Steam does not switch to offline mode, it stays on the "connecting" screen

[TheCrowBR]

I can't switch to Offline Mode (online mode works fine), it stays forever "Connecting to XYZ account", I need help, I've tried:

-Reinstall;
-Multiple restarts;
-steam://flushconfig;
-Deleting "Valve" from registry;
-Install on another driver;
-Windows Safety mode with network;
-RegClean;
- -TCP


I don't know what else to do and this is already making me very anxious, I hope someone can help.

[Iceira]

Working fine here, [win10]

[TheCrowBR]

Originally posted by Iceira W10:

Working fine here, [win10]

Windows 11 here

[Iceira]

Lets see if other win11 steam user will test this for you.

[TheCrowBR]

Explaining better the path I'm taking, I'm in the main account (online), I change to offline (everything ok), I click on switch account, it gives me the option to start online or offline, I click on offline and it doesn't even appear to put the data from the other account, he tries to log offline on the account that I was previously (in offline mode) and stays in this infinite
"Connecting".

[Iceira]

im sure its because it can see a network connection and why it try check switch account information. ( i have not test for such require multi account user to test such. ) switch account in offline mode might be part of the problem. )

if you know what a ip adr 169,254,x,x is thats is seen as no network a MS solution for things with no network, yes you need to know such, apps use a hammer door effect and sometimes can hang freeze or worse frozen pc untill it give up and maybe even retry if user stop and try again.

this is one of them things most user have not learn yet, because they want offline mode, and thats actual a problem then other service hammer the door, and as you have now network connection still there, i cant say its that, but how can security check userdata then you switch user login, im sure this might be part of the problem.

ask steam support and tell show them this.

can also be a problrm if not validate and confirmed online with 2 account switch before you go offline, ( all depend on has it been approval they have rights to use that computer with a diffrent user steam login information. )

steam most have thought this through, or any will install and change user login so you can misuse term of service, ( i dont think i need to explan that better ) gl with it with multi account switch.

[D_I_Z_E_L]

win 10 pro ( TOP)

[Iceira]

do note other steam service like workshop and mod use will remove mod in offline mode, workshop do a version check that mod is update and with no network, im sure this has not been fixed ( skyrim, oldrim did this ) i did not say read only cant help you, but that was more a hot fix to the subject , not a solution.

[TheCrowBR]

I performed the test on another computer, completely different configuration, Win10, installed Steam and had the exactly same problem.

[Iceira]

yeap , it most be change user problem, sense offline/online work on same account user.

[MagicMight]

Something is definitely wrong with the Steam Client. It is obvious they have been changing things because for example a couple of updates ago the "go offline" button would also prompt an automatic client restart which is not the case now.

This leads me to the conclusion that they once again changed something. And since we have a person posting here that is not impacted by the issue, it seems to happen only to specific user configurations.

By the way I have tested on a windows 10 and a windows 7 PC and I can reproduce the issue the OP is describing.

A workaround for now is this:

1. Start Steam
2. Log in normally (online)
3. Steam menu - go offline
4. Exit Steam.
5. Start steam again.
6. Turn off your wifi or disconnect your ethernet cable.
7.On the popup menu click "Go online" (this is not a typo, you have to click this one).
8. Log in with your password
9. Client will produce an error and will prompt you to either retry or go offline.
10. Click "go offline".
11. Turn on wifi/connect ethernet cable.

The above in some cases works without steps 2-5 but sometimes without doing those I would get an error and step 9 would not happen.

[TheCrowBR]

Originally posted by MagicMight:

Something is definitely wrong with the Steam Client. It is obvious they have been changing things because for example a couple of updates ago the "go offline" button would also prompt an automatic client restart which is not the case now.

This leads me to the conclusion that they once again changed something. And since we have a person posting here that is not impacted by the issue, it seems to happen only to specific user configurations.

By the way I have tested on a windows 10 and a windows 7 PC and I can reproduce the issue the OP is describing.

A workaround for now is this:

1. Start Steam
2. Log in normally (online)
3. Steam menu - go offline
4. Exit Steam.
5. Start steam again.
6. Turn off your wifi or disconnect your ethernet cable.
7.On the popup menu click "Go online" (this is not a typo, you have to click this one).
8. Log in with your password
9. Client will produce an error and will prompt you to either retry or go offline.
10. Click "go offline".
11. Turn on wifi/connect ethernet cable.

The above in some cases works without steps 2-5 but sometimes without doing those I would get an error and step 9 would not happen.

