Why can’t Steam start online mode?
Steam being stuck in offline mode and not going online can be caused due to different reasons. Here are some potential causes of the issue at hand:
If there is an ongoing server issue, you are likely to face the problem. Hence, make sure Steam servers are up and running.In case there is an issue with your internet connection, it may result in the same issue. So, ensure that your internet connection is stable and optimal.If the download cache on Steam is corrupted, you might face the issue at hand. Hence if the scenario is applicable, delete the Download cache on Steam to fix the issue.Your internet settings can be another reason for the same issue. If you have enabled the Enable Enhanced Protected Mode option, it may block the connection between the Steam client and servers. So, you can try changing your internet settings to fix the issue.The corrupted installation of the Steam app can also be a reason for the issue at hand. Hence, if the scenario is applicable, you can try reinstalling Steam to fix the issue.
Now, based on the above scenarios, you can try a suitable fix to resolve the issue.
Steam won’t go online and is stuck in offline mode
Here are the fixes you can try to resolve the issue of Steam not going online or being stuck in offline mode:
1] Make sure Steam servers are not down
The first thing you should check is that the Steam servers are not down at the moment. Steam might be stuck in offline mode if there is an ongoing server issue. So, ensure that the servers are up and running. If you find out that the current status of the Steam servers is down, there is nothing much you can do about it. You will have to wait for Steam servers to be up again to go online on Steam. If there is no server issue, you can try the next potential fix to resolve the problem. See: An error occurred while installing or updating the Steam game.
2] Test your internet connection
Another thing you should make sure of is that you are connected to a stable internet connection. If your internet is poor or you are facing WiFi disconnection issues on your PC, you are likely to encounter the problem at hand. Hence, you can try fixing the WiFi issues on your PC. And also, you can optimize your internet connection using various tips and tricks. You can try using a wired internet connection instead of wireless, switch to a different network connection, or power cycle your networking device. If you are sure there is no internet issue at your end, you can move on to the next potential fix to resolve the problem. Read: How to Fix Steam Error Codes 53 and 101 on Windows PC?
3] Clear Download cache
In many cases, the corrupted download cache on Steam can cause issues like Steam won’t go online or being stuck in offline mode. Hence, you can try clearing your Download cache on Steam and see if the problem is fixed or not. Here’s how to do that: If Steam still doesn’t go online, there might be some other underlying cause of the issue. Hence, you can try some other potential fix to resolve it. See: Steam games won’t launch; Stuck on Preparing to Launch on Windows.
4] Modify your internet settings
Your internet settings can be the main culprit of the issue at hand. If the problem is occurred because of your PC flagging Steam connection as unsafe, you can try modifying your internet settings accordingly to fix the issue. Here are the steps to do that: In case this method doesn’t work for you, try the next solution to fix it.
5] Add –tcp to your Steam shortcut
UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is used by Steam in order to transmit data. You can try switching it to TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) as TCP is more reliable. To do that, you can add –tcp parameter to Steam. This can fix the problem of Steam being stuck in offline mode. Here is how you can add –tcp parameter to the Steam shortcut: If you still face the same problem, you can try the next potential fix to resolve it. Read: Fix Steam App Configuration Missing or Not available error.
6] Reset Winsock
You can also try resetting Winsock via Command prompt to fix the problem. Here is how you can do that: Still facing the same issue? Go ahead and try the next potential fix.
7] Rename ClientRegistry.blob
The next thing you can try is renaming the ClientRegistry.blob file in the Steam folder to fix the issue. To do that, follow the below steps: If you still face the same problem, move on to the next potential fix. Read: Fix Steam needs to be online to update error on Windows PC.
8] Open Steam in Safe mode with networking
You can also try rebooting your PC in safe mode with networking and then launching the Steam app. This might fix the problem for you.
9] Reinstall Steam
If you tried all the above solutions and nothing worked for you, the problem might be with your Steam app itself. Your Steam installation might have gone corrupted and that is what causing the issue at hand. Hence, you can start fresh by reinstalling Steam on your PC. To reinstall the app, you first need to uninstall Steam from your PC. After that, delete the Steam installation directory from your system and reboot your PC. Next, download the latest version of Steam and install it on your PC. Hopefully, the problem at hand will be fixed now. That’s it!
Why is Steam having trouble connecting to Steam servers?
Steam might be having trouble connecting to Steam servers if there is a server issue. Hence, make sure the current server status of Steam is up and running. Other than that, corrupted and outdated network drivers can also cause the issue at hand.
How do you repair Steam?
To repair the Steam client, here are the steps you can use: First, open the Command Prompt window and execute the below command: Steam will get repaired! Now read: Fix Steam error Initializing or Updating Transaction.
