Fix: Steam Workshop Not Downloading

Steam Workshop is a community-driven platform integrated with the Steam gaming client that allows users and creators to upload and download content for their favourite games. It supports different items like skins, items, maps, and more.

However, some users are experiencing issues with downloading anything from the Steam Workshop. If you’re one of those users, don’t worry. In this article, we’ll go through the potential causes and the solutions to the Steam Workshop not downloading issue.

Potential Causes of Steam Workshop Not Downloading Issue

Before we dive into the fixes, let’s look at some of the reasons why you might be experiencing this issue on your Steam Workshop:

1. Download status bar only appears in Big Picture Mode: Steam changed its default behaviour, and updates now download silently in the background in the latest versions. As a result, the status bar doesn’t show their progress, and you might not know whether the items are downloading.
2. Corrupted files may prevent new files from downloading: This issue occurs when your downloaded files become corrupted. If this happens, Steam may refuse to download new items.
3. Issues with pending items: When there are many pending items in the download queue, Steam may refuse to download new items.
4. The account is tied to the Steam Beta program: Some users have reported that issues with downloading items are more common with accounts enlisted to Steam Beta. 
5. Incorrect Download Region may cause issues: If the configured Download Region is too far away from your actual physical location, Steam may encounter downloading problems.
6. Corrupted Steam installation: If none of the above cases is true, your installation might be corrupted. 

Fix Steam Workshop Not Downloading

Now that we have identified some of the common causes of the Steam Workshop Not Downloading items error let’s look at the solutions to fix the issue.

Fix 1: Check the Internet Connection and Firewall

The first step is to check the internet connection and firewall settings to resolve issues with Steam Workshop not downloading. Ensure that the internet connection is stable and that there are no disruptions that could be interrupting the download process. Additionally, verify the firewall settings and disable it if necessary to ensure that it is not blocking Steam’s access to the internet. Once these settings are verified, users can move on to the next potential solutions.

Fix 2: Use the Big Picture Mode in Steam 

One common cause of this issue is that Steam changed the default behaviour so that updates download silently in the background. This may cause the status bar to only appear in Big Picture Mode. 

Furthermore, some users have reported that even though the items don’t appear in the progress bar, they still get downloaded after clicking “Subscribe.” 

To check whether your items are downloading, you can enter Big Picture Mode and verify the Download queue for the suggestion that the mod is downloading.

To enter Big Picture Mode:

1. Click on the related icon in the top right corner of the screen. It should be right beside the minimize button.
2. Once inside, you can check whether the item is downloading or not.

If this solution works, the problem should be fixed. However, if this fix doesn’t work, you may need to move on to the next solution.

Fix 3: Delete Corrupted Mods

If you’re having trouble with Steam Workshop not downloading for a specific game, it’s possible that some of the mod files of the game have become corrupted, preventing new mods from being downloaded. To fix this, you’ll need to locate the game’s hidden “Workshop” folder and delete the broken mods. Here’s how to do it:

1. Close Steam completely. We recommend closing it from the Task Manager.
2. Open File Explorer (Windows key + E) and make sure the “Hidden items” box is checked.
3. Navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\commonGame Name!Workshop.
4. Double-click on each mod to find the one causing the problem.
5. Delete the corrupted mod(s).
6. Now, open Steam and go to the Library tab.
7. Right-click on the affected game and choose “Properties.”
8. Now, navigate to the Local Files tab and click on “Verify Integrity of Game Files.”
9. Wait for the verification process to complete.
10. Try downloading the latest mod and see if the issue is resolved.

Fix 4: Clear the Download Cache 

If your Steam workshop still isn’t downloading, it might be due to a glitch in the download cache. When there are too many pending items in the Download queue, the downloader can malfunction and fail to download the latest version of the mods or items. To fix this issue, you can try clearing the Steam download cache. Here are the steps:

1. Open the Steam client and click on Steam in the top left corner of the window.
2. From the drop-down menu, select Settings to open the Steam Settings window.
3. Choose the Downloads option from the vertical menu on the left.
4. Click on Clear Download Cache in the right-hand pane.
5. Confirm the prompt and login to your Steam account (if asked).
6. Try downloading a mod that was previously failing.

