gameoverlayui.exe Is not running so I cant use Steam Overlay

[SirTastier]

Steam Overlay is not running at all, I restarted my steam a few times and my computer but nothing seems to work. I cant reinstall my steam cause I have alot of data and I dont want to lose that, How can i make gameoverlayui.exe run again cause I tried running it from steam's directory. Please help

[Glimmer]

Are you using the -steamos launch option to access the old friend's list? That is known to break the overlay.

[SirTastier]

Do you know how to disable the launch option?

[Glimmer]

Originally posted by nepSirTastier:

Do you know how to disable the launch option?

Remove the launch option from the shortcut being used to launch Steam. If you need instructions on this, likely this is not the problem. The -SteamOS launch option needs to be manually enabled and is disabled in the same way.

What games are you having issues with? I tried a few games and they properly launch gameoverlay.exe

How are you launching the game? Direct links to a game's exe will not launch the overlay.

[SirTastier]

I’m having issues with every game not one or two all of them, I am running them by using the play button on steam library. Also task manager not showing gameoverlayui.exe

[Snapjak]

-steamos is a lunch option for Steam itself, not for a game.

If your Steam shortcut has that, it will be disabled in every single game.
Right-click shortcut > make sure it's not at the end of the Target: box

Restart Steam if it was and you removed it.

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

If you're using the old friends list, just revert it back to use the new friend list, you need to go to your Steam.exe, or Steam shortcut and removed the commands you place from before, then relaunch Steam.

If doesn't work, try this next, close Steam, right click on Steam, run as administrator, and test it out.

If doesn't work still, try opt-in/out for Steam beta, as well test with administrator if still having problems.

If all else still not working, reinstall Steam, so uninstall it, go to the folder for Steam, make sure all of it was deleted so no files of the client itself was left behind, once that done, reinstall Steam, then test again.

[Furfem]

Im having the same issue as this guy and i still cannot fix it after weeks of trying, can someone help because at this point im going to do a full reset of my pc.

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

Originally posted by Daddy Myers:

Im having the same issue as this guy and i still cannot fix it after weeks of trying, can someone help because at this point im going to do a full reset of my pc.

Ensure "Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game" is enable in the Steam settings. Open Steam settings, click tab for "in-game" then check the box, press ok. Also check the shortcut keys, you see it there as well "Overlay shortcut keys"

Try post above, but for last thing, when reinstall Steam, just delete everything except for "Steamapps" folder, and "Steam.exe" file, once done run Steam.exe and test.

Ensure no 3rd party app trying to hook into steam client to mess with it, and if using multiple overlay for things, ensure they're not conflicting with each other.

[.Ink]

so im having the same exact issues as everyone else here, and it was working a week ago,
ive tried everything, deleting all the files except steamapps and steam.exe, reinstalling, i tried to end the task for overlay ui in task manager, but its not there. admin access on both overlay and steam(both have it already still not working), my gpu and windows are up to date, my cpu is up to date, i litterally just updated it two weeks ago, and there hasnt been a new one since, its not any specific games so verifying integrety wont work, ive tried reenabling steam overlay, STILL NOTHING, IVE TRIED ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING I FOUND ONLINE AND NOTHINGS WORKING, the only thing i havent tried is the launch option steam os, but i cant find a way to ANYWHERE, please help I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO

[.Ink]

update 1, steam os is not there so i have no idea whats going on

[.Ink]

update 2, all my games are in a separate drive to steam itself that might be the problem, im reinstalling a game in the drive steam is in to see if it works there

[.Ink]

update 3..... nope

[FlippenFaz]

Not sure if this will help, but I was having the same issue
It turns out my SteamOverlayUI.exe was set to always run as administrator, which meant steam wouldn't be able to run it unless it was also running as admin, after unchecking that box it now works

[YGN]

I have same problem, tried everything but Steam overlay not working.

[Iceira]

Sense gameoverlayui.exe is a executable make sure security dont block it, that mean whitelist steam.exe and other .exe's in that folder in the Anti.Virus app