Users often encounter errors when launching computer games. One of these: steam_api.dll is missing. What to do with such a malfunction, why it occurs and how to eliminate it, we will indicate in the article.
What is this file?
Steam_api.dll is a dynamic library file. It is responsible for the connection between the game being launched and the Steam client (the license is authenticated).
Users of both licensed and pirated content may encounter a missing Steam library file. The main causes of the error:
- Removing steam_api.dll with an antivirus when trying to launch the game.
- Pirated programs change the configuration of a file to bypass Steam protection. The antivirus perceives the library as a virus and blocks/deletes it.
- If the blocking occurred with a licensed copy purchased on Steam, the file may have been modified by a third-party malicious program. Check your PC for viruses and malware.
- Moving steam_api.dll from the game directory.
- Problems with the game itself (incorrect installation or update).
- Insufficient user rights.
Remedies
Advice! If the error has just appeared and everything was working fine before, use a system restore point to roll back Windows 10 to a working state.
On Steam
If the client starts, but a specific game throws an error, use the file recovery function. Log in to the Steam client:
Important! If you installed custom modifications for the game, they will be deleted when the cache is restored.
If the Steam client does not start and displays an error, you will need to reinstall it:
In unlicensed games
After downloading a game from an unofficial source and running the .exe file, in 95% of cases the antivirus becomes the culprit for the absence of steam_api.dll. The remaining 5% are not quality builds. For a file to be perceived as “safe”, it must be added to the antivirus exclusion list. If you trust the program being installed, do the following:
