It is another error from the wide range of errors that one encounters when they launch a game on Steam. This particular error tends to appear after the user launch any game in their Steam library. The error essentially prevents users from starting their game. The reason behind the error can be various different factors on the user system, settings or Steam clients. As far as fixing the error is concerned, there are no particular guidelines as to how this error can be fixed. However, there are a lot of things that one can try. These methods worked for a lot of users. In this article, we have compiled all such solutions in order to help you get rid of this problem.
What Causes Unable to Initialize Steam API?
The cause of this error falls under various different categories. These causes vary from one game to another. Given below are some of the most common reasons that users observed when they faced this error:
- It is possible that firewall on your system is blocking game’s executable, preventing it from getting connected to the internet. Thus, causing the error.
- Another possibility is that the game has been put on Auto-Containment list by the Comodo Internet Security. This auto containment list has bothered almost all the users who tried launching a steam game having this antivirus on their system.
- Another well-known cause behind this error is Steam beta clients. In this case, it is better to stick with a regular public client.
How to Fix Unable to Initialize Steam API?
Given below are some of the most effective methods that can help you with this error. Go through all of them one by one and see which one works for you. Let’s get started!
Solution 1: Make an Exception for the Game’s Executable in Your Firewall
Amongst all day solutions that helped users overcome this problem, this particular solution stands out because it has helped maximum number of people with this error. This method has almost immediately fixed this error for most of the users. In case you also have certain third party firewall active within your system or if your Windows defender firewall is turned on then, it is possible that it may have blocked the games executable. Thus, prevented it from getting connected to the internet correctly.
Note – In case you are using certain third party firewall then, steps to allow any program through it will vary from one firewall application to another. In this case, we suggest you make a quick internet search to know the accurate steps for your application. In case you have Windows Defender Firewall then, the steps to carry out the procedure are given below.
Steps to make an exception for the game’s executable in your firewall are:
Step 1 – First of all, launch Control Panel by searching for it within your Start menu. You can also open it by clicking on the search magnifying glass. Another way to launch Control Panel is by using Cortana button present on the left side of your task bar.
Step 2 – After that, Control Panel window will open. Here, change its view to either large or small icons as per your preference and move to the bottom of the list to find Windows firewall option.
Step 3 – Next, select Windows firewall and then click Allow and app or feature through Windows firewall option present on the left side. Now, a list of applications will pop up. Here, find the problematic games entry within the list and then check the box next to Private as well as Public networks.
Step 4 – Finally, click on OK and then reboot your system before you launch the game again through Steam. Now, check if it is running without showing the error message.
Solution 2: Opt out of Steam Beta and Restart Steam
Your Steam Beta client can also be the culprit behind this error. Users of Steam Beta tend to receive new updates before other people but in doing so the user also agree to test their new features. But in doing so, the user accept features that may or may not be unfinished and buggy. This one factor can totally ruin the gaming experience of the user with errors just like this one. In case you are opted out of all of the Steam Beta projects, you are still asked to follow rest of these steps mentioned below. This is because a simple reboot of Steam by exiting it and then relaunching has solved this error for a lot of the users.
Steps to do the same are:
Step 1 – First of all, launch the Steam PC client. To do so, you can double click on it from the desktop or you can also search it from within your Start menu and click on it from the results.
Step 2 – Next, click Steam option from the menu present on the client’s screen and then select Settings. Within settings window, stay within the Account tab and then click on Change button underneath Beta participation section.
Step 3 – Now, a new window will open. Once again, check under the Beta participation. After that, click to open their dropdown menu and select NOTE – Opt-out of all beta programs. Then, Apply the made changes.
Step 4 – Next, click on the Steam option present at the top left corner of your Steam window and then select Exit for exiting steam completely.
Note – You are not supposed to just click the the X button present in the top right part of your screen.
Step 5 – Now, you are supposed to to kill every single steam related process via your Task Manager. You can use the key combination Control + shift + esc by pressing these keys simultaneously at the same time in order to launch Task Manager utility on your system.
Step 6 – If the key combination given in the last step did not work for you, you can try using the key combination Control + alt + delete. After that, choose Task Manager from within a popup blue screen that will appear along with many other options. Users can also try searching for it within their Start menu.
Step 7 – Now, select More details from the bottom left corner of this window for expanding the task manager. Then, search for all steam related processes for example steam.exe, Bootstrapper, Steam Client or GameOverlayUI.exe. You will find them right underneath the background processes. You can choose them one by one and select End Task option present at the lower right corner of your window.
