The “Steam Content File Is Locked” error is a common message that appears when you try to launch Steam. This article will show you 6 working solutions to fix the problem.
The date on which this page was last modified was August 26, 2021. -dev D (author) Tagged with: how to
Steam is the ultimate location for playing, discussing, and producing games, and it is used by many of us. Around 120 million people used Steam on a monthly basis. Many people reported the Content File Locked issue on Steam when attempting to update some titles, which is typical with such a large user base. The following is shown in the window:
While upgrading [game], an issue occurred (Content file locked)
These kinds of mistakes are usually upsetting. It does, however, have a number of viable remedies. The Steam Content File Is Locked Error will be fixed in this post.
What Does the Error “Content File Locked” Mean on Steam?
As you can see, these kinds of mistakes are quite frequent among Steam users. Many of us are curious about the Steam Content File Locked Error. This implies Steam won’t be able to save updates to the hard drive. This content file Locked Error was found by several people when upgrading various games. This typically occurs as a result of a permissions issue. There may be numerous remedies for this issue, but we’ve compiled a list of some of the finest tried-and-true ways for you to try.
What can I do if my Steam content file is locked?
This “Steam Content File Is Locked” Error may be fixed in a number of ways. We’ve compiled a list of some of the most effective methods that have been reported to work.
How can you get the most out of Steam’s Content file locked error? The most efficient method is to remove Steam as well as any local game material and start again. This worked well for a large number of Steam users. However, it is a time-consuming process that consumes a significant quantity of data.
Winsock should be reset.
You may just need to reset Winsock to solve the Content file locked Steam issue. Follow the procedures outlined below to do this.
- Type cmd by pressing Windows Key + S and making sure to execute it as administrator.
- Type “netsh winsock reset” into the command prompt and hit Enter.
- To make the command work, restart your computer.
Steam’s connection to your machine and its servers may be restored by restarting Winsock, allowing appropriate updates.
Steam Download Cache should be cleared.
Cache makes it simpler to retrieve files, but it may also collect cache faults, resulting in unsuccessful updates and the content file locked error. As a result, it’s always a good idea to clear the Steam Download Cache. How do you do it?
- Open the Settings panel on your Steam Client by choosing “Steam > Settings” from the top left client menu.
- Select the Downloads tab in the Settings panel, then the “Clear Download Cache” option at the bottom.
- Then click “OK” to confirm and accept that you’ll have to re-enter your Steam credentials.
Steam should be run as administrator.
Steam may need specific permission to access certain files and folders. The warning “Content File is Locked” will appear if the special permission is not given. Giving administrator access to steam is not an issue since it is a respected program. The methods below will assist you in running “Steam” as Administrator to fix this problem.
- Locate and choose the “Properties” option by right-clicking on the Steam icon.
- Select the “Compatibility” tab and “Run as Administrator” from the drop-down menu.
- Choose “Apply” and then “OK.”
- Now go to your Steam app and check it out.
Make sure the game files aren’t corrupted.
- Steam should be relaunched once you restart your PC.
- Go to the library area and right-click on the game that’s causing you trouble.
- Select the local files tab from the properties menu.
- Steam will validate the game’s integrity in a few minutes if you click the verify integrity of game files button.
Hopefully, after following the instructions above, your Steam will not have any problems.
Steam and game files may now be found in a new location.
Steam Content File Is Locked Error may be fixed by changing the location of steam and game files.
- Navigate to the Stream Client’s settings.
- Choose ‘Downloads’ then ‘Steam Library Folders.’
- Select the ‘Add Library’ folder and enter a new Steam installation path.
- Steam should be closed.
- Look for your Steam directory, which is typically located at C:Program FilesSteam.
- Except for the SteamApp and UserData and folders, delete and remove the exe and all other files.
- Move all of your files to the new Steam library folders location you selected previously.
- Log in to Steam using your username and password.
If this does not resolve Your issue,
- Steam should be shut down.
- Go to the Steam location that has recently been selected.
- Move the SteamApps folder from the directory to the desktop.
- Steam should be uninstalled.
- Steam should be reinstalled at the new location.
- Transfer the SteamApps directory to the Steam directory.
- Open Steam and log in with your credentials.
You’ll need to move the Steam installation and game files to a new place. You should be able to solve the Content file locked Steam issue for everyone if you do so.
Make sure your antivirus is up to date.
Check to see if your antivirus is obstructing Steam. The Content file locked Steam problem may occur in certain instances because your antivirus software has disabled some capabilities that prevent Steam from completing updates. You may temporarily deactivate your antivirus program while upgrading it or using Steam. You may also whitelist Steam in your antivirus program as an option. Because you’ve shown that Steam isn’t a threat, your antivirus will always ignore it and enable connections from the Steam servers.
Change your antivirus software for a long-term solution.
Run a disk scan
It’s possible that the hard disk you’re using for Steam is corrupted. You won’t be able to access specific parts of your hard disk in this scenario, and you may run into issues like the steam content file being locked (error). The steps below will guide you through running a “Disc Check” scan.
- Then choose My Computer from the Start menu.
- To conduct a check disk, right-click the drive and then choose Properties.
- In the Properties box, choose the Tools tab.
- Under error checking, choose Check. Check both choices in the pop-up check disk box to conduct a thorough check of the hard drive for problems.
- To begin the procedure, click the Start button. If you try to check a hard drive with open files, you’ll get an error message that says Windows can’t examine the disk because it’s in use. Select Schedule disk check from the drop-down menu. Before Windows starts, the machine will reboot and examine the disk.
- Or
Run chkdsk from the command prompt as an administrator.
Check whether the Steam Error has been fixed after running the Disk Check scan.
Also read:
The steam content file locked reddit is a problem that can be caused by many different things. There are 6 working solutions to fix the issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I fix content locked on Steam?
This is a very common issue that many people have. If you are experiencing this issue, please try the following steps to fix it.
Why does steam Say content file locked?
This is an error message that appears when the user has exceeded their download limit.
How do I stop a disk write error on steam?
The disk write error is a common problem that can occur when the hard drive has been filled with too many files or a lot of data. To fix this, you should delete some games and other unnecessary files to free up space on your computer.
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