Steam is one of the most popular gaming platforms on PC. There are thousands of games, ranging from AAA titles to indies. However, with such an extensive catalog of games and a massive user base, there are bound to be a few hiccups in the software. That is why you may find that the Steam Store doesn't load, or you cannot access it. Here is how to fix the Steam Store not loading.
What to do when the Steam Store is not loading
The Steam Store could not successfully load for a number of reasons, but the most common ones are a slow or interrupted internet connection, disconnected Steam servers, and an old or invalid Steam version. Below, we go over a few fixes that may get your Steam Store working again.
Fix 1: Check Steam Servers
The first fix that we recommend is to check the Steam server status. There are a few reasons why the Steam servers may be brought offline, but if they are down, the Steam Store will not work. You can check the status of Steams servers by heading over to their support page. You can also get a good idea of Steam's server status by utilizing DownDetector, which will tell you if others are experiencing issues with the servers. If you have verified that it is not Steam's servers causing the issue, continue on to the next fix.
Related: How to uninstall Steam games
Fix 2: Update Steam
The next fix is to try and update your Steam client. Most times, this is the cause of the Steam Store not loading.
- On your keyboard, press Ctrl, Shift, and Esc at the same time to open Task Manager.
- Click on Steam Client BootStrapper(32 bit), then click End task.
- Navigate to your Steam folder. Typically, this is stored in the Program Files(x86) folder of your computer's storage
- Inside the Steam Folderb delete all files and folders except for steamapps, userdata, skins, Steam.exe, and any ssfn files.
- Launch Steam, and it will automatically update and replace the files that were deleted.
- Finally, log into Stem and see if the Store is capable of loading.
Fix 3: Clear Download Cache
The third fix is to clear Steams download cache. This can be done from within Steams settings. However, there is a command you can run on your PC to automatically clear the Download Cache for you.
- Launch your PC's Run dialog box by pressing the Windows + R keys simultaneously.
- Type steam://flushconfig and hit Enter.
- Click OK in the confirmation prompt message that pops up.
- Windows OS will automatically clear the download cache for the Steam client.
- Log in to Steam and check to see if you are now able to access the Store.
So there you have it, that is how you can fix the Steam Store when it is not loading. If none of the above-mentioned methods worked out for you, we recommend reaching out to Steam Support, where they will be able to help you more directly.
For more help with Steam, check out How to update a game on Steam (PC) right here on Pro Game Guides.