How to fix Access is denied error in Steam

If you do not know how to fix Access is denied error in Steam, then everything is described below.

Steam is an absolute necessity for any gamer using a PC, and while it functions well most of the time, occasionally you get weird errors popping up-for example, this Access is denied issue on Steam. That means you won't be able to fire up your favorite game. But how would you fix this error? If you are asking, I've added some easy ways below which you can try:

Access Denied error in Steam: How to fix it

When the Access denied issue pops up on a Windows PC using Steam, try these fixes.

Run Steam as administrator.

Let DNS Cache Expire 

Disable Your Current VPN or Use One 

Check Game Files for Corruption 

You can reinstall Steam. 

A few of these recommendations may be at the discretion of administrative access in order to execute.

Run Steam as administrator.

Launch Steam as an administrator to give it privileges the program may need to work properly.

You can open the Task Manager by using CTRL + ALT + Del.

If you go to the processes menu, find Steam, right-click on it, and then choose End Task.

To open Steam with administrative privileges, open Windows Search, type Steam, and right-click on the app.

Step 2: Clear the DNS Cache

If it doesn't work, try resetting WINSOCK and DNS cache. It is important to flush all the damaged or obsolete DNS records from the memory of your computer to map the domain name with the proper IP addresses. 

Terminal Admin can be opened by right-clicking the Start menu button. 

Then, for flushing DNS, the following commands are to be done one by one;, ipconfig, flushdns ipconfig, registerdns ipconfig, release ipconfig, renew netsh, winsock reset

It will just be a few moments. Then, when you've done that, restart your computer and see if Steam still gives you the same access denied error. 

3] Connect to a VPN or Turn Off Your Current VPN

It could also be that your ISP temporarily blocked the access via VPN, or Steam temporarily blocked your IP. You can access the platform and check it using a virtual private network. You will need a free VPN application, such as Windscribe or Proton VPN. 

Download the free Proton VPN and install.

Join any VPN server thereafter.

Then, fire up the Steam client and attempt to log in. If it goes through, then you're good to go.

If it doesn't, check if Steam is down. If it works with a VPN on, give it some time. If the issue still persists, then you should contact either Steam or your ISP.

4. Check That the Game Files are Intact

Just in case this wouldn't, and you've been trying to play a certain game, check that the game files aren't corrupted. The use of this will repair any corrupted files of the said game.

Open Steam by opening the library.

Right-click the problematic game and open Properties in the context menu.

You can check the integrity of the game files by going into the LOCAL FILES menu and selecting that option. 

This will just take a little while. When you're done, reload the game and see if the error persists. 

5.] Re-launch Steam again.

As a last resort, you can reinstall Steam. This will eliminate any corrupted or outdated files contributing to the bug.

First, you want to open Settings with Windows Key + I.

Now head to Apps > Installed Apps, and locate Steam.

You can uninstall Steam by clicking on the three dots icon and then clicking Uninstall.

Once you've removed Steam, you need to download the latest version from the Steam website and install it on your system.

And finally, open the application to see if the Steam Access Denied problem still persists.

Running Steam as an administrator solves the Access Denied issue for most Windows users. Also, you can bypass this issue by using a Virtual Private Network or by trying to flush your DNS Cache.

Now that you have read How to Fix Access is denied error in Steam, we hope we've helped the most.