How To Fix Steam Corrupt Update Files

Steam is by far the biggest gaming client for PCs and has revolutionized how players enjoy their favorite games. However, Steam can sometimes give rise to issues such as the Steam corrupt update files error. The Steam corrupt update files error can disrupt the smooth updation of games. This leaves the player frustrated. When you encounter this error, a message will be displayed:

An error occurred while updating NAME OF THE GAME (corrupt update files) :

“System Directory“\NAME OF THE GAME

The error message for steam corrupt update — Error message (image by eXputer)

Key Takeaways

Steam corrupt update file error prevents the players from downloading or updating any games in their library.
There are several reasons why this Steam corrupt update file error occurs:
1. Disk Issues.
2. Antivirus/Firewall Interference.
3. Third-Party Software.
4. Steam Server Issues.

You can try multiple troubleshooting solutions to fix Steam corrupt update file error:

1. Clear Steam’s download cache.
2. Repair Steam’s download folder.
3. Scan your hard drives for errors.
4. Delete/Rename the download folder.
5. Verify the integrity of the game file.
6. Add exceptions to antivirus.
7. Change the download region and reinstall the game.

What Causes The Steam Corrupt Update Files

Multiple people have reported this error online on forums. This error can be caused by a variety of reasons, which may arise from problems with your hardware or software. Some of the common reasons are:

If there’s a disruption in your internet connection while downloading an update.
Hard drive issues, such as bad sectors or disk corruption.
Sometimes, overprotective antivirus or firewalls can interfere with downloading updates.
Third-party software can cause file corruption.

How To Solve Steam Corrupt Update Files Error

There are multiple solutions that you can test out to solve this error. Make sure you follow each step carefully.

Clear Steam’s Download Cache

This method has been successful among players who face this error. The download cache stores temporary files that are used during the downloading and updating process of games. As time goes by, this cache can become corrupted or outdated, which can lead to this error. Here’s how you can clear the cache for Steam downloads:

Launch Steam and go to the menu located at the top-right corner of the window.
In the drop-down menu, select the Settings option.
Then, press Downloads from the options on the left.
Finally, click on the “CLEAR DOWNLOAD CACHE” button and press OK to confirm.
Select the clear download cache button (image taken by eXputer)

Repairing Steam’s Download Folder

Repairing Steam’s download folder helps to ensure that the folder and its files are in good working condition. This may be the reason why you are facing the corrupt update files error. To repair the Steam download folder, follow these steps:

Open Steam on your PC.
Then go to the top-left corner of your screen and press “Steam.” This will show you a drop-down menu from where you will press Settings.
Next, from the left side of the window that opens, select the Downloads option.
After that, select the top-most button, which says “STEAM LIBRARY FOLDERS“.
From the new window that opens up, click on the More Options icon.
Finally, select the “Repair Library Folder” option.
Press the repair library folders option (image produced by eXputer)

Scan Your Hard Drives For Errors

Scanning your hard drive for errors is an important troubleshooting step that can identify and fix any issues there may be in your disks. Faulty hard drives can not only cause the Steam corrupt update files error but also the Steam content file locked error.

Here’s how you scan your hard drives for errors on Windows:

Press the Windows key, and type cmd.
Then right-click on the Command Prompt option and select Run As Administrator.
In the Command Prompt window, type chkdsk C: /f (you can replace C with the drive letter of the drive you want to scan).
Use the chkdsk drive scan command (image owned by eXputer).
Finally, hit the Enter key and wait for the scan to complete.

Delete/Rename The Download Folder

Renaming or deleting the downloading folder can help if there is a conflict or corruption in the temporary download files. At times, Steam can’t recognize the game files in the folder, which can cause incomplete or incorrect download of updates. To rename Steam’s downloading folder, follow the steps below:

Open the File Explorer. You can do this by pressing the Windows+E keys.
Go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps. You can do this by copying the path into your File Explorer search bar. Make sure you know which drive your program files are stored in and change the path accordingly.
$Go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps using the File explorer search bar$
Go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps (image copyrighted by eXputer)
Finally, find the folder named “downloading” and right-click on it to rename or delete it.
The downloading folder (image by eXputer)
After this, update the game again to create a fresh downloading folder.

Verify The Integrity Of The Game File

Verifying the integrity of game files is incredibly useful for this error as this error is caused by corrupt or missing files. This troubleshooting step can identify missing and damaged files and repair or recover them. So, follow these steps to verify the integrity of your game files:

Open Steam on your system and go to your game Library tab at the top of the window.
Then, locate and right-click on the game that is giving you this error and then press the Property options.
From this window, select the Local Files option from the left.
Finally, select the button that says “Verify Integrity of game files…“.
Verify game file integrity (image taken by eXputer)

Add Exceptions To Antivirus

Antivirus software can sometimes mistake important tasks and files as dangerous and stop them from harming your computer. This interference can cause the Steam corrupt update files error. To allow Steam to bypass Windows Defender, follow these steps:

Go to Start by pressing the Windows key.
Then, search for Virus & threat protection and open them.
Find Manage settings under Virus & Threat Protection settings, and press it.
Select Manage settings under Virus & Threat protection settings (image by eXputer)
Then, select the button named “Add an exception“.
Finally, locate and select the Steam folder.

Change The Download Region And Reinstall The Game

Steam’s servers are set globally across different regions. Sometimes, the server you’re connected to might be facing issues, which can lead to errors like the Steam corrupt update files. Changing the download region can help by connecting you to a different server.

Here’s how you can change the download region:

Open Steam and go to Settings. You can do this by pressing Steam on the top-left corner of the window.
Then, in Settings, select the Downloads option from the left.
Now, press the arrow under Download Regions to open the drop-down menu.
Change your download region (Image by eXputer)
Select any region you like and then press OK.
Go back to your Library.
Locate and right-click on the game you’re facing the error with.
Then, press Manage>Uninstall.
After the uninstallation, re-install the game.

Did We Help You Resolve Steam Corrupt Update Files Error?

These were all the effective solutions we could produce for Stream corrupt update files error. We hope that our detailed guide helped you to solve the annoying Stream corrupt update files issue. Hope to see you again.

FAQs

How do I update corrupt content files on Steam?

You can do this by verifying the game files. To do this, open Steam Library, then go to the game you want to update. Right-click on it and select Properties. Finally, go to Local files and click the button that says “Verify Integrity of game files…“.

How do I know if my Steam file is corrupted?

Unusual behavior can easily show that your game file is corrupted. These behaviors can range from crashes, glitches, and error messages to long loading times.