Find out what Steam error code 21 is and its possible causes. Learn effective solutions to fix Steam Error Code 21 and solve runtime errors on the Steam platform.
What is Steam error code 21?
Steam is a popular platform for downloading, purchasing and playing games. However, some users encounter Steam Error Code 21 while playing or purchasing games. This error is a runtime error that occurs when Steam is running. If you are facing this problem and want to solve Steam Error Code 21, this article will provide you effective solutions.
You will find step-by-step solutions to help you resolve the error and use Steam without further problems. Apart from that, this article will also explain the possible reasons behind the appearance of Steam Error Code 21. Let’s get started and fix this error for a smooth gaming experience.
Cause of Steam error code 21
Steam Error Code 21 can be caused by several factors. Let’s explore the reasons for this error:
Outdated graphics card drivers
If your graphics card drivers are out of date, this can create compatibility issues with Steam and trigger error code 21.
Incorrect installation of runtime libraries
Incorrect installation or corruption of required runtime libraries can lead to error code 21 when starting Steam.
An outdated version of Windows
Using an outdated version of Windows can cause conflicts with Steam and result in error code 21. Updating Windows to the latest version can help resolve this issue.
Conflict between running programs with Steam
Running other programs that conflict with Steam at the same time can result in error code 21. Closing unnecessary programs or running Steam in a clean boot environment can help resolve this conflict.
If you understand the causes of Steam Error Code 21, you can take the necessary steps to fix them and fix the problem for smooth gaming.
How to fix Steam error code 21?
If you are facing Steam error code 21, here are some solutions that can help you fix it. Before attempting any repairs, it is recommended that you perform a disk cleanup to see if this resolves error code 21.
Solution 1: Perform a disk cleanup
- Open “This PC” by double-clicking on it.
- Right-click the C: drive and select “Properties”.
- Click on the “Disk Cleanup” button.
- Select the files you want to delete and click the “Clean up system files” button.
- Click “OK” and let the disk cleanup process begin.
- Reboot your system and launch Steam to see if the error is resolved.
- If the error persists after Disk Cleanup, try the following solutions:
Solution 2: Close conflicting apps
- Press CTRL + ALT + DEL keys together to open Task Manager.
- Select the programs one by one and click the “Finish task” button.
- Close any programs that might conflict with Steam.
- Restart Steam and see if the error code 21 disappears. Make a note of the conflicting program and consider deleting it permanently.
Solution 3: Update Windows OS
- Click the Windows icon.
- Go to “Settings”.
- Select the “Update and Security” section.
- Click on “Windows Update” and then on “Check for updates.”
- Install all available updates.
- After the Windows OS is updated, restart your computer and check if the error code 21 is fixed.
Solution 4: Reinstall the Runtime Library
- Click the Windows icon.
- Type “Control Panel” and press Enter.
- Click on “Programs and Features”.
- Look for “Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Package”, right-click on it and select “Uninstall”.
- After uninstalling the library, download the latest version from the official Microsoft website and install it.
- After the runtime libraries are reinstalled, open Steam and check if the error code 21 is resolved.
Solution 5: Update your graphics card drivers
- Click the Windows icon.
- Type “Device Manager” and press Enter.
- In the Device Manager window, right-click the graphics driver and select “Update Driver.”
- Select the option to check for automatically updated drivers.
- Let it search for and install the latest version of the graphics driver.
- After updating your graphics card driver, check for error code 21.
Solution 6: Reset your Internet Explorer (IE) browser.
- Click the Windows icon.
- Type “Internet Options” and press Enter.
- Select the “Advanced” tab.
- Click on the “Reset” button.
- This will reset IE. Run Steam and see if the error code 21 is gone.
Solution 7: Disable script debugging
- Open Internet Options.
- Go to the “Advanced” tab.
- Look for the “Disable script debugging (Internet Explorer)” and “Disable script debugging (Other)” options and select them.
- Uncheck “Show notification on every script error.”
- Click “Apply” and then “OK”.
After taking these steps, Steam error code 21 should be resolved and you should be able to run Steam without encountering the error.
Steam
Steam, developed by Valve, is a digital distribution service and online store primarily focused on video games. Originally released in September 2003 as a software client, Steam was created to automatically provide game updates for Valve’s own titles. Over time, it expanded its services to third-party game distribution, becoming a prominent platform for gamers around the world.
Steam offers a number of features designed to enhance the gaming experience. These features include Digital Rights Management (DRM) to protect game content, game server compliance with Valve Anti-Cheat measures to ensure fair play, social networking functionality to connect with friends and other players, and game streaming services to broadcast gameplay.
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Categories: General
Source: HIS Education