The games downloaded and installed through the Steam platform then need to be updated from time to time, but in certain cases, users have reported experiencing the following fatal error message: This error is fine if you are not connected to the internet at all. But what to do when you have an active internet connection that is working fine, but you still get this error? A fatal error occurs when software throws a prompt without any intimation or warning without saving its current state. Today we are going to discuss how to resolve this issue so that you can refocus on what’s really important – gaming.

Why Steam Needs to be Online to Update?

The statement the error shows makes sense – you cannot update the software without a repository to access the new files. However, what we are addressing today is the fact that the internet connection is present, but Steam is still unable to update itself or the game in its library. This error can occur due to any one of the following reasons:

Your computer is not connected to the internet.A proxy, firewall, or antivirus software blocks Steam from connecting to its respective server(s).Your user account does not have the elevated privileges required to perform the update.DNS Server is incorrectly configured.

After considering the user feedback online, it was concluded that even reinstalling the game or the Steam client didn’t resolve the issue. With that, we are going to address the plausible issues listed above and get Steam up and running again.

Resolve “Steam needs to be online to update” in Windows 11/10

Disable Proxy Settings

Proxy servers are devices that are put between you, an end-user,‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌internet. Contrary to a user directly connected to his router at home, a proxy server is an additional router that sits between you and the actual router. Your computer then needs to be configured to communicate with the proxy server. In case of an improper proxy setting, Steam can be blocked from communicating with its respective server(s) and is thus unable to update itself or any of the games in its library. Therefore, you must disable the proxy settings on your Windows computer. Here is how: The proxy settings will now be disabled. Try rerunning the update and see if the problem is still there. If so, then continue to perform the solutions discussed below. Note: If you see “Set up” instead of “Edit,” it means that manual proxy configuration has not been made on your computer and you do not need to perform this or any of the following steps. Alternatively, you can also try other methods to disable proxy if you do not prefer to use the Settings app.

Disable Windows Firewall

Windows firewall can be blocking ports by default. The ports are used to listen to incoming traffic, and if they are blocked, Steam will be unable to perform any updates. Follow these steps to disable the firewall entirely: Note: We do not recommend that you keep the firewall disabled indefinitely, since it is a security risk. Thus, we suggest that you disable it only while performing the Steam update. Once the firewall is turned off, recheck Steam to see if you still get the same fatal error. If so, keep these firewall settings and proceed with the given solutions below until the problem is resolved.

Disable Antivirus

The built-in Windows Defender Antivirus in Windows 11 and 10, or any other third-party antivirus, can also hinder Steam’s communication with its server(s). Try disabling them and check if it resolves the issue. Learn how to disable Windows Defender temporarily. If you are using a third-party antivirus, you must disable it also. Once disabled, check if you are now able to update the game(s) inside the Steam library or the Steam client itself.

Run Steam in Compatibility Mode

Running software in “Compatibility Mode” allows it to use settings intended for earlier versions of Windows. Try running the Steam client in Compatibility Mode using the following steps: Now re-run the Steam app and check to see if the issue persists. If it does, try giving it complete administrative access. Once done, click Apply and Ok to save the changes.

Grant Steam Full Control & Administrative Rights

Sometimes the lack of privileges for the Steam app throws the “Steam needs to be online to update” error. Here is how you can give them the rights required to perform the updated action: Now restart your Steam client and you should not be having the same error message again. If you still do, there are still a few tricks up our sleeves that can mitigate the issue.

Change Steam Protocol from UDP to TCP

Steam uses User Datagram Protocol (UDP), which is a connectionless protocol, by default. We can change this to Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) instead which quite often works in resolving the “Steam needs to be online to update” error. Here is how to change the protocol from UDP to TCP: With TCP protocol, administrative privileges for the Steam client and compatibility mode, you should no longer experience this annoying error. The Target text field should look something like this: Once done, click Apply and Ok. However, if the issue still persists, here’s what we can do.

Refresh Steam Files

It may be possible that some of the Steam files have been corrupted and are thus no longer able to update itself or any games within the library. You can recreate Steam files by deleting the old ones, and the client will fetch new ones automatically. Follow these steps to safely delete the Steam files: Once it reboots, return to the Steam directory and run the Steam app. The files will then be downloaded automatically.Fresh files being downloaded

Steamapps (folder)Steam.exe (application)

Only the above-mentioned 2 items should remain.Undeleted items Check now to see if you still get the “Steam needs to be online to update” error. If so, continue to perform the following possible solutions:

Switch DNS

The cause of the problem could be a misconfigured DNS. You can therefore try changing it to Google’s Domain Name Server (DNS) using the following guide: After performing the steps, try updating your Steam game and check if the issue is still there. If you still see the error message, there is one more thing you can do to fix the problem. Once done, click Save.

Change Steam’s Windows Registry

You can manually edit the system registry to configure Steam to not detect that it is offline, ever. This can be done using the following steps: Note: Misconfiguration of critical values in the system’s registry could be fatal for your operating system. Therefore, we insist that you create a system restore point before proceeding with the process. Note: The steps above will still allow you to run the Steam client offline to play games whilst offline. Now check to see if you can update the Steam library games and the client itself.

Closing Words

It can be frustrating when a game cannot be updated because most modern-day updates include new maps, security patches, skins, characters, and so much more. It would be a shame if you are unable to get them before your friends do. You can fix the issue yourself, without having to reinstall the Steam client. If you have a proxy enabled, disable it. Also, disable any firewalls or antivirus software to mitigate the issue. If that does not work, try running the client with administrative privileges. If the problem still does not go away, try using Google’s DNS, or perform a registry trick to keep Steam online. Also see:

How To Fix “DNS Server Isn’t Responding/This Webpage Is Not Available” ErrorHow To Fix PuTTY Fatal Error “Network Error: Connection Timed Out” In WindowsHow To Fix “Default Gateway Is Not Available” Error In WindowsHow To Fix “Unidentified Network” Error On Windows 11/10How To Fix “You Need Permission To Perform This Action” Error Message