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If Steam shows “Failed to load webpage (unknown error)” with code -137 or -138, the problem may be limited to Steam’s built-in web pages—such as the Store, Community, profiles, or friends content—even while games and ordinary browsers work. Start by fully restarting Steam, then clear its web data and check whether security software is blocking steamwebhelper.exe. If those steps fail, test for proxy, VPN, or network filtering before resetting Windows networking or repairing Steam.
What Steam errors -137 and -138 mean
These errors report that a page inside Steam’s client did not load. They do not, by themselves, identify one definitive cause. Valve’s public support material addresses broader problems involving Steam connectivity, the web-rendering component, and software interference rather than publishing a current one-to-one definition for each code.
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Users have reported error -138 on Store, Community, profile, and friends-network pages, sometimes while other Steam functions still work. That makes blocked access by a firewall or other network filter one possibility, not a guaranteed diagnosis. Community reports are anecdotal; Valve does not define -138 universally. The same caution applies to -137: investigate the client, security settings, and network instead of assuming it always means a DNS failure. Steam Community discussion of error 138
The code may appear with a leading minus sign, as -137 or -138. Keep the exact form shown in your client when reporting the issue.
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First determine whether Steam or your connection is at fault
- Open the Steam Store or Community in a normal browser. If those pages fail there too, investigate a wider connection problem or Steam-side disruption rather than starting with Steam’s cache.
- Check Steam’s support and connection troubleshooting information for a broader outage or connectivity issue. Valve notes that both system-wide Steam problems and local ISP or network issues can cause connection failures. Valve Steam connectivity troubleshooting
- If possible, try another device or connect your PC briefly to a trusted alternate network, such as a phone hotspot. A client-only failure points toward Steam’s web data, web helper, or security settings; a failure on one network but not another points toward that network’s filtering, DNS, router, or ISP.
| What you observe | Investigate first |
|---|---|
| Only Steam’s Store, Community, or profile pages fail | Steam web data, steamwebhelper.exe, firewall/security filtering, or proxy settings |
| Steam pages fail in the client and in a browser | Steam availability, DNS, router, ISP, VPN, or broader network connectivity |
| Games work but Steam’s built-in pages do not | The embedded web component or software that treats it differently from games |
| Pages are blank, black, or frozen rather than showing a network error | Web-helper or rendering trouble; test the GPU-acceleration setting |
| Steam works on an alternate network but not your usual one | Router, network filtering, captive portal, DNS, ISP, or managed-network restrictions |
| Many people encounter Steam connection failures at once | A Steam-side disruption or maintenance; local changes may not help until service returns |
Restart Steam and its web-rendering process
Steam uses steamwebhelper.exe for web-based client content. Valve recommends restarting Steam and provides troubleshooting for unresponsive web helpers and third-party software interference. Valve’s steamwebhelper troubleshooting
- Close Steam normally and wait for it to exit.
- If it remains open, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. End only remaining Steam processes that have not closed, such as
steam.exeorsteamwebhelper.exe; do not terminate unrelated processes. - Launch Steam again and test the affected page.
If the issue persists and Steam is still partly usable, close it fully, relaunch it, then check Task Manager for any steamwebhelper.exe processes that remain after exit. End only those leftover Steam web-helper processes and let Steam recreate them on the next launch.
Clear Steam’s embedded web data
Cached page data or cookies can contribute to client page-loading problems. An older community troubleshooting guide recommends clearing Steam’s web data, but this is not a guaranteed fix. Steam Community troubleshooting guide
- Open Steam → Settings.
- Search the settings window for browser, web, or delete browser data, or locate the closest current control for deleting web-browser data. The client’s labels and settings locations can change; older instructions may refer to Settings → Web Browser → Delete Web Browser Cache.
- Use the available web-data deletion control, then restart Steam and test again.
Clearing this data may sign you out of embedded Steam pages, but it does not delete installed games or the Steam library. If you cannot find the control, do not delete Steam folders at random; continue to the next checks.
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Test GPU acceleration if pages are blank or frozen
If Steam pages render as a black or white screen, freeze, or accompany a steamwebhelper not-responding message, test the web-view rendering setting rather than assuming the failure is DNS-related.
- In Steam, open Settings → Interface.
- Turn off GPU accelerated rendering in web views, or the closest equivalent label in your client.
- Restart Steam and see whether the page renders.
