How To Fix Starfield Not Downloading

Starfield by Bethesda Studio launch has been explosive, to say the least. But at the same time, the number of errors faced by players is too much to neglect. The bugs and errors were bound to occur, considering the scale of the game. Even though there haven’t been major bugs detected, Starfield not downloading in the first place is the most annoying out of all of them. In this guide, we will feature every possible fix related to this error and have you finally play the game.

Why Won’t Starfield Download On My PC?

Nothing is more frustrating than waiting for a game to launch for 5 years and then being unable to play it. There are three main causes of an application not downloading on your system:

• Windows Settings: Having an incorrect Date, time, or Region can prevent you from downloading certain applications, so ensure those are correct and verified. 
• Game Clients: It is not uncommon to face errors like these because of game clients like Steam or Origin. If the root of your problem is your game client, the issue won’t be hard to fix. 
• Server-Side Issues: Typically, with the launch of an extremely popular game, servers might get overcrowded, resulting in bugs like this one.
• Network Problems: If your issue does not root from server-side or game clients, then it must be your network connection. If something is wrong with your network configurations, you cannot download certain applications, just like Starfield.

We will exhaust every possible solution for every cause and ensure you start playing Starfield by the end of this guide.

Sync Your Date And Time

Oftentimes, having the wrong date and time on your computer can prevent you from downloading applications on your PC. To sync your date and time correctly, follow the steps listed below. 

1. Press Win+i to open Settings. 
2. Click on Time and Language. 
3. Under Synchronize your clock, there will be an option for Sync now. Press that.

   

Try downloading Starfield again and see if it works. 

Change Your Region

A few players have reported that changing their region fixed the error of Starfield not downloading. Follow the steps below to do so. 

1. Press Win+i to open Settings. 
2. Search for Region in the search bar. 
3. Click on Change Country or Region

   

4. Next, under the option for Country and Region, click on the Region you actually belong to.

   

Try downloading the game again and see if it works.

Testing Your Network Connection

Before anything else, we must ensure your internet connection is strong enough. If your internet speed is less than 5 MBP/S, we can take certain steps to improve it. 

• Use an ethernet cable. Plain and simple, wired connections are a lot faster than wireless ones. Once you get through the hassle of getting an ethernet cable properly plugged into your computer, your gaming experience will be much smoother for the rest of your life. 
• Try resetting your modem. This can help with temporary glitches that happen more often than you think. Once you have resetting, try testing your internet connection again. 
• Avoid network congestion by disconnecting idle devices connected to your internet. When too many devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi, the speed for every device is largely compromised. 
• Upgrade your router if it’s been years since you got it. Tech has become more advanced in every way possible, and having a modem from 2010 might cause problems. 
• Close every application that is not necessary. Background applications may hog your internet, resulting in a poor network connection when downloading applications.

These tips and tricks are known to boost your network speed by a significant amount, so make sure to apply these methods before moving on to the next solution. 

Update Your Network Drivers

Drivers are a set of files on your computer that basically tell your system how to communicate with the hardware. If these files are corrupted or outdated, you will face network issues, preventing you from downloading apps like Starfield. You can update your network drivers by following the steps listed below:

1. Press Win, and search for Devise Manager. Open it.
2. Next, navigate to Network Adapters. Click the arrow next to it.
3. You will find a list of your network adapters. Find the network adapter you use and right-click on it.

   

4. Once the drop-down menu is displayed, click on update driver. 
5. Finally, click on Search Automatically for Drivers when the prompt comes up.
6. Restart your PC.

Now, see if Starfield is still not downloading. If it is not, move on to the next solution. 

Modify Your DNS

Modifying your DNS to one that is universally used is a popular solution to solve your network problems. You can do so by following the steps below. 

1. Press Win+i to open Settings. 
2. Next, go to Network & Internet.
3. Now, navigate to Change Adapter Options.
4. Right-click on your active internet connection.
5. A drop-down menu will not display. Click on Properties from it.

   

6. Once you have clicked on properties, find Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click on it. 
7. Select the option to Use the following DNS server addresses.
8. Enter 8.8.8.8 as Primary and 8.8.4.4 as Secondary.

   

9. Press OK on all windows and close the tabs one by one.

Now that you have changed your DNS, it is important to ensure these changes take effect. You can do this by flushing your DNS through the command prompt. 

1. Press Win, and search for Command Prompt. Open it. 
2. Now, type ipconfig /flushdns and press enter. 
3. Close the Window.

   

Now, check if your internet is up and running. If it is, try downloading Starfield again. If it still does not download, move on to the next solution.

Disable VPN Or Proxy

VPS and proxies are known to disrupt game downloads from time to time. This is because VPNs and proxies can oftentimes interfere with the download process by rerouting your internet traffic. This can cause communication problems between Starfield’s servers and your computer. 

Hence, to resolve this issue, try disabling your VPN or proxy temporarily, allowing a direct connection to be made between the server and your computer. Once you have disabled these security applications, try downloading the game again. 

Check Server Status

If you are still reading, it means your network connection is working perfectly, but Starfield is still not downloading. The next thing we need to do is check if there are any problems with Starfield’s servers. 

Third-Party Websites

Since Starfield’s release is extremely recent, there are not many websites reporting any server outages for it. Fortunately, we did find one website that does cover Starfield. Go to Gambezz Starfield to check for any server outages. 

Social Media

Starfield’s Twitter has been extremely active ever since its launch. If there are server outages, we are sure it will get reported. Also, since it’s an official account, you do not need to worry about the authenticity of the information. 

Clearing Game Client’s Cache 

The server status is fine, so is your internet connection? What do you do next? The only logical thing to do now is to ensure your game client is working fine. Clearing its cache is the first step in doing so. 

In this example, we will use Steam to demonstrate how to clear your game client’s cache. If you use some other game client, read this comprehensive guide on how to clear cache across all platforms. 

1. Press Win, and search for Steam. Open it.
2. Now, click on the Steam icon, which will be located in the top left corner of the screen. 
3. Next, press Settings. 
4. Then, press downloads from the options. 
5. Now that you are in the downloads settings, there will be an option to clear the download cache. Press that.
6. Press OK when prompted.

   

Try downloading the game again and see if it works this time.

Final Words

We hope we helped you finally download this highly anticipated game. If you are a console player, make sure to read this guide for the best controller and sensitivity settings for Starfield to enjoy the optimal gaming experience. 

Also, we highly recommend reading our guide on the best Starfield settings for maximum performance. This will help you elevate your gaming experience to the next level. 

Here are some more articles for Starfield:

• Starfield Crashing: 12 Effective Fixes For PC
• Starfield How to Install DLSS Mod
• Starfield Best Graphics Settings
• Starfield Into The Unknown Bug [FIXED]
• Best Starfield Settings For Maximum Performance On PC
• Starfield Unable To Log In Error [SOLVED]