Most of Call of Duty video games are prone to a lot of bugs or errors almost on platforms which becomes common to players that we can’t deny. Whereas titles like Modern Warfare II or Warzone 2.0 might have slightly specific errors that can be related to the server connectivity. Meanwhile, several MW2 and Warzone 2 players seem disconnected from a Steam error on the PC while joining it or connecting to servers preventing them from loading.
It’s been a couple of days since Warzone 2.0 was released, and Steam users have already started encountering the disconnected error while launching and connecting to the game. The error notice says, “You have been disconnected from the server” to the affected or unfortunate Modern Warfare II & Warzone 2.0 players on Steam. Now, if you’re also facing the same error, follow this troubleshooting guide to resolve it for the Steam version.
Fix: MW2 and Warzone 2 Disconnected from Steam Error
Apart from the startup crashing, lags, stutters, and other issues, it seems that the new Steam-related error has joined the party of the COD errors. Multiple affected players have reported the Steam Disconnected error which is popping out quite often while connecting to the MWII or Warzone 2.0 title. It’s worth mentioning that such errors might appear due to the outdated game version, outdated client, slow internet, higher latency, server issues, etc.
We’re not sure whether Infinity Ward and Activision are aware of this issue or not but you can try a couple of possible workarounds below that should come in handy. Sometimes antivirus software blocking, issues with third-party software interfering, not running the game or client as an administrator, issues with the Steam account linking, etc can also trouble you a lot. So, without wasting any more time, let’s get into it.
1. Reboot the PC and Game
First of all, you should try restarting the game as well as the PC to ensure there is no temporary glitch with the system or even with the installed game files. Even a minor glitch or cache data issue might trouble you a lot. That’s why a normal reboot can come in handy.
2. Check your Internet Connection
You should also check for the internet connection at your end no matter whether you’re using a wired (ethernet) connection or a wireless (Wi-Fi) network. The chances are high that somehow your internet connection is having some issues with stability or speed. A slow speed and unstable network can cause connectivity errors to the game servers in most cases. Another thing you can do is simply contact your service provider for the same and ask them to help you out.
Either you can check for the data speed test online while connected to the same network or you can try playing any other multiplayer online game to check for the issue. If in case, you’re using a wired network then try switching to the wireless network or vice versa to cross-check the issue further. If multiple devices are connected to the same network then disconnect unnecessary devices temporarily from the network to get better data speed.
3. Run Steam using Admin Access
If you’re not running your Steam launcher on the PC using administrator access then the chances are high that your game launcher file directly getting affected due to the conflict with the User Account Control on the system. You should follow the steps below to set the client application file with admin access always while running it.
- Click on the Start menu > Search for Steam.
- Right-click on the Steam application file on your PC.
- Select Properties > Click on the Compatibility tab.
- Make sure to click on the Run this program as an administrator checkbox to enable it.
- Click on Apply and select OK to save changes.
- Once done, you should reboot the PC before running Steam again.
4. Don’t Use VPN or Proxy Servers
Keep in mind not to run VPN or Proxy Servers on your PC or Wi-Fi router while playing multiplayer online games like COD Warzone 2.0 because it requires lower ping delay and the best possible nearby servers in your region. However, using the VPN service might help you in some cases to easily connect or play other games, but the same trick might not work always. Make sure to turn off VPN temporarily before playing the game and check for the error again.
5. Check for Game Updates
We should also recommend you manually check for the game update periodically by following the steps below. The chances are high that your game patch version becomes outdated and has some bugs that can only be fixed by upgrading to the latest patch version. So, check for the available game updates. To do this:
- Open Steam and go to Library.
- Click on COD: MWII or Warzone 2.0 from the left pane.
- Steam will automatically search for the available update.
- If there is an update available, click on Update.
- Make sure to wait for some time until the update completes.
- Once done, ensure to reboot the PC to apply changes.
6. Check for Steam Updates
Steam always tries to update to the latest version automatically whenever you launch it on the PC for the first time after booting the system. So, once you open Steam, it’ll check for the available update in the background and install the same. However, sometimes the automatic update process might not work properly due to some unexpected reasons. In that case, you should follow the steps below to do the same manually.
- Open the Steam client on the PC > Click on the ‘Steam’ tab from the top left menu.