Valve warns that some video drivers can have difficulty rendering Steam content with GPU acceleration enabled. Turning it off can reduce interface performance, so treat this as a diagnostic or workaround; turn it back on if it makes no difference. Valve’s steamwebhelper troubleshooting
Check firewall, antivirus, and network filtering
A normal browser working does not rule out a security block: Steam’s embedded web component may be handled differently. Check whether your security product blocks either steam.exe or steamwebhelper.exe. Allowing only steam.exe may not be enough if a separate rule blocks the web helper. Community users have reported that allowing steamwebhelper.exe resolved error -138 in some cases, but other reports show that firewall changes are not a universal fix. Steam Community firewall report Steam Community error 138 discussion
- Temporarily pause a third-party firewall, antivirus web shield, HTTPS inspection, or network-filtering feature only long enough to test one affected page.
- If the page loads, re-enable protection immediately. Create a narrow Steam-related exception or ask the security-software vendor how to allow the relevant component.
- Do not leave a firewall or antivirus disabled, and do not add a broad exclusion for an entire drive. Valve also identifies third-party security software as a possible source of interference with Steam’s web helper. Valve’s steamwebhelper troubleshooting
Check for an unintended proxy or VPN
A manually configured proxy, VPN, or network gateway can interfere with Steam’s embedded pages even when other applications appear normal. On Windows, close Steam, then open Settings → Network & internet → Proxy. Disable a manually configured proxy only if you do not intentionally use it. If you use a VPN, disconnect it temporarily and retest Steam.
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Restart Steam after changing a setting. If Steam works only after disconnecting a VPN or changing a proxy, investigate that configuration rather than making unrelated client changes. Older troubleshooting discussions also document proxy settings as a possible cause; their legacy Windows path is inetcpl.cpl → Connections → LAN settings. Steam Community proxy discussion
On a work, school, or university computer, a proxy may be required by the organization. Do not remove managed settings without authorization; ask the network administrator whether Steam is allowed. Valve notes that proxies and managed networks can restrict Steam connectivity. Valve network and connectivity guidance
Test your router and another network
Restart the modem or router, then test Steam again. If the error remains, connect the PC briefly to a trusted alternate network, such as a phone hotspot. If the same Steam pages load there, the Steam installation is less likely to be the source; investigate filtering, DNS, a captive portal, router configuration, ISP issues, or restrictions on the original network.
Valve notes that proxies and some university networks can restrict Steam connectivity, and that ISP-side filtering or traffic handling can also affect access. Port forwarding is not a sensible first step for a Store or Community page that will not load; it is relevant to particular multiplayer, hosting, or Remote Play situations, not a general cure for this embedded-page error. Valve network and connectivity guidance
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Refresh Windows DNS and Winsock only if Steam-specific fixes fail
On Windows, flush the local DNS resolver cache and reset the Winsock catalog only after checking Steam, security software, proxy settings, and the network. These commands are not guaranteed to fix a Steam-only error.
- Open Command Prompt as administrator.
- Run
ipconfig /flushdnsto clear the local DNS resolver cache. - Run
netsh winsock resetto rebuild the Windows Winsock catalog. - Restart Windows, then launch Steam and test the page.
If you manually changed DNS shortly before the issue began, restoring automatic DNS is a useful reverse test. Do not switch to a public DNS provider as a reflex: community reports include error -138 cases that did not improve after a DNS change. Valve’s network guidance also recommends reverting DNS changes when they may contribute to connection trouble. Steam Community error 138 discussion Valve network and connectivity guidance
Advanced step: reset Steam configuration
If the preceding steps have not helped, an unofficial Steam Community guide documents steam://flushconfig as a general configuration reset. It is not an official Valve fix specifically for errors -137 or -138. Make sure you know your Steam login and can complete Steam Guard verification before using it. Steam Community troubleshooting guide
- Press Windows + R.
- Enter
steam://flushconfigand confirm the action if prompted. - Relaunch Steam and sign in if asked, then test the affected page.
Repair the Steam client without deleting your library
Let Steam check for client updates, then restart Windows if the client is current. If the interface still fails, a client repair or reinstall may help damaged client files, but it will not fix an outage, network block, or security rule outside the installation.
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Before reinstalling, preserve the steamapps folder and any local data you want to keep. Deleting the entire Steam installation directory can remove installed games and other local files. Reinstall the client from Valve’s official Steam download page. Verifying game files is generally not a relevant fix for Store or Community pages, which are client and network content rather than game files.
When to contact Steam Support
If the issue persists after the client and network checks, use Valve’s Steam connectivity troubleshooting and