How to Fix Steam Store Not Loading
Reasons for Steam store not loading
There may be several reasons why the Steam browser is not loading or responding, such as:
How to Fix Steam Store Not Loading Reasons for Steam store not loading Method 1: Check Internet Connectivity Method 2: Update Steam Client Method 3: Clear Download Cache Method 4: Remove HTML Cache Method 5: Use Web version of the Steam Store Method 6: Delete Steam Web Browser Cache and Cookies Method 7: Enable Big Picture Mode in Steam Method 8: Disable Compatibility Mode on Windows 10 Method 9: Use VPN software Method 10: Reinstall the Steam client Method 11: Contact Steam Support Team
Slow or unstable Internet connection. Too many web browser cache files. Outdated version of the Steam App. Compatibility issues with the system operating system. Conflicting configuration of device & application settings.
Follow the methods listed below to resolve the said problem with the Steam store on Windows 10 PC.
Method 1: Check Internet Connectivity
If you have a slow or unstable internet connection, you won’t be able to access the Steam store. So, if your Steam store is not loading or responding properly, then the first thing that you should check is whether your Windows system has a stable internet connection or not. Here is what you should do if you have a poor internet connection.
- Run a Speed Test to check your internet speed.
- Restart your router to refresh the network connection.
- Use an Ethernet cable instead of using a Wi-Fi connection.
- Contact your service provider and make a complaint regarding an unstable internet connection.
Method 2: Update Steam Client
If you are using an outdated version of the Steam client on your system, you might face problems accessing the Steam store. Therefore, to fix Steam store not working or Steam client Bootstrapper not responding, update the Steam client to the latest version as follows:
Press Ctrl + Shift+ Esc keys together, on your keyboard to launch Task Manager.
Under the Processes tab, you will see the list of all processes running on your system currently. Click Steam (32-bit) and click on End task from the bottom of the window.
Exit Task Manager. Next, launch Run Dialog Box by pressing Windows + R keys together.
Type C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam and hit Enter.
Steam folder window will appear on your screen. Delete everything except steamapps, user data, skins, ssfn file, and Steam.exe. Note: There could be more than one ssfn file. So, make sure to retain all of these.
Now, launch Steam. It will automatically update itself to the latest version.
After you update the Steam client, check whether the Steam store loads and responds properly. Also Read: 12 Ways to Fix Steam Won’t Open Issue
Method 3: Clear Download Cache
Download cache on Steam client might be causing interference with the Steam store leading to unresponsive behavior. However, to fix the Steam store not loading problem, you can delete the download cache by implementing either of these two options: Clear Download Cache using Steam Settings Here is how you can manually delete the download cache for the Steam client through Steam settings:
Launch Steam app on your system and click on the Steam tab from the top-left corner of the screen.
Select Settings from the drop-down menu, as highlighted.
In the Settings window, click on the Downloads tab from the panel on the left.
Finally, click on CLEAR DOWNLOAD CACHE from the bottom of the screen. Then, click on OK to confirm.
Clear Download Cache using flushconfig Command To automate the process of clearing download cache on Steam client, you can run a flushconfig script. Follow the given steps to do so:
Launch the 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. After deleting the download cache, log into your account and check whether you were able to fix the Steam store not loading issue.
Method 4: Remove HTML Cache
HTML cache in Steam client might also be the reason why you are unable to load Steam store. In order to resolve this issue, you should remove the HTML cache as well. Follow the given steps to delete HTML cache on your Windows 10 PC:
In the Windows search bar, type and open File Explorer Options from the search results, as shown.
Switch to the View tab from the top. 3. Check the box next to Show hidden files, folders, and drives option.
Click on Apply and then, OK to save the changes. Refer given pic.
