Update and installation issues

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When installing or updating a game, Steam displays an error message:

An error occurred while updating [game title].
An error occurred while installing [game title].

This is a common type of error that can occur whenever a game is updated or installed on Steam.

The error occurs when Steam is unable to complete the installation. The specific reason will be displayed in parentheses at the end of the error message.

Basic Steam troubleshooting
The following fixes will resolve most Steam update and install errors. They can be performed with minimal technical knowledge.

Restart your computer
It is always a good first step to restart Steam and your computer.

Restarting the computer clears all kinds of system states and caches, while restarting other programs and releasing locks on files and other resources.

Clear the download cache
Clearing the Steam download cache will cause the Steam client to clear the configuration data in the local cache and reacquire it from the Steam servers.

Go in Steam to -> Settings -> Downloads -> Clear Download Cache

Repair the library folder
The Steam library folder contains all the games installed on the disk. It is necessary for all users to be able to write to these folders for updates to work properly. Sometimes user permissions fail and need to be updated.

Go to Steam → Settings → Downloads → Steam library folders → Right-click on the folder → Repair library folder.

Check local files
Sometimes files on hard drives and other storage devices become corrupted due to hardware defects, software failures, power surges, etc. Steam can check the good condition of installed game files and repair them if necessary.

Find the game in your library → Right-click on it → Properties → Local files → Check game file integrity.

Change the download region
The Steam content system is divided into geographical regions. The Steam client automatically detects your current region and uses the content servers located in that region for best performance. Sometimes the servers in the user's region are slow, overloaded or suffer hardware failures that cause download problems. In such cases it is advisable to temporarily switch to another download region to use a different set of content servers.

Steam -> Settings -> Downloads -> Download Region. You may need to try several regions other than your own.

Reinstall Steam
Download the installer here and reinstall Steam in the same location where it is already installed.

This may fix possible problems with client files and Steam services. Installing in the same location will preserve all installed games.

WARNING! Uninstalling Steam will remove all game contents.

Moving the game folder
It can be very useful to test the problem by doing the installation on a different hard drive. If one is available, you can create a new folder for the Steam library on that other drive. You can then install new games in that new Steam library folder or move already installed games there.

Steam -> Settings -> Downloads -> Steam library folders -> Add new library folder.

Advanced troubleshooting
If the error persists after following the solutions described above, it is possible that the cause of the error is external to Steam.

Since these are advanced troubleshooting steps, we strongly recommend that you contact a specialist technician in your area for assistance in performing them.

Reboot the local network hardware
This includes rebooting all modems and routers. Network hardware can start to slow down or fail when it has been running for a long time.

Update the system and drivers
Make sure the operating system and all hardware drivers are up to date.

In Windows, go to Start > search for "update" > run "Check for updates".

On macOS, drivers cannot be updated separately; only the operating system can be updated.

Check firewalls
Some firewalls may prevent Steam from contacting your servers. It is recommended that you consult a specialist technician to make sure that the firewall is not interfering. You may even need to temporarily disable it to test. You may need to add exceptions for Steam in your firewalls.

Check antivirus software
Anti-virus software is implanted deep within the operating system and can affect the operation of disks and networks in a way that causes problems for your system.

It is recommended that you consult a technical specialist to ensure that your antivirus software is not interfering with Steam. You may even need to temporarily disable it to test. You may need to add exceptions for Steam in your antivirus settings (for example, excluding Steam library folders from live monitoring services).

Check other programs and services
Any software that modifies or monitors system, disk or network activity can cause problems while downloading or running a game. These programs and services can run in the background and are often associated with software such as anti-virus, ad blockers, web optimizers, firewalls, system cleaners, burning programs, proxies, performance optimizers, etc. See the Programs that may interfere with Steam page for more information.

It is recommended that you consult a technical specialist to ensure that these services and programs are not interfering with Steam. You may even need to temporarily disable them to test.

Disabling overclocking
Some users increase the clock speed of their hardware above the manufacturer's recommended settings to get more system performance. This can cause memory and file corruption and should be disabled (usually in the computer's BIOS).

Test the online connection
Some internet providers use caches or compress online data to save bandwidth (especially cell phone networks). This can cause problems with Steam. It is a good idea to see if connecting to another network, preferably from a different service provider, will solve the problem.

Check for hard disk errors
All drives or storage devices can be affected by file corruption, especially if they are old or under heavy load. It is recommended that you consult a specialist technician to investigate possible problems with your hard drive.

In Windows, go to This Computer > Right-click the drive in question > Properties > Tools > Error Checking.

On macOS, go to Disk Utility > Click the drive in question > First Help (for earlier versions of OSX, click Repair disk permissions).

Check for RAM errors
Memory errors can cause problems with the Steam installation process, as well as during gameplay. It is recommended to call a specialist technician to investigate the possible existence of problems in your system memory.

In Windows, go to Start → Search for "mdsched" → Run Windows Memory Diagnostics.

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