If this fix works, the problem of the Steam workshop not downloading or installing should be resolved. If not, you can move on to the next solution.

Fix 5: Check if You Are Opt-out of Steam Beta Programs 

If you’re enrolled in the Steam Beta program, this could be causing the issue of Steam workshop items not downloading or installing. Many affected users have reported that opting out of the Beta program has fixed the issue for them. Here’s how to opt out:

1. Open the Steam client and click on Steam in the top left corner of the window.
2. From the drop-down menu, select Settings to open the Steam Settings window.
3. Choose the Account option from the vertical menu on the left.
4. Click on the Change button under Beta participation in the right-hand pane.
5. Change the status to “None – Opt-out of all beta programs” from the drop-down menu.
6. Restart the Steam client.
7. After restarting Steam, try re-subscribing to the items that were earlier refusing to download.

If this solution doesn’t work, you may need to move on to the next method.

Fix 6: Change Download Region 

If you’re still having trouble downloading on Steam Workshop, it’s possible that the download region is set to a location that’s too far away from your physical location. This can confuse Steam and block new mod downloads. To fix this issue, you can change the download region to your country or a neighbouring country close to your PC’s physical location. Here’s how:

1. Open the Steam client and click on Steam in the top left corner of the window.
2. From the drop-down menu, select Settings to open the Steam Settings window.
3. Choose the Downloads option from the vertical menu on the left.
4. Under Download Region, choose the appropriate country from the drop-down menu.
5. Click OK to save the changes.
6. Restart Steam and try downloading the items again.

If none of the previous solutions worked for you, changing the download region might do the trick!

Fix 7: Reinstall Steam 

If you’ve tried all the other solutions but still can’t download them on Steam Workshop, you may need to reinstall the program. Here’s how:

1. Press the Windows key + R and type appwiz.cpl in the Run dialog box. 
2. In the Programs and Features window, locate Steam, right-click on it, and select Uninstall. Confirm the uninstallation prompt.
3. After uninstalling Steam, restart your system to ensure that all files associated with the program have been removed.
4. Visit the official Steam website and download the latest client version. Follow the on-screen prompts to reinstall the client.
5. Once you’ve reinstalled the Steam client, you’ll need to reinstall every game you had under Steam.
6. After reinstalling every game, try downloading the Workshop items again to see if the issue is resolved.

Since the fixes are ordered by efficiency and severity, it is advised to follow them in the order they are presented. Make sure to try all of the fixes, and one of them should help resolve the issue regardless of the reason behind it.

How do I Manually Download in Steam Workshop?

If you’re having trouble downloading Steam Workshop items through the usual means, you can try manually downloading them instead. Here’s how:

1. Open your preferred browser and navigate to the Steam Workshop page.
2. Browse the Workshop until you find the mod you want to download.
3. Once you’ve found the mod, copy the URL from the top bar of your browser.
4. Open a new tab in your browser and go to the website “steamworkshopdownloader.io”.
5. Choose “No Extraction & Direct URL”: On the website, choose the option “No Extraction & Direct URL.”
6. Paste the copied URL from the Steam Workshop page into the space provided on the website.
7. Click the “Download” button to download the Steam Workshop mod directly to your computer.

By following these steps, you should be able to manually download any Steam Workshop mod that you’re having trouble downloading through the normal Steam interface.

Conclusion

The Steam Workshop is a great platform for gamers who want to enhance their gameplay experience with items. However, download issues can arise, preventing you from enhancing your gameplay.

While the issue can be frustrating, there are several fixes that can help you get past the error. Try the solutions provided in this article, and if one doesn’t work, move on to the next until the issue is resolved.

Whether you need to use Big Picture Mode, clear the download cache, or delete corrupted items, there is a fix that will work for you. And if all else fails, a clean reinstall of Steam should do the trick. If you still face any issues, let us know in the comments section below. We will try to help you out.