If you are facing a problem where your Steam won’t go online and is stuck in Offline Mode, then we will help you fix it. Since this game distribution platform is used by millions, sometimes users come across errors and glitches. In this particular error, users are not able to access the online facilities of Steam. And since most of the games are played over the internet, this error can put a halt to your gaming experience. There are several ways to fix it and we will discuss them all here.
Steam Won’t Go Online and Stuck in Offline Mode Fix
There can be several reasons for Steam to not go online. You can always start the troubleshooting process by restarting the client. But if it doesn’t work, then the following can be the reason for the error:
Table of Contents
- Steam Servers are down
- Internet Settings or Connection issues
- System Cache
- Corrupted Steam Files
Keeping these issues in mind, you can use the following methods to fix the “Steam Stuck in Offline Mode” error.
Check Steam Servers
Before starting the troubleshooting, you should check if the Steam servers are up and working. If not, then no matter what you do, you will face that error. You can check the server status on their Charts Overview page.
Check your Internet Connection
Another thing you should check is your Internet Connection. You can face this problem if it’s weak or not stable. If you are using Wifi then try restarting your Router.
Clear Steam’s Download Cache to Fix Stuck In Offline Mode
Steam downloads temporary files in the form of a cache and it can be the reason for this error. To clear it:
- Launch the Steam client.
- On the top-left corner, click on Steam.
- Click on Settings and then go to the Downloads tab.
- In there, click on the “Clear Download Cache” button and click on OK.
- Then, log in again and it should work normally.
Change Internet Settings
Since Steam constantly downloads game data, your PC might flag it as unsafe. By changing your internet settings, you can try and get rid of this issue. To do so:
- Open Control Panel from the Windows Search Bar.
- Click on Network and Sharing Center
- On the bottom-left corner of the screen, click on Internet Options.
- A new window will open, then go to its Advanced tab.
- Scroll down till you reach the “Security” section.
- Under that, uncheck the “Enable Enhanced Protected Mode” box.
- Restart your computer and launch Steam.
Modify Steam Shortcut
Steam uses UDP (User Datagram Program) to transfer data. You can use TCP instead, which is slower but provides guaranteed transmission of data. To do so:
- Right-Click on the Steam client shortcut.
- Click on Properties and go to the Shortcut tab.
- In the Target box, add -tcp after the quotation mark.
- Then click on Apply > OK.
- Then relaunch the client as an Administrator to check if the issue is resolved.
Reset Winsock API
Windows Sockets API or Winsock overviews how applications access network services. You can try resetting it to fix the “Steam Stuck in Offline Mode” error. Here’s how to do it:
- Open the Command Prompt by pressing the Windows key and typing cmd.
- Type down the following commands and press enter after each
- netsh winsock reset catalog
- netsh int ip reset reset.log
Then restart your PC and check if the issue is resolved.
- netsh winsock reset catalog
- netsh int ip reset reset.log
Reinstall Steam
If none of the above-mentioned methods are working, then you can reinstall Steam as the last resort. The client might have some corrupt or missing files leading to this issue. Reinstalling the app will remove those corrupted files.
These are some of the best methods you can use if your Steam won’t go online and is stuck in Offline Mode. If you are facing other errors with Steam like Purchase Stuck on Working, you should visit GamerTweak for solutions.
