How To Fix Steam Error E502 l3

Steam is an extremely popular gaming platform and is considered to be one of the best game launchers. But even the best things come with problems. Steam Error E502 l3 is a widespread issue, it prevents you from logging in to your account or purchasing games off of Steam Store.

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Steam error E502 l3 is a widespread error and it can prevent you from logging in to Steam or from buying games off of Steam.
The error can occur anytime and is caused by heavy traffic on Steam servers.
You can try the following steps to fix Steam error E502 I3:
- When this error occurs, the first thing to check is the Steam servers. If the issue lies with the servers then there is nothing you can do but wait for Steam to resolve the issue.
- If the servers are running smoothly then there is some local issue causing the problem. You can try to fix it by disabling Windows Defender as it sometimes interferes with incoming and outgoing requests on your PC.
- You can also disable third-party antivirus software as it can potentially block Steam from sending or receiving requests to your PC.
- Starting your PC in Clean boot mode may also work for you if your system is constantly running unnecessary background programs, this can slow down your PC. Starting your PC in Clean boot mode can help identify which one of these programs is causing this Steam error.
- Lastly, if none of the other methods work then you must uninstall and reinstall Steam as the error may be caused by missing or corrupt Steam files, and getting fresh files would fix the issue.

Why Does Steam Error E502 l3 Occur?

This error does not point to any specific game and can happen anytime. This error has occurred multiple times in the past and usually crops up because Steam servers may have been overloaded due to heavy traffic. There isn’t a single solution that you can follow to fix this error. So be sure to try all the methods we have mentioned and see what works for you.

Check Steam Servers First

The first thing you should do when this message pops up is check the Steam Servers because the issue may not be local. The Steam Servers could be facing several problems or just not responding due to heavy traffic. In this case, all you can do is wait for Steam to solve the issue itself. Just keep an eye out for Steam to release an announcement regarding the problem.

Disable Windows Defender FIrewall

Windows Defender is an antivirus software built into your Microsoft Windows it manages incoming and outgoing traffic on your system. So if Steam is unable to provide you with its services it could be because Windows Defender is blocking its requests.

If this is what’s stopping you from using Steam all you have to do is turn off Windows Defender Firewall manually and check if this solution works for you. Follow the instructions below to turn off Windows Defender.

The first step is to open up the Start Menu and then search for Control Panel.
On this window press System and Security.
System and Security settings
Then, click on Windows Defender Firewall.
Windows Defender Firewall
Next, press on the “Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off” option on the left side of your screen.
Finally, click on the Turn off Windows Defender Firewall option for Public and Private networks. Then, click on OK at the bottom of the screen.
Firewall Settings

Disable Third-Party Antivirus Software

In some cases, your problem could be caused by third-party antivirus software that you have installed on your system. They can prevent your Steam client from being able to send requests. Some antiviruses even provide firewall services. Firewalls have the ability to monitor and manage your web, they could potentially interfere with your browser.

In this case, you must disable your third-party antivirus software and then launch Steam to check if error E502 l3 has been resolved.

If you can’t disable it completely, atleast whitelist your steam directory to avoid its interferrenec with its files.

Clean Boot Your PC

Clean boot is the act of starting your system up with only Windows services, these are only the most essential services your PC needs to function. As you use your PC many unnecessary programs and services are integrated into your startup automatically. These programs and services can slow your PC and increase traffic on the CPU and memory.

Performing a clean boot can help you identify which one of your background programs is interfering with the Steam client and causing the error. Follow the steps below to perform a clean boot:

Start by pressing the Windows+R keys, this opens the Run box.
In the Run box type “msconfig“, and then press OK. Doing this will show all the system configurations.
Run box
Next, select the Services tab located at the top of the window. Then check the option that hides all Microsoft services as they are important and you do not want to clean them. After that, select the “Disable all” option.
Disable Services
Following this, you must press Apply and then OK. After this, you will be prompted to restart your system. Choose the Restart Later option.
Now you will repeat steps 1 and 2. Press the Windows+R keys again and type “msconfig” in the Run box.
When the system configuration window opens this time select Start Up and open Task Manager.
In this window locate the Start-Up Impact field and disable all tasks with High Impact. You can disable a task by right-clicking on it and then pressing Disable. All this will do is prevent them from automatically starting up when you reboot your PC.
Finally, reboot your PC so it can start in clean boot mode.

Reinstall Steam

If your Steam launcher is giving you the E502 l3 error while the website is running smoothly then it could be the case that your Steam installation files are corrupted or missing. If this happens you can simply reinstall Steam on your PC so all the files are bug-free and accounted for.

Follow these steps to uninstall the Steam application:

Open the Control Panel by searching “Control Panel” in the Windows Start bar.
In the Control Panel window locate “Uninstall a program” under Programs and click it.
Uninstall programs
Then search for Steam in the list of applications.
Uninstall Steam app
After you have located Steam simply right-click on it and press Uninstall to uninstall it.
Now that Steam is uninstalled you have to restart your computer.
Finally, you can visit Steam’s website and reinstall Steam.

Was The Error Resolved?

Steam is one of the most widely used gaming clients in the community and it’s not a surprise that it comes with its own set of errors and glitches. Steams error E502 l3 is a common error but it has a few solutions that you can try out like starting your PC in clean boot mode, disabling third-party antivirus software, disabling Windows Defender and if nothing else works you can try reinstalling Steam. In the case that none of the solutions work out for you then the error is not at your end but at Steams servers, so sit tight and wait for updates from Steam.