Step 8 – After that, click on Yes in response to the message that will be displayed on your screen warning you about various effects of ending these processes and confirming your decision.
Step 9 – Relaunch client by following instructions and launch your game from Library tab. See if the problem has disappeared on startup.
Note – In case the solutions provided above did not fix this problem for you, you can opt out from all these beta programs and then exit Steam by following the steps provided earlier. Next, we recommend you should try running your Steam.exe client as the administrator. This will most likely solve this error for you like it has for plenty of other users out there.
Steps are:
Step 1 – Firstly, find steam executable and launch its properties by click right clicking on its entry from your start menu or desktop. You can also search for it and then select Properties from its popup context menu.
Step 2 – Now, move to your Compatibility tab within Properties window and then check the box in front of the option Run this program as an administrator. Then, Apply the made changes.
Step 3 – Ensure that you have confirmed all the dialogs that appear on your screen to confirm your choice for admin privileges. Steam will now launch along with admin privileges. Launch Steam by clicking twice on its icon and relaunch your game in order to see if the error has been resolved or not.
Solution 3: Disable Auto-Containment on Comodo Internet Security
In case you are a user of Comodo antivirus application then you must have observed that this program at times block innocent apps with the help of its auto-containment options that tend to work automatically. In this method you are supposed to disable this particular option or delete your game’s executable from this list of blocked applications for resolving your issue instantly. Steps to do the same are:
Step 1 – First of all, launch Comodo Internet Security UI by clicking twice on its icon from your desktop or system tray present at the lower right corner of your computer screen.
Step 2 – Then, click on Settings button in order to launch its settings window from the home screen. Ensure you move to its containment tab. Below this tab, find and click on auto containment subsection.
Step 3 – Here, you will be able to see a checkbox located at the top of this window that says Enable auto-containment. You have to uncheck it for preventing this feature from automatically blocking innocent programs on your system.
Step 4 – Another way is to find your game’s executable within the list that you can see below and then turning off the slider beneath Enable auto-containment option for preventing blockage of the application at handful. After that, confirm the made changes and reopen your game to see if the error is still there or not.
Solution 4: Reinstall Steam
Reinstalling the Steam is not a very well accepted method which is why it is so low with in our list. Although the solution has fixed the problem for a lot of users but we recommend that it should be your last option as there are many easier solutions that can work just fine for you. The reason why we are saying this is because reinstalling your steam can delete all your game files which you are going to have to download again.
Given below are steps on how to back up these files and save some time:
Step 1 – At first, launch the Steam PC client by searching it within your Start menu and choosing the first result available or simply clicking twice on its icon from your desktop. When it opens, click on Steam button present at the top right corner of the window and then click on Settings from within the drop down menu.
Step 2 – Now, move to Downloads tab within the Settings window and then click Steam Library Folders. Carrie you will see an entire list of libraries that you are currently using and also the folders you need for backing up. By default the folder is C >> Program Files (x86) >> Steam >> steamapp.
Step 3 – Now, move to the location given in the previous step by opening any folder or your File Explorer and then clicking on My computer or This PC present at the right side. Then, launch the location giving above and locate steamapps folder.
Step 4 – Now, right click on this folder and then select Copy option from within the context menu. Then, move to any location present outside the Steam folder and then paste it by right clicking and then selecting Paste. According to us the best location for this is your desktop.
Step 5 – Repeat the same procedure for all your library folders. Once you have an installed Steam you will be required to add all these folders back as Steam library folders. Once all your important folders are backed up you are required to uninstall steam from your system.
Steps to uninstall steam are:
Step 1 – Ensure that you are logged in as administrator otherwise you will not be able to carry out this step.
Step 2 – Launch Control Panel, click on View as category and then select Uninstall a program from underneath the program section. Find Steam entry within this list and then click on it once.
Step 3 – After that, click Uninstall button and then confirm all the dialog boxes that may appear. Follow the on-screen instructions for uninstalling steam. Finally, reboot your system.
After these steps you can download and install Steam again and add all the Steam folders that you backed up. Hopefully this will finally fix this error for you.
Conclusion
That’s all on the subject of this error. We hope that this article proved to be useful for you. All the methods given are easy to carry out and take very less amount of your time. Thank you for reading!