In fact, if I click exit Steam (being offline), and open it again in offline mode, it normally enters offline mode, but it doesn't solve the problem of switching accounts and I don't know how to solve it anymore;

[MagicMight]

Wait, that is a different question than the OP. So you want to switch accounts while offline? I do not think that was ever possible but if you were personally able to do it, let me know.

As far as I know a single account login token is saved when transitioning from online to offline mode. You cannot have a second one.

A potential bypass to this would be to use two different Steam login sessions at the same time with the help of a program called Sandboxie. Google 'how to log in two steam accounts with Sandboxie' and there are a couple of videos explaining how to do it. Once you figure out how that works and set it up, you will be able to have an offline login session inside Sandboxie and one offline login session outside Sandboxie. You still cannot change account on either of these sessions while offline. But you can have them working at the same time which is essentially the same thing.

If you don't get what I am talking about just google and watch the tutorial I am talking about and you should understand. To be honest this is a lot of trouble for nothing since you can easily go online, switch, go back offline — unless you actually have no internet at all which is a whole other can of worms.

[TheCrowBR]

Originally posted by MagicMight:

Wait, that is a different question than the OP. So you want to switch accounts while offline? I do not think that was ever possible but if you were personally able to do it, let me know.

As far as I know a single account login token is saved when transitioning from online to offline mode. You cannot have a second one.

A potential bypass to this would be to use two different Steam login sessions at the same time with the help of a program called Sandboxie. Google 'how to log in two steam accounts with Sandboxie' and there are a couple of videos explaining how to do it. Once you figure out how that works and set it up, you will be able to have an offline login session inside Sandboxie and one offline login session outside Sandboxie. You still cannot change account on either of these sessions while offline. But you can have them working at the same time which is essentially the same thing.

If you don't get what I am talking about just google and watch the tutorial I am talking about and you should understand. To be honest this is a lot of trouble for nothing since you can easily go online, switch, go back offline — unless you actually have no internet at all which is a whole other can of worms.

Yes, this transition between an offline account was normal, using the path, go offline > switch account and use the login of another one, the way it is now I can only go online to the account and I can't switch to offline, it stays on the screen "connecting to the account" and in addition, clicking on change account it goes straight to the account that was previously logged in, without the possibility of using another login (when in offline mode), in relation to being a user problem as the friend said above, I also tested it with another user, same problem.

[MagicMight]

Yea we are getting things mixed up because you are describing two different issues you are having at the same time. First is you cannot change accounts while offline. Second is this:

Originally posted by TheCrowBR:

the way it is now I can only go online to the account and I can't switch to offline, it stays on the screen "connecting to the account" and in addition, clicking on change account it goes straight to the account that was previously logged in, without the possibility of using another login (when in offline mode)

As I already mentioned this is a client issue I am facing as well and I have managed to solve it in a roundabout way. So did you try the exact steps I listed above? Exact steps, in that exact order. Step 1 to 11. Try it out and let me know.

[TheCrowBR]

Originally posted by MagicMight:

Yea we are getting things mixed up because you are describing two different issues you are having at the same time. First is you cannot change accounts while offline. Second is this:

Originally posted by TheCrowBR:

the way it is now I can only go online to the account and I can't switch to offline, it stays on the screen "connecting to the account" and in addition, clicking on change account it goes straight to the account that was previously logged in, without the possibility of using another login (when in offline mode)

As I already mentioned this is a client issue I am facing as well and I have managed to solve it in a roundabout way. So did you try the exact steps I listed above? Exact steps, in that exact order. Step 1 to 11. Try it out and let me know.

In fact, I apologize, I missed one of the steps (check below), your method really works, the interesting thing is that I tried to shorten it and it doesn't work, see what I did:

1. Start Steam
2. Log in normally (online)
3. Steam menu - go offline
4. Disable Ethernet
5. Change Account
6. Go Online (it asks for login), but I can click a thousand times on the enter offline button and it doesn't work.


Steps that work (not everytime), I added step 7, I believe that was what was missing
1. Start Steam
2. Log in normally (online)
3. Steam menu - go offline
4. Exit Steam.
5. Start steam again.
6. Turn off your wifi or disconnect your ethernet cable.
7. Click on change acc.
8. On the popup menu click "Go online" (this is not a typo, you have to click this one).
9. Log in with your password
10. Client will produce an error and will prompt you to either retry or go offline.
11. Click "go offline".
12. Turn on wifi/connect ethernet cable.