Now, launch Run and type the following, and hit Enter: Note: Replace the
in the above script with your Windows username. e.g Techcult in the picture below. In the File Explorer window that appears, you will see all HTML cache files. Select all files by pressing Ctrl + A keys and then, press Delete. Restart the Steam client and check whether the Steam store not working issue is resolved. If not, try any of the succeeding methods. Also Read: Fix Could Not Connect to the Steam Network Error
Method 5: Use Web version of the Steam Store
In case, you are unable to access the Steam store on Steam client on your Windows computer, you can try to log into the web version of the Steam store. Sometimes, the Steam web portal loads the Steam store faster as compared to the Steam client. Therefore, to fix the Steam store not loading, you can access the web portal of Steam here.
Method 6: Delete Steam Web Browser Cache and Cookies
A corrupt or huge quantity of web browser cache and cookies may lead to the Steam Store not loading problem. Hence, it is suggested to delete browser cache & cookies after deleting HTML cache & Steam download cache. Here is how to delete Steam web browser cache and cookies:
Open Steam client then navigate to Steam > Settings as explained above.
Click on the Web Browser tab from the panel on the left side of the screen.
Next, click on DELETE WEB BROWSER CACHE and click OK.
Similarly, click DELETE ALL BROWSER COOKIES and click on OK to confirm. Refer pic below for clarity.
Method 7: Enable Big Picture Mode in Steam
Running Steam in big picture mode was able to fix the Steam store not working issue for many users. You can also try running Steam in the big picture mode as instructed below:
Open Steam on your computer. Click on the full screen or big picture icon located next to your user ID at the top-right corner.
Alternatively, Enter and Exit Big Picture mode by pressing Alt + Enter key combination.
Method 8: Disable Compatibility Mode on Windows 10
Compatibility mode is an inbuilt feature in Windows systems that allows you to run older programs, without glitches, even after updating the Windows operating system to the latest version. The Steam client gets updated quite frequently, and is thus, optimized for running on the latest versions of Windows OS. Therefore, the compatibility mode is rendered useless for Steam, and disabling it might potentially, fix the Steam store not loading issue. Follow the given steps to disable Compatibility Mode for the Steam app:
Launch Steam and minimize it.
Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys together.
Under the Processes tab, right-click on Steam and select Properties, as depicted below.
Switch to the Compatibility tab in the steam Properties window.
Uncheck the option titled Run this program in compatibility mode for.
Click on Apply to save the changes.
In the same window, click on the Change settings for all users button from the bottom of the screen.
Uncheck the same option that says Run this program in compatibility mode for. Then, click Apply > OK, as shown.
Relaunch Steam to check whether you were able to resolve the Steam store not loading error. Also Read: Fix Steam Service Errors when launching Steam
Method 9: Use VPN software
You have the option of using VPN software to spoof your location on web servers. In this way, the Steam client will be made to assume that you are accessing its servers from a different location and it might allow you to access the Steam store. Using VPN software might resolve the problem as it would bypass any restrictions between your IP address and the Steam store. We recommend using NordVPN, which is one of the best VPN software out there. Click here to know more. However, after a trial run, you will need to buy a subscription to continue using its services.
Method 10: Reinstall the Steam client
If none of the above methods are working for you, then you can try to reinstall the Steam client. A simple reinstall may help you fix the Steam store not working error. Your current installation may have corrupt or missing files, which may be causing this problem. Therefore, reinstalling the Steam client on your system might provide access to the Steam store.
Type steam and search for it in the Windows search bar.
Right-click on the Steam app and click Uninstall, as shown.
Download the Steam client by clicking here. Click on the INSTALL STEAM button and follow on-screen instructions.
Reboot your system and launch Steam, It should now be free of all glitches and errors.
Method 11: Contact Steam Support Team
In the unlikely event that none of the aforementioned methods work, contact the Steam Support Team to raise an issue regarding the Steam store not loading. Recommended:
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We hope our guide was helpful, and you were able to fix the Steam store not loading issue. Let us know which method worked for you. Also, if you have any queries regarding this article, let us know in the comment section.
