When a Steam game won’t launch, it is almost always one of five things: a copy of the game still running, damaged files, a bad launch option, security software blocking it, or a missing runtime. The fixes below follow that order, quickest first.

This guide is for games bought and launched through Steam on Windows. If the game opens and then crashes before the menu, the steps in our guide to fixing games that crash on startup go further, and our guide to diagnosing PC game problems step by step covers everything after that.

Check it isn’t already running

The most common cause is the simplest. If a game crashed or froze earlier, its process can still be running in the background. Steam sees it and won’t start a second copy.

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. On the Processes tab, look for the game’s name, or for its launcher or anti-cheat.
  3. Select it and click End task.
  4. Check Steam’s library: if the game’s button still says Stop, click it.

Then try Play again. If that doesn’t help, restart Steam completely with Steam → Exit (not just closing the window), and reopen it.

Verify files and restart Steam

Damaged or missing files are the next most common cause. Steam can check and repair them.

  1. In your Library, right-click the game and choose Properties.
  2. Open Installed Files.
  3. Click Verify integrity of game files.

Let any files it reacquires download, then restart Steam. Our guide to verifying game files in every launcher explains what the check does.

Launch options and compatibility settings

Launch options are extra instructions Steam passes to a game when it starts. A leftover option from an old guide can stop a game from opening after an update.

  1. Right-click the game, choose Properties, and look at Launch Options on the General tab.
  2. Copy anything there somewhere safe, then clear the box.
  3. Launch the game.

Also check compatibility settings on the game’s executable. Right-click the .exe in the install folder, choose Properties → Compatibility, and untick any compatibility mode you didn’t set on purpose. Running a modern game in an old Windows compatibility mode often stops it from starting.

To find the install folder, right-click the game in Steam and choose Manage → Browse local files.

Antivirus and Controlled folder access

Security software can quarantine a game’s executable, block its anti-cheat, or stop it from writing its save files.

  • Windows Security: open Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Protection history and look for anything removed or blocked at the time the game failed. Restore it if it belongs to the game.
  • Controlled folder access: under Ransomware protection, if Controlled folder access is on, choose Allow an app through Controlled folder access and add the game’s .exe. Many games save to the Documents folder, which this feature protects.
  • Third-party antivirus: check its quarantine list and add the game’s install folder as an exclusion.

Only add exclusions for games installed through Steam itself.

Reinstall the redistributables

Most games need Microsoft’s Visual C++ runtime, and some older ones need the legacy DirectX components. If one is missing or damaged, the game fails silently or shows an error naming a file such as VCRUNTIME140.dll.

  1. Open the game’s install folder and look for a _CommonRedist folder. Steam games often include the exact installers they need there. Run the ones inside.
  2. If there isn’t one, download the latest supported Visual C++ Redistributable from Microsoft. Install both the x64 and x86 versions.
  3. Restart the PC and try again.

Steam client fixes

If several games won’t launch, the problem is more likely Steam itself or something interfering with it.

  • Run Steam as administrator once. Right-click the Steam shortcut and choose Run as administrator, then launch the game. If that fixes it, the cause is a permissions problem in the install folder.
  • Clear the download cache. Go to Steam → Settings → Downloads → Clear Download Cache. It signs you out and fixes many update and launch problems.
  • Turn off the Steam overlay for one test under Steam → Settings → In Game.
  • Clean boot. Microsoft’s clean boot steps start Windows with only its own services, which rules out conflicts with other software. If the game launches in a clean boot, re-enable services in small groups to find the culprit.
  • Reinstall Steam last. Back up the steamapps folder first so your games don’t need to download again.

When it’s the game, not your PC

If a game stops launching for many players at once, usually right after an update, the problem is on the developer’s side. Check the game’s Community Hub discussions and its official news posts on Steam before spending more time troubleshooting. A hotfix often arrives within a day or two.