- Click on ‘Check for Steam Client Updates…’ > Steam client will check for the available update to install.
- If available, it’ll automatically download and install the update. Make sure to close Steam and restart it properly.
Note: If there is no update available that means your Steam client is already running on the latest version right now.
7. Clear Steam Download Cache
The chances are high that clearing the Steam Download Cache manually from the Steam launcher can help in wiping out the temporary glitch whatsoever. It might fix the Modern Warfare II or Warzone 2 Disconnected from Steam error for you. To do that:
- Launch the Steam client > Click on the Steam tab from the top left menu.
- Click on Settings > Head over to the Downloads section.
- Click on Clear Download Cache > If prompted, click on OK to confirm the action.
- Finally, click on OK to save changes and restart the Steam client.
8. Try Using the Battle.net Client
Some of the reports are claiming to use the Battle.net client on the PC instead of the Steam client if you’re encountering the disconnected error quite often. If in case, you’re facing a particular error with Warzone 2.0 then make sure to use Battle.net to run the game easily. To do so:
- Open the Battle.net client on the PC. [If not installed, visit this link]
- Once downloaded, make sure to run the Battle.net-Setup.exe installer.
- Complete the installation process by clicking on the Install button. Ensure to give all required permissions.
9. Verify and Repair the Game Files
Sometimes corrupted or missing game files on the PC might also trouble you a lot when it comes to the installation or updating of the game. You really can’t do anything for the issue to happen. But most of the game launchers do come with a built-in option to verify and repair the game files automatically that you can use whenever you face any kind of issues. To do this:
- Launch Steam > Click on Library.
- Right-click on COD: MWII or Warzone 2.0 from the list of installed games.
- Now, click on Properties > Go to Local Files.
- Click on Verify Integrity of Game Files.
- You’ll have to wait for the process until it gets completed.
- Once done, restart your computer.
10. Reset Winsock
Netsh is a command-line utility tool that helps Windows users to restore network connectivity on the PC. ‘Winsock’ means ‘Windows Sockets’. It’s a file set that allows Windows programs to connect to the internet and other computers easily. If you unexpectedly see no servers at your end, you can follow this method. To do it:
- Press the Win+R keys to open the Run dialog box.
- Type cmd and hit Enter to open the Command Prompt.
- If prompted by UAC, click on Yes to allow permission.
- Now, input the following command and hit Enter to reset the full network stack on your PC:
netsh winsock reset
- Once done, restart your computer to apply changes.
11. Flush the DNS Cache
It seems that, somehow your system has gathered plenty of DNS cache data related to the internet configuration. Following the steps below, you can easily connect with the game servers or client servers after removing the DNS resolver cache data from the system.
- Open the Start menu > Type and search Command Prompt.
- Now, right-click on Command Prompt > Select Run as administrator.
- Click on Yes to run with the admin access > Once the command prompt window opens, type the following command and hit Enter:
ipconfig /flushdns
- A successful message will appear that says, “Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.”
- Finally, close the command prompt window, and restart the PC to apply changes.
12. Whitelist Steam on Security Programs
It’s also a better idea to whitelist or exclude the Steam application file on the security programs of your PC, such as the antivirus software or the firewall software. In most cases, these security software applications can aggressively prevent the game launcher as well as the game programs from running properly on the PC. This specific issue also blocks ongoing connections from the system to the game servers. You can follow the steps below to whitelist Steam.
- Press the Win+I keys to open Windows Settings.
- Go to Privacy and Security > Click on Windows Security.
- Click on Virus and threat protection > Select Manage ransomware protection.
- Select Allow an app through Controlled folder access > Click Add an allowed app.
- Click on Browse all apps > Now, select Steam.
- Then click on Open > Make sure to save changes.
Alternatively, you can try the following method if the Steam client application is not listed.
- Click on the Windows icon on the taskbar to open the Start menu.
- Open Control Panel by searching it > Go to Systems and Security.
- Now, open Windows Defender Firewall.
- Select Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall.
- Click on Change settings > Select Allow another app > Select Browse.
- Click to select Steam > Click on Add > Make sure to save changes.
13. Check for the Activision Online Services
You can also check for Activision Online Services by visiting this link and selecting Refresh to get the status report. Most of the time you’ll get the online status for all platforms which should be. But sometimes if there is an issue with the online services or server, then wait for a couple of hours and then try again.
