- If you’re a PC gamer, you’ve most likely used Steam at least once to play video games.
- While Steam is an amazing platform, many users reported that the Steam browser isn’t working for them, and in today’s article we’ll show you how to fix that.
- Are you having additional problems? If so, be sure to check out Steam articles for more useful guides and news.
- A web browser is a crucial component of your PC, and to learn more about it, visit our Browsers Hub.
Steam is the most popular gaming platform on desktop, but many users reported that the Steam browser isn’t working for them.
This can be a problem and prevent you from browsing the Steam store, but you might be able to fix that using one of our solutions.
What do I do if Steam browser isn’t working?
1. Restart Steam or stop using the Beta client
- Close Steam once the problem appears.
- Start it again and check if the issue is still there.
Users reported that this problem appears only in the Steam Beta client, so you might want to switch to the regular client in order to avoid this issue.
2. Try using your browser instead
All features available in Steam Browser can be accessed from Steam’s website. You can use any browser for this purpose, but for the best results, we recommend using Opera.
The browser has its own ad blocker that will block ads and tracking scripts and make pages load faster. For an extra layer of protection, there’s a free VPN with unlimited bandwidth.
Opera is also light on your resources, so it should handle multiple tabs and complex pages with ease.
As for additional features, there’s an integrated messenger, battery saver, ability to create screenshots and more.
Opera is available on all major desktop and mobile platforms, and if you haven’t already, we suggest that you try it out.
Editor’s choice 
Opera browser
- Fast browsing technology
- Free VPN
- Includes Messenger Apps
- Has Dark Mode
- Built-in Ad-blocker
3. Remove HTML cache
- Open This PC and navigate to:
C:Usersyour_usernameAppDataLocalSteamhtmlcache
- Note: Go to View tab in File Explorer and check Hidden items if you can’t find the AppData directory.
- Delete the contents of the htmlcache folder.
- Now press Windows Key + R and run the steam://flushconfig command.
You can also delete the browser cache right from the Steam client by doing the following:
- Go to Steam > Settings.
- Navigate to Web Browser and select Delete Web Browser Cache.
- Now restart Steam.
After doing that, check if the problem is still there.
4. Disable DirectWrite feature
- Open Steam.
- Go to Steam > Settings > Interface.
- Now disable DirectWrite.
- Restart Steam and check if the problem is resolved.
5. Use –no-cef-sandbox parameter
- Locate your Steam shortcut, right-click it and choose Properties.
- In the Target field add the following after the quotes:
- -no-cef-sandbox
- Now click on Apply and OK.
Start Steam and check if the problem is resolved.
Steam browser is a crucial component of Steam, but if the browser isn’t working, be sure to try all of our solutions.
FAQ: Learn more about Steam
- How do I open Steam browser?
To open the Steam browser, just press Shift + Tab while in Steam. Now select the Web Browser option.
- Is Steam a browser?
Steam is a gaming platform, but it has its own browser that is used for online purchases.
- What is Steam browser based on?
The Steam browser is based on Chromium engine. It’s the same engine that runs Chrome and many other web browsers.
- What browser does Steam overlay use?
Steam Overlay uses its own Steam browser. The browser itself runs on the Chromium engine.