If you love playing PC games, then you must be familiar with Steam. Steam is a popular game distribution platform. You can download various free-to-play and premium games from Steam. However, sometime you may face issues with Steam download stopping and starting. This error may occur due to various possible reasons. We bring to you a perfect guide to fix Steam stopping download error in Windows 10. So, continue reading!

How to Fix Steam Stopping Downloads on Windows 10

In this article, we have listed all the possible troubleshooting methods to fix Steam download stopping and starting errors.

Contents

  • How to Fix Steam Stopping Downloads on Windows 10
  • Method 1: Run Network Troubleshooter
  • Method 2: Repair Steam Library Folders
  • Method 3: Disable Antivirus Temporarily (If Applicable)
  • Method 4: Clear Download Cache
  • Method 5: Reinstall Steam

Method 1: Run Network Troubleshooter

Issues with your network adapter can cause Steam stopping download error on Windows 10. Follow the given steps to run the network troubleshooter.

  1. Hit the Windows key and type Troubleshoot settings, and click on Open.

  2. Scroll down to Network adapter and click on Run the troubleshooter option.

  3. Wait for troubleshooter for detecting problems and apply the fix by following the on-screen instructions.

Method 2: Repair Steam Library Folders

Here are the steps to repair Steam library folders to fix Steam stopping downloads issue.

  1. Hit the Windows key, type Steam, and click on Open.

  2. Click the Steam option from the top left corner, as shown below.

  3. Click on Settings from the menu options.

  4. From the Settings window, click Downloads > STEAM LIBRARY FOLDERS under the Content Libraries section, as depicted below.

 

  1. In the Storage Manager window, click the three-dotted icon next to the Steam folder.

  2. Click the Repair Folder option.

  3. The User Account Control pop-up will emerge on your screen stating Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device? Click on the Yes option.

  4. After a few moments, the Steam library folder will get repaired, then click on Close.

Also Read: Fix Steam Image Failed to Upload

Method 3: Disable Antivirus Temporarily (If Applicable)

If you have installed antivirus software on your PC, then due to the antivirus shield you may face Steam download stopping and starting error. Antivirus usually detects malware in the PC and while downloading unknown game files, it may see those files as a threat to your PC. So, you can disable your antivirus temporarily to fix the issue. Follow our guide to disable Antivirus temporarily on Windows 10.

Method 4: Clear Download Cache

Corrupted games after downloading can create errors in download cache folder which causes further interruptions in updating and downloading games on Steam. So, clearing downloading cache may fix Steam stopping downloads issue. Follow these steps to do so.

  1. Open the Steam application and go to the Settings.

  2. In the Downloads section, click the CLEAR DOWNLOAD CACHE option.

  3. Click OK in the following pop-up as shown below to complete the process.

Also Read: Fix Steam Error Code e502 l3 in Windows 10

Method 5: Reinstall Steam

The outdated Steam client may also result in Steam stopping downloads error. Usually, Steam auto-updates whenever the app gets launched but, you can manually reinstall Steam to get the latest version. Follow the steps listed below to reinstall Steam:

  1. Hit the Windows key, type Control Panel and click on Open.

  2. Now, click on Uninstall a program under the Programs menu, as shown.

  3. The Programs and Features utility will be opened up and now search for Steam.

  4. Now, click on Steam and select Uninstall option, as depicted in the below picture.

  5. Click on the Uninstall button on the Steam Uninstall window to uninstall the Steam app on your PC.

  6. Delete the Steam folder in the location path Local Disk (C:) > Program Files (x86) by pressing the Delete key.

The steps explained below will help you reinstall the Steam app on your PC from scratch to fix Steam downloads stopping issue.

  1. Open the official website of the Steam app on your default web browser and click on the Install Steam button on the top-right corner of the home page.

  2. Click on the INSTALL STEAM button on the next page to download the Steam app on your PC.

  3. Click on the downloaded SteamSetup.exe file in the bottom-left corner of the page to launch the Steam app on your PC.

  4. Click on the Next button on the Steam Setup window to initiate the setup of your Steam app on your PC.

  5. Select the language of your choice in the next window and click on the Next button in the wizard.

  6. Select the destination folder of the Steam app by clicking on the Browse… button and clicking on the Install button to complete the installation of the app.

  7. Click on the Finish button on the Completing Steam Setup window to complete the steam setup.

14. Create a new account or log in to your existing account using the login credentials on the Steam app.

Now, you have successfully reinstalled Steam on your Windows 10 PC.

Recommended:

  • 4 Ways to Split String by Delimiter in SQL
  • What Happens When You Disable Your Discord Account?
  • 4 Ways to Fix SMITE Unable to Connect to Steam
  • Fix Steam Client Bootstrapper Not Responding in Windows 10

So, these were the methods to fix Steam stopping downloads on Windows 10. We hope you were able to learn how to fix Steam download stopping and starting error with the help of the steps mentioned in this article. Feel free to reach out to us with your queries and suggestions via the comments section below.