How To Restart Steam

Steam is an extremely well-developed and popular gaming platform, but it isn’t flawless. Users sometimes encounter bugs without an obvious cause, and solving them often relies on the classic “restart it” method.

Restarting Steam isn’t exclusively for fixing bugs. Sometimes, you need to install an update or switch modes from offline to online, both of which require a restart. Restarting Steam is quick and straightforward, but we have written a quick guide to help you.

Related:How To Uninstall SteamFix: Could Not Connect To Steam Network

This manual will demonstrate how to reboot Steam promptly.

The Three Methods Of Restarting Steam

There are three ways to restart Steam. If one of them is unsuitable for some reason, there are two more you can choose from.

Let’s begin with the “easiest” and most handy way: restarting Steam within the application.

Restarting Steam From Inside The Client

If you already have the Steam app open, and it’s working as intended, restarting it is effortless. Follow these steps, and you’ll be done in less than a minute.   

1. Open Steam on your PC.
2. In the top left corner, find “Steam” and click on it.
3. A drop-down menu will appear; find “Exit” at the bottom and click on it.
4. Steam will now close. Re-open it.
5. Log into your account if prompted.  
6. You have successfully restarted Steam.

Restarting Steam When It’s Not Responding

Sometimes even Steam won’t act as it’s supposed to. The app might freeze, and you can’t utilize any of the built-in functions, including the method listed above. If that occurs, do this instead.

1. Simultaneously press Ctrl+Alt+Delete on your keyboard. (Windows)
2. The Task Manager window will open. Find “Steam Client Bootstrapper” on the list.  
3. Click “Steam Client Bootstrapper”, then “End Task” in the Task Manager window.
4. Steam will be forced to close. Open it again and log into your account if prompted.
5. You have successfully restarted Steam from a non-responsive state.

Restarting Steam From Offline Into Online Mode

At times, Steam users choose the offline mode feature, which permits them to reach their Steam collection without an internet connection. To switch back to online mode, follow these steps.

1. Open the Steam app on your PC.
2. In the top left corner, find “Steam” and click it.
3. If you are already in offline mode, find “Go Online” and click on it.
4. Steam will display a confirmation prompt.
5. Click “Restart and Go Online” in the confirmation window.
6. Steam will automatically restart. You will need to log into your account again.
7. You have successfully restarted Steam and switched from offline to online mode.

Conclusion

Now you know how to restart Steam in every common scenario. You can use this knowledge to improve your overall experience on the world’s most popular gaming platform.

If you cannot log into Steam, you might be trying to do it during maintenance hours. It’s useful to remember: Steam has regular maintenance on Tuesdays.