STEAM Slow Download Speed [Fixed].

If you’re a gamer and you face slow download speeds in Steam, in this guide you’ll find all the available methods to fix the problem.

Steam is one of the most used platforms today to purchase and play videogames. But in some cases, especially when trying to download or update an existing STEAM game, the download speed is very slow, causing delays and interruptions in game experience.

Slow game downloading speed on Steam is a frustrating problem and can be caused by various reasons. But don’t worry! In this article we will list the common causes of STEAM slow download speeds and provide some tips on how to fix them.

How to FIX: Slow Download Speed on STEAM in Windows 10/11.

Suggestion: Before you continue below, check the Steam Server Status page to ensure the issue is not related to system-wide downtime. Also, disconnect from VPN is connected to.

Step 1. Check your Internet Connection Speed.

One of the most common causes of slow download speeds on Steam is a poor internet connection. So, before proceeding further to solve the slow download speed on Steam, check if your Internet connection speed is slow or not.

To test your Internet Connection speed, navigate to speedtest.net and measure the download and your upload speeds. If the download speed is lower than what your internet provider offers, restart your router and then if the problem remains, contact your Internet provider and report the problem.

Step 2. Restart your Router.

If the download speed on Steam is slower than usual, try restarting your Internet router and see if that resolves the problem. If not, try connecting your computer to the network using a wired connection, rather than a wireless connection if you don’t already do so.

Step 3. Ensure that Windows and Steam are Updated.

One solution to solve the problem of the slow download speeds on Steam, is to install the latest updates on Windows and on Steam itself.

1. To Install the latest Windows Updates, go to Start > Settings > Windows Update and click Check for Updates. Then, if any updates found, proceed and Install them.

2. To Install updates on Steam, click the Steam menu and then click Check for Steam Client Updates.

Step 4. Close the Background Running Programs.

If you have many programs running in the background, this can cause slow Steam download speeds. For example, if you have a torrent client running on your machine, this can affect your internet bandwidth usage and cause delays in Steam. So…

1. Close all programs that can use your internet bandwidth (e.g. torrent, downloads, OneDrive, Drobox, etc.) and also reduce the programs running in the background.

2. Close background running programs in Windows 10/11, by doing the following:

1. Press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC to open the Task Manager.
2. In Startup tab, select and disable any program that don’t needed to run in the background.
3. When done, restart your computer and check if the problem is solved.

Step 5. Fix STEAM Slow Download Speed by Changing the Download Region in Steam.

Many users reported that by changing the STEAM download server, the slow download issue is resolved. To select the best download region/server on Steam:

1. Navigate to STEAM DOWNLOAD STATS and find which server is near you and has the less traffic.

2. Then, from the Steam menu and select Settings.

3. Select the Downloads section and then, at Download Region, select a country that has less Steam Traffic. When done, click OK and check if the problem is resolved.

Step 6. Make sure your Steam download bandwidth is not limited.

If you have previously set a limit on your downloads in Steam, proceed to remove it as follows:

1. Open the Steam Settings.

2. At Downloads section, clear any value at the limit box, untick the Limit bandwidth to and click OK.

Step 7. Do Not Limit Steam Downloads During Gaming.

Steam has the ability to slow down the download speed during gameplay to allow you to stream at the best possible speed. To avoid this happen:

1. Open the Steam Settings.

2. At Downloads section, untick the option Throttle download while streaming and press OK.

Step 8. Fix Slow Download Speed in Steam by Clearing the Steam Download Cache.

Steam caches the downloaded data so it’s quick and easy to access when needed. But sometimes, the Steam cache may cause slow performance on games and downloads, so its advisable to erase it to improve the game and download performance. *

* Attention: Before clearing the Steam cache, back up all your downloaded Mods, because Steam stores them in the download cache, otherwise you’ll have to download them again.

To delete the download cache, open the Steam Settings and in Downloads section click CLEAR DOWNLOAD CACHE.

Step 9. Check if Steam is blocked on your Firewall or router.

If you are using a third-party firewall program, then this may be the cause of your Steam slow download speed. To check that Steam is not blocked in Firewall:

1. Exit Steam.
2. Temporarily stop the Firewall protection on the security program, or uninstall it.
3. Start Steam and see if the problem is solved. If yes, then refer to Required Ports for Steam page and open the required ports in your firewall program.

Step 10. Check your PC for Malware/Viruses.

If after following the above steps you still face slow downloads speeds in Steam, ensure that your system is virus/malware free. For that task follow the instructions in this guide: How To Scan Your Computer for Viruses and other Malicious Programs.

Step 11. Clear DNS Cache.

1. Type cmd in search box and hit enter to open Command Prompt:
2. Give the following command to clear the cache:

• ipconfig /flushdns

Step 12. Change DNS Servers.

The next method to resolve the Steam slow download speed issue, is to change the DNS Servers and to use Google’s Public DNS Servers. To do that:

1. Right click on the active Network icon in Taskbar (or go to to Windows Control Panel) and click Network and Sharing Center

2. Select the active Network Card and then click Change adapter options.

3. Right click on your active Network Adapter and select Properties.
4. Select the ‘Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)‘ and click Properties

5a. Check the “Use the following DNS server addresses:” radio button.
5b. Type the following DNS server addresses (Google’s public DNS Servers) and click OK.

• 8.8.8.8
• 8.8.4.4

6. Restart your computer.

Step 13. Uninstall & Re-Install Network Adapter.

The next method to resolve mentioned issue, is to uninstall and reinstall the Network adapter. To do that:

1. Navigate to Device Manager and expand Network Adapters.
2. Right-click on the wireless adapter (or on the Ethernet adapter if you’re connected wired to the network/internet), and select Uninstall device.

5. At the Uninstall Device – Warning window, click Uninstall.
6. Restart your computer, wait a few minutes for Windows to reinstall the network adapter, and then check if the problem is resolved.

Step 14. Uninstall & Reinstall Steam.

The final method to fix problems with Steam, is to remove and reinstall it. To uninstall steam without lowing your games:

1. Exit Steam.

2. Copy or move the steamapps folder from the below mentioned location, to another location on disk to backup it:*

• C:Program Files (x86)Steamsteamapps

* Note: If you have installed your steam games to another location, backup the steamapps folder from that location.

3a. Press the Press Windows + R keys to open the RUN command box.
3b. Type control appwiz.cpl and press OK.

4. Select the Steam and click Uninstall.

5. When the removal is completed, restart your PC.
6. Proceed to install Steam on your PC again.
7. After installation, quit Steam.
8. Move the steamapps folder to C:Program Files (x86)Steam folder.
9. Launch Steam.

That’s all folks! Which method/step worked for you?
Please leave a comment in the comment section below or even better: like and share this blog post in the social networks to help spread the word about this solution.

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