Your Steam download is running slowly and you don’t know why? Find help here!
Before you find reasons behind why your steam download speed is slow you can use download time calculator to calculate download time for a file.
Fast downloads have become a habit. So you get particularly annoyed when the games suddenly load slowly. We’ve compiled the most common problems with slow Steam downloads for you. Go through the list step by step and hopefully you can download again soon.
Sources of interference in your own network
- Check connection & speed
Make sure your computer is really connected to the Internet
You should also check your Internet
speed. - Exclude network interference Your computer establishes a connection to the Internet, but everything runs very slowly? There may be a fault in your network at this time. Here you can enter your Internet service and it will be automatically checked whether there is currently a fault in your region or with the corresponding software. Alternatively, you can contact your Internet provider to inquire about any disturbances.
- Disruption from other Wi-Fi devicesDo you download your games on a device without a LAN connection? Then other devices in the Wi-Fi can interfere with your wireless connection. For example, check if your phone or tablet is currently downloading. Pause them and check your Steam downloads again.
- Problems caused by other programsSometimes there are problems between Steam and other programs. This is due to two factors:
- The programs themselves need the Internet, which can lead to the download in both programs only very slow. Windows Update in particular limits the speed of other programs by downloading. Some programs may also have problems with Steam itself. It is not relevant whether the other programs can access the Internet themselves. Many of these programs are antivirus software.
Play and download at the same time Will your downloads always be “random” when you play? As a rule, Steam automatically pauses downloads as soon as you start a game. This can be adjusted in the downloads settings. Put a check mark on “Allow downloads while playing“. But be careful: Depending on the computing power of your computer, your game can no longer run optimally.
If you stream your games more often, remove the check mark on “Throttle downloads while streaming“. Now your games can be downloaded at full speed. But beware: your stream can be restricted or no longer transmitted at all.
Check bandwidth limit You can limit your download speed in Steam. In the download settings you will find the item “Limit download bandwidth“. As a rule, there should be “No Restriction“. By clicking on the button, you can switch between different speeds and no restriction.
Switch download region In some cases, viewpoints from Steam servers are regionally congested. In such a case, you should change your “download region” in the download settings – e.g. from ” USA– Newyork” to ” Germany– Munich“. Especially at peak times, however, it is more important to move directly to another country with a different time zone. In Germany, many downloads take place especially in the evenings.
Empty download cache Also in the download settings you will find the item “Empty download cache“. Click on it to clear the download cache. A download may not have been complete correctly or may have hung up. If you clear the download cache, downloads are reset. This allows future downloads to be made at full speed again.
Other factors
Problems with Steam itself The problem is not always with you. In some cases, The Steam servers are simply overloaded – for example, when a new game is released. Even during the big sales, there’s always a lot going on on Steam. Many people want to download their new games at the same time. In such a case, you can change little. Either download your software slowly or you’ll have to wait for the waves to smooth out a little and just start your download a few days later. Note: Also due to the current Corona location, Steam can be overloaded again and again.
Many people are now at home and possibly on Steam.
If nothing helps:
Reinstall Steam This step should really remain just an emergency option. You should be able to rule out a few things with certainty beforehand: The problem is not on Steam’s side. And the problem isn’t your own Internet connection. All other downloads and programs run optimally. Only Steam is causing problems.
In this case, a new installation of Steam could actually
help. Note: Uninstalling Steam will also uninstall all games! If your saves aren’t stored in the cloud, delete them as well. When you reinstall Steam, you’ll also need to reinstall all the games – so do even more downloads than before.