Steam is re-downloading games I have already installed. How do I stop this?

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why are my Steam downloads stopping? It could be a Steam issue or a problem with your connection. This guide shows you how to fix Steam downloads and get them running again. You can also increase your download speeds on Steam for a better experience.

• How do I force Steam to stop downloading? You can stop Steam from downloading game updates in several ways, as shown in our guide.

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Fix 2: Change your Download Region

It’s also possible to solve the Steam Download stopping problem by changing your download region in these quick steps:

• Open up your Steam Client.
• Click on Steam on the upper left of the interface.
• From the drop-down menu, select ‘Settings’ then select ‘Downloads’ from the list.
• Select ‘Download Region’ from the drop-down menu and pick a different region. Your selection shouldn’t be too far from your current location but should be a foreign country.

Clear Download Cache

Clearing your Steam cache can resolve a whole bunch of bugs and issues that you might be having – one of which is a slow downloading speed. Just as your internet browser can benefit from clearing its cache, the same can be said for Steam and the download speeds you receive. Here’s the method:

1. Start by opening Steam
2. Click on the ‘Steam’ tab from the top navigation bar
3. From the drop-down menu, select the ‘Settings’ tab 
4. Inside, select the ‘Downloads’ tab from the list of available options
5. Inside downloads, click the ‘Clear Download Cache’, found near the bottom of the tab
6. When prompted to continue, simply click OK and allow Steam to remove all temporary files found in the cache
7. Once completed, Steam will restart. Simply log back in and check your download speeds

Fix 4: Match your time and time zone

This is an error that can also affect browser function. Unfortunately, most users rarely join the dots because it’s so unrelated.

Steam works by collecting data from the PC together with a timestamp. If there are any inconsistencies, the software can show unexpected errors. To match your time and time zone:

• Open the Control Panel by clicking the windows button and searching for the control panel through the search box.
• From the available options, choose ‘Time and Date’ then select ‘Internet Time’ from the subsequent tabs and click on ‘Change Settings’.
• Check the ‘Synchronize with Internet Server’ box the click ‘Update Now’ and click OK. Try restarting Steam and see if it works this time around.

Clear Steam Client Download Cache

1. Load up Steam.
2. Click on “Steam” among the options that run horizontally along the top of the Steam client.
3. Select “Settings” from the drop-down menu.
4. In settings, click on “Downloads” from the list on the left-hand side.
5. Scroll down to the bottom and click on the “CLEAR DOWNLOAD CACHE” button.
6. Click “Ok”.
7. After completing the wipe, Steam will restart, and you’ll need to log back in.

Turn Off VPN

Finally, one of the simplest ways to stop download speeds running slowly on Steam is to turn off any VPN service you might have running in the background. Whilst a VPN doesn’t necessarily take anything away from your PC in terms of internet speed, it does add another hurdle to the long list of action steps your internet has to take when download from Steam. Turn your VPN off and you might get a subtle boost in internet speeds. 

Reinstall Steam/Reconnect The Steam Client

If all of the above fails to fix the problem, try reinstalling Steam. Short of reinstalling Steam, disconnect the client from the internet, then reconnect it.

1. Open up Steam.
2. Click on “Steam” among the options that run horizontally along the top of the Steam client.
3. Select “Go Offline” from the drop-down menu.
4. Click on “Restart In Offline Mode” when prompted.
5. Once Steam has restarted in offline mode, click once again on “Steam” from the horizontal menu.
6. Click on “Go Online” and then on “Restart and Go Online” when prompted.
7. Steam will restart.
8. Start downloading and check if this has solved the issue.

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