Fatal Error - Failed to Load steamui.dll

[GJohns902]

A few days ago, I became unable to open Steam. Everytime I tried to open Steam, it crashed before loading with the message "Fatal error, failed to load steamui.dll".

I have tried all of the following methods:
- restarting the computer
- checking for memory errors
- checking for hard drive errors
- a "soft reinstall" where I redownloaded Steam to the exact same folder, hoping to overwrite any corrupted core Steam files
- completely uninstalling Steam, then reinstalling it. (I do have the old "steamapps" folder in a separate location, so my game data is still intact)

Nothing has worked so far and I don't know what else to do. I'm using Windows 10 on a older computer.

[Jack Schitt]

Try this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU4GxIPHlDk

If that doesn't work here is a link to download the steamui.dll file. I would suggest renaming the original file instead of deleting it and replace it with this one:
https://www.dllme.com/dll/files/steamui_dll.html

You can also just delete steamui.dll from the Steam folder and launching the client should download it again as well.

[The Giving One]

Originally posted by GJohns902:

"Fatal error, failed to load steamui.dll".

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/search/?gidforum=882959061466924237&include_deleted=1&q=%22Failed+to+Load+steamui.dll%22

[GJohns902]

Originally posted by 𝒥𝒶𝒸𝓀 𝒮𝒸𝒽𝒾𝓉𝓉:

Try this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU4GxIPHlDk

If that doesn't work here is a link to download the steamui.dll file. I would suggest renaming the original file instead of deleting it and replace it with this one:
https://www.dllme.com/dll/files/steamui_dll.html

You can also just delete steamui.dll from the Steam folder and launching the client should download it again as well.

I tried following the instructions detailed in the video, as well as the additional options you listed. None of them have worked

[Jack Schitt]

I have other suggestions to try.

First, right click on the Steam icon you use to launch the game and select Properties. You should see a "Target" field in the ShortCut tab (it should open to the shortcut tab and be right there in front of you). At the end of the text in the Target field add this:

-nochatui -nofriendsui

This turns the UI (user interface) off for both the client and friends list causing them both to be the old UI before the update. Steamui.dll has to do with the UI, and that's the problem.
Maybe disabling the new UI might cause it to run for you.

Second, One of the computers I use Steam on is 12 years old and still runs like the beast of a machine it is (it's still very closely comparable to a "top-of-the-line" gaming PCs even now, 12 years after I built it). That proves the age of a machine is irrelevant.

You didn't mention if you tried to install Steam to a new location. Try installing it to a different hard drive completely if you have more than one, or at least a different drive letter. If neither of the other suggestions above worked, which they should have, I'm at a loss. If installing steam to a different drive doesn't correct it so the client launches escalate this to Steam support and don't let them direct you to the community. You're here now trying that.

You don't have to delete your games. You can copy/paste the steamapps folder to the new install but before you do that see if it runs from another drive first.

Third, check the properties of the steamui.dll for it's permission attributes. Neither "Read Only" or "Hidden" should be checked. They should be blank. If either of those are checked the program might not be able to access it, therefore the program can't load it.

I find it very extremely odd that replacing the steamui.dll didn't cause it to work. Are you sure you did it right? I don't mean to offend! Not at all! Everyone whoopsies, and not everyone is savvy with computers.

Fourth, Firewall? Anti-virus? Turn them completely off, even uninstall them, and see if that's what's causing the error. Firewalls, including windows firewall and windows defender, can do this. Some anti-virus programs (Namely Kaspersky, McAfee, Norton, and Avast) SUCK!!!!!!!! They block things they shouldn't. One of the downfalls commonly ran in to with Kaspersky is it has 237589327895071895037218953758129053215325 settings to it that you HAVE to go through and set almost every one of them up or it's going to block things it shouldn't. Kaspersky can't just be installed, forgotten, and left run with it's default settings. It has to be set up.

It doesn't matter which order you try these suggestions in.
I hope one of them does it.

[GJohns902]

I tried adjusting the shortcut target - no success.
I don't have the option of installing on a separate drive.
I tried disabling the anti-virus and firewall, and checked the file properties to ensure they weren't marked as hidden or read-only.
Nothing has worked, I feel like I have exhausted all possible fixes.

[Jack Schitt]

I apologise but if you've done everything I suggested I am also at a loss, too.
I accepted the update and mine still works. Windows also updated for me today. Did it for you?

[GJohns902]

Originally posted by 𝒥𝒶𝒸𝓀 𝒮𝒸𝒽𝒾𝓉𝓉:

I apologise but if you've done everything I suggested I am also at a loss, too.
I accepted the update and mine still works. Windows also updated for me today. Did it for you?

Update (10/13): Shortly after your post I contacted Steam support, they suggested it was a problem with Windows . . . and it was! Some Windows system files were corrupted, those files were required by Steam to open properly. I used Windows system repair to restore those files, once they were fixed, Steam worked perfectly!

Thanks for you help, Jack.

[Primrose]

maybe your pc is potato windows xp that why problem

[FatJass]

Originally posted by Løadinğ...:

maybe your pc is potato windows xp that why problem

Windows XP is way better than any other Windows

[_rasdragon705_]

Hello from 2019, I'm having this same problem right now, is it possible that me still sticking to Vista after the Jan 1 date is causing this? I tried asking steam but they brushed me off saying they don't provide support to Vista users anymore

[76561198848642519]

Originally posted by _rasdragon705_:

Hello from 2019, I'm having this same problem right now, is it possible that me still sticking to Vista after the Jan 1 date is causing this? I tried asking steam but they brushed me off saying they don't provide support to Vista users anymore

You won't be able to use Steam on Windows Vista so it's not a fob off you are simply using software they do not support and will need to update to Windows 7 or above to use Steam without issue.

[_rasdragon705_]

It's not as simple as upgrading to windows 7 I would need a whole new rig vista WAS the upgrade. Is there no way to just play the games I already have installed?

[justiceforjoggers]

I can't play most of my games that I've payed for, and this is really pissing me off. I can't upgrade to a better OS otherwise I would've. Why would Steam stop support for Vista/XP but still require you to have the steam_api.dll in order to play the games? I have them downloaded, they're taking up my external drive space, there should be no reason I can't play them.

[The Giving One]

Originally posted by _rasdragon705_:

It's not as simple as upgrading to windows 7 I would need a whole new rig vista WAS the upgrade. Is there no way to just play the games I already have installed?

Pretty much all drivers are forward and backwards compatible between Vista and Windows 7. There might be a very few rare exceptions, but for the most part, a computer that runs Vista can also run Windows 7.

[Bex1219]

We're having this problem right now on a brand-new-out-of-the-box laptop PC. We've tried all these fixes and some others. This is for the initial install of Steam on the brand new machine so there are no games (nor anything else) to think about.

The other weird thing is that Steam wants us to choose/create an empty folder to put Steam into rather than just creating one (we put a folder in Documents but no matter where we've put it, the result is the same). Of all the Steam installations we've done over the years, we've never had to do that. We've also never had a problem getting the initial install to work.

Ideas? We're really at a loss.