on your computer if you don’t already have it:
Step 1: Click Install Steam Now to get Steam’s setup programme.
Step 2: You may install the Steam client by downloading the executable, opening it, and then following the on-screen instructions.
Step 3:When the setup is done, you must restart the computer.
Step 4:Launch the game that was giving you the “Steam must be running to play this game” error the next time your computer boots up to see if the problem is fixed.
Method 2: Installing Steam’s Most Recent Update
If Steam is already installed on your computer, the problem may be occurring because the game you’re trying to launch requires a newer version of Steam than the one you have.
Many players who had been experiencing the identical error message have found that updating to the most recent version of Steam has fixed the problem. The following is a brief explanation of the procedure:
Step 1: Launch Steam and ensure you’re logged in.
Step 2: Use the Steam > Check for Steam Clients updates option in the menu bar.
Step 3: If an updated version is available, simply use the on-screen prompts to download and install it.
Step 4: When the setup is finished, you can restart your computer to determine if the problem has been fixed.
Method 3: Eliminating Incompatible Data (if Applicable)
The Steam client may be preventing the game from starting because you added non-Steam files (such as mods, cheats, scripts, etc.) to the installation folder after downloading it. Multiplayer games like PayDay 2, Fallout 4, and a few others in this genre often face this problem because of their robust modding communities.
Usually,.dll and.lua files from outside the game’s installation folder are what cause the “Steam must be operating to play this game” error, thus removing those will fix the problem (Steam seems to have a problem with them).
Troublesome files can be removed by either performing a complete reinstall of the game or by going to the game’s installation folder and deleting the files manually.
Method 4: Checking The Reliability of The Game’s Data
Several players have said they were able to fix the “Steam must be running to play this game” error by checking the game’s integrity via the Steam client. This happens when a game is mistakenly updated on Steam.
If the Steam client notices that the game folder is missing any files, it will throw this specific error. The game file’s integrity must be checked to fix this problem. If Steam finds any discrepancies during the scan, it will automatically download the necessary updates.
The following is a basic tutorial on how to check Steam game files for corruption:
Step 1: Kick off the Steam client and navigate to the Library section.
Step 2: When you right-click the offending game in your library (located on the left side of the screen), you’ll be able to see its properties and troubleshoot it.
Step 3: Select Local Files and then click the Verify Integrity of Game Files button inside the game’s Properties window.
Step 5: The Steam client must be restarted after the operation is complete.
Step 6: The next time you want to play, try opening it and seeing if the problem has been fixed.