14. Disable on-Demand Texture Streaming
Setting the on-demand texture streaming and reducing the texture cache size accordingly might help you easily fix the dev error on the PC.
- Open the COD Modern Warfare II or Warzone 2.0 game.
- Select the gear icon in the top-left corner.
- Go to the Settings tab > Head over to the Graphics section.
- Click on the Quality option > Go to the Details and Textures panel.
- Turn Off the On-Demand Texture Streaming option.
15. Try Turning Off Activision Authenticator
Multiple reports claim that unlinking the Steam account from Activision and then turning it back on did the trick for some players. So, you should also try turning off the Activision Authenticator option by unblinking and relinking from the in-game Settings menu.
16. Use Google or Cloudflare DNS Addresses
The chances are high that, somehow your DNS address specified by the service provider can’t connect to the game server due to some conflicts. It’s better to use a public DNS address like Google DNS or Cloudflare DNS which does have wide accessibility across the globe. Several affected players did find this method useful. So, you can try it out.
- Press the Win+R keys to open the Run dialog box.
- Type ncpa.cpl and select OK to open Network Connections.
- Now, right-click on your active network adapter > Click on Properties.
- Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) > Click on Properties.
- Click to select Use the following DNS server addresses.
- Now, enter 8.8.8.8 for the Preferred DNS server and 8.8.4.4 for the Alternate DNS server.
- Once done, click on OK to save changes.
- Finally, restart your PC to apply changes.
NOTE: You can also try using Cloudflare’s DNS address. It includes 1.1.1.1 as primary DNS and 1.0.0.1 as secondary DNS respectively.
17. Disable Background Apps and Overlays
It’s highly recommended to close all the unnecessary background running tasks on your system by following the steps below. It’ll help the system performance to regain and the resources will become lighter in use with free memory/space. Sometimes conflicts with the overloaded system can trigger crashes or errors.
- Press the Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys to open Task Manager.
- Click on Processes and check which task is consuming higher resources.
- Click on the particular process > Select End Task to close it forcefully.
- Do the same steps for each task which are consuming higher resources.
Additionally, it would be best to disable background running third-party overlay apps that can trouble you a lot because those unnecessary overlay apps may trigger multiple conflicts while launching the game. You can follow the steps below to cross-check for the issue again manually.
Disable Discord Overlay:
- Open the Discord app > Click the gear icon (Settings) at the bottom.
- Select Overlay under App Settings > Turn on the Enable in-game overlay.
- Click on Games > Select COD: MWII or Warzone 2.
- Make sure to turn off the Enable in-game overlay toggle.
- Once done, reboot your PC to apply changes.
Disable Xbox Game Bar:
- Press the Win+I keys to open Settings.
- Now, click on Gaming > Go to Game Bar.
- Turn Off the Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcasts using the Game bar option.
- Once done, save changes, and reboot the PC to apply changes.
Disable Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay:
- Launch the Nvidia GeForce Experience app > Go to Settings.
- Click on General > Disable the In-Game Overlay option.
- Once done, restart the PC to apply changes.
Disable Steam Overlay:
- Open the Steam client > Click on Library.
- Right-click on COD: MWII or Warzone 2 > Click on Properties.
- Click on General > Turn OFF the Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game option.
- Once done, reboot the PC to change the effects.
Some PC gamers or advanced users also use other overlay apps such as MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, RGB software, etc. If you’re also using any other mouse or keyboard software or RGB tool that isn’t necessary during gaming, then it’s better to turn them off.
18. Reinstall the Steam Client
If the above methods didn’t come in handy, you can try uninstalling the Steam launcher and reinstalling it on the PC. It should help restore the default configuration and other necessary files to run properly on the Windows system. To do that:
- Click on the Start menu and search for Control Panel.
- Open Control Panel > Click on Uninstall a Program.
- Locate and right-click on Steam > Select Uninstall.
- If prompted, click on Uninstall again to confirm.
- Wait for the uninstallation process to complete. You can follow the on-screen instructions to do so.
- Once done, make sure to reboot the PC to apply changes.
- Head over to the Steam Download Page and get the latest version.
- Finally, you can install the Steam client on your PC just like you run other installers.
That’s it, guys. We assume this guide was helpful to you. For additional queries, you can comment below.
