Fix Could Not Connect To Steam Network Error (2023)

When using Steam, you might have come across the Could not connect to Steam network error message on the application. This error will not let you go ahead and play your favorite games. Luckily, since this is a very common error, we will show you how you can solve it in this article.

Could Not Connect to Steam Network Error Fix

If you want to find a fix to the Could not connect to Steam network error, check out the different solutions we have for you.

Check Your Internet Connectivity to Fix Steam Network Connect Error

• The most obvious thing you can do when you are faced with the Could not connect to Steam network error is to check your internet connectivity. This is one of the most common reasons such errors occur.
• If you want to check the status of your internet connection, you can head to the Windows menu by clicking on the Windows key on your keyboard. Once the menu pops up, all you need to do is type ‘Network Settings’. Doing so will bring up the Network Settings menu, from where you can check if your internet is working or not. If your internet connectivity is facing issues, it is likely to be causing Steam to fail to disconnect.
• However, if your internet is working perfectly, you might want to check out some of our other possible solutions.

Run the Steam Application as Administrator

• After checking your internet connectivity, trying to run Steam as an administrator is probably the next most obvious attempt you can make at solving the network error.
• To do so, you will first need to find the Steam application icon on your desktop. Once you get it, you will have to right-click on the icon. Doing so will show you a list of different actions you can take. From here, you have to click on ‘Run as Administrator’.
• After completing this step, the Steam application will open. Try to log in with your details once again and check if the network error has been rectified.
• If this solution does not work, keep reading for other solutions you can try.

Switch Steam Protocol to TCP from UDP

• This process will change the protocol from UDP to TCP. Doing so will alter the way your computer communicates with the Steam network. While executing this solution might seem daunting at first, it is actually quite easy, as long as you follow the steps mentioned below. Make sure you carry out this process when Steam is not running in the background.
• To begin, you will need to open ‘This PC’ on your computer. Once you do so, you will have to locate the folder where Steam has been installed.
• Once you find the Steam folder, you will have to right-click on it. Doing so will bring up multiple options. Of these, you need to click on Properties.
• Once the Properties tab opens up, you need to head to the Shortcut menu and then head to the Target text box.
• All you need to do in this text box is add ‘-tcp’ to the end of the existing target address. Make sure to not type the quotation marks into the text box.
• After you enter the text mentioned above, click on Apply and then OK. Make sure to follow this exact process in order to confirm the changes you made.
• Upon completing this process, just open Steam once again and log in with all your details.
• You should hopefully find that the Could not connect to Steam network error has been fixed with this process.
• If this solution does not work, continue reading for another possible fix.

Update Your Network Drivers

• Another possible reason Steam might fail to connect to the network could be because of drivers that may be out of date.
• While manual updating is usually suggested in such situations, we would not recommend you to do so unless you are very sure of what you are doing.
• If you do choose to update your network drivers manually, you need to first open the search box located in the Windows taskbar. Once you do so, search for Device Manager. Clicking on the first result that appears will take you to the Device Manager menu.
• Here, you will find a list of the different adapters in your computer along with the options to update their relevant drivers.
• Look for the adapter you want to update. Right-click on the desired adapter to open up a list of options. Click on Update Driver. Doing so will update your network driver.
• Many Steam users have claimed that this solution has helped Steam to connect to the network perfectly. However, if this solution too does not work for you, you might be compelled to try out one last fix. Keep reading to check it out.

Uninstall & Re-install Steam

• You can use this solution as a last-resort fix to the Could not connect to Steam network error. This is a pretty simple solution, but it is only necessary if all of the other fixes mentioned in this article fail to work.
• To uninstall the Steam application, all you need to do is search for the application in the search bar in Windows.
• Once the application pops up in the results, right-click on it to find a list of options. From here, click on Uninstall to delete the app from your device.
• You can now head back to the official Steam website to install the application once again.
• After downloading Steam, you can open it and try to log in with your details. Steam should function normally without any errors now.
• This solution has almost always seemed to work.

These were all of the different solutions you can use to fix the Could not connect to Steam network error message. If you are fortunate enough, just a simple internet connectivity error could be the reason behind this error. Such an issue can be fixed quite quickly.

If you liked this article, check out how to change your username in Steam.