Steam — Error Code 16 — What It Means & How to Fix It

What Does This Error Mean?

Steam error code 16 is a 'Try Again' or 'Request Timed Out' error — meaning Steam tried to do something (usually connect to its servers or start a game process) and got no response in time. This can be caused by a network issue, a Steam server outage, a permissions problem on your computer, or a corrupted game file. Most of the time it is temporary and clears with a Steam restart, but if it keeps happening there are several targeted fixes.

Affected Models

Steam (Windows)
Steam (Mac)
Steam (Linux)

Common Causes

A temporary Steam server issue or maintenance period is preventing the connection
Your internet connection dropped or was too slow for the request to complete
Steam does not have the necessary Windows permissions to launch the game process
The game's local files are corrupted or incomplete, causing the launch to fail
A firewall or antivirus program is blocking Steam's network requests

How to Fix It

Restart Steam completely. Right-click the Steam icon in the system tray (bottom-right of the taskbar) and choose Exit. Then reopen Steam. Do not just close the window — Steam runs in the background if you only close the window.

A full exit and relaunch clears any stuck network connections or process states that cause the error.
Check Steam's server status. Visit store.steampowered.com or a third-party site like steamstat.us. If Steam's servers are down for maintenance or having issues, error code 16 may appear for everyone and will clear on its own.

Steam maintenance often happens on Tuesdays (Pacific time). If you see the error on a Tuesday afternoon or evening, check server status first before troubleshooting locally.
Run Steam as Administrator. Right-click the Steam shortcut and choose Run as Administrator. Try launching the game again. This gives Steam the permissions it needs to create game processes without being blocked by Windows.

If this fixes the error, set it permanently: right-click Steam > Properties > Compatibility > check Run this program as an administrator.
Verify the integrity of the game's files. In Steam, right-click the game in your library and choose Properties > Local Files > Verify integrity of game files. Steam will check all the files and re-download any that are corrupted or missing.

This process can take a few minutes depending on the game size. You do not have to reinstall the whole game — Steam only replaces the files that fail the check.
Temporarily disable your antivirus or firewall and try launching the game again. If the game launches successfully with security software disabled, add Steam and the game folder to your antivirus whitelist/exceptions list, then re-enable protection.

Do not leave your antivirus disabled permanently. Re-enable it immediately after testing and add the exception instead.

When to Call a Professional

Error code 16 is almost always fixable without technical support. Work through the steps below in order. If the error only appears with one specific game, contact that game's support team — the issue may be on their end. If Steam as a whole stops working, reach out to Steam Support at help.steampowered.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Error code 16 only happens with one game. What does that mean?

If only one game triggers error code 16, the issue is with that game's files or the game's own servers — not Steam itself. Start by verifying that game's file integrity (Step 4). If it still fails after a full file verification, check the game's Steam Community discussion page — other players may have reported the same issue and found a fix.

I keep getting error code 16 every few days. Is there a permanent fix?

Recurring error code 16 usually comes down to permissions or security software. Setting Steam to always run as Administrator (Step 3) and adding Steam to your antivirus whitelist (Step 5) prevents most recurring cases. Also make sure Steam itself is kept up to date — Steam updates often include fixes for connectivity errors.

Does error code 16 mean my Steam account was banned or suspended?

No — error code 16 is a connection or process error, not an account action. If your account were banned or suspended, Steam would show a different, specific message about your account status. Error code 16 has nothing to do with bans.