Resolve Steam’s Missing Downloaded Files Error

Have you ever been upset by your downloaded files going missing for no apparent reason on Steam? It’s an everyday problem that can throw off your game momentum. Don’t worry; we will look into it and figure it out. In this article, we’ll review how to resolve the missing downloaded files on Steam, so your game collection remains complete and ready to play.

How to Fix Windows 10’s Missing Downloaded Files Error on Steam

Your system may encounter the following causes of the missing downloaded files Steam error:

• The Windows Defender may damage the game files that you downloaded.
• This error may also arise if viruses or malware of any type damage the data on your computer.
• A system’s antivirus program might reject some downloaded files, which may later disappear.
• If your computer shuts down during the download or installation process, this problem could show up on your system later.

Method 1: Run Steam as an Administrator

You may enable Steam to download, write, and edit the Steam files on your computer by running it as an administrator. In this way, Steam will have enough permission to open files that require an administrator to access. For the same, take the actions listed below.

1. To access the Properties, right-click on the Steam.exe file.
2. Select the Run this software as an administrator option under the Compatibility tab.
3. To save the changes, click Apply > OK at the end.

Method 2: Repair Steam Library Folders

You can try restoring the Steam library folders to fix any corrupted files. The issue about missing downloaded files on Steam will ultimately be fixed when it finds and fixes the faulty files from the library. Take note of the instructions below and carefully follow them to learn how to recover lost downloaded files on Steam.

1. Press Windows, enter Steam and select Open.
2. As seen below, select Steam from the menu in the upper left corner.
3. From the menu options, select Settings.
4. In the Content Libraries area of the Settings window, select Downloads > STEAM LIBRARY FOLDERS, as shown below.
5. Select the Steam folder by clicking the three-dotted symbol in the Storage Manager box, as seen below.

6. Select the option to Repair Folder.
7. A User Account Control window called “Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?” will appear on your screen. Select the “Yes” option.
8. The Steam library folder will be fixed in a little while; after that, select Close.

Method 3: Clear Download Cache

Sometimes, corrupted games leave remnants in the download cache folder, further impeding upgrading and downloading procedures. To resolve the problem, you can clear the download cache.

1. Launch the Steam app and go to Settings, as shown in Method 2.
2. In the Downloads area, pick the CLEAR DOWNLOAD CACHE option.
3. To finish the process, click OK in the pop-up indicated below.

Method 4: Disable Antivirus Temporarily (If Applicable)

Sometimes, your system’s antivirus program could flag the downloaded Steam game files as dangerous. It will then change, confinement, or even remove the file from the system to stop more harm. You will need to see if the new game files are on the quarantine list or temporarily stop the antivirus program to identify the source of the problem, as antivirus software can identify unknown game files and classify them as threats. Read our post on How to Temporarily Disable Antivirus on Windows 10 to learn how to do it.

Method 5: Verify the Integrity of the Game File

The files may get damaged if the download is stopped, resulting in the Steam error for the missing files. Carefully follow the steps below to ensure that the download was successful by checking the file’s integrity:

1. Open the Steam software by searching Windows.
2. Select the LIBRARY option, which appears below.
3. As seen below, choose the game in the left pane, right-click it, and choose Properties.
4. Next, as indicated below, select the LOCAL FILES option from the left pane.
5. As shown below, click Verify Integrity of Demo Files.

6. After a few seconds, the game files will be correctly confirmed, showing that the downloaded file is intact and not damaged.

Method 6: Reinstall Game

Reinstalling the game whose files are missing is an option to consider if you can still not resolve the problem of missing downloaded files on Steam. To apply this technique, do the following actions:

1. Launch Steam and go to the LIBRARY, as directed in Method 5.
2. As shown below, right-click on the left pane of the game you want to uninstall, then select Manage > Uninstall.
3. Click the Uninstall button once again to confirm the pop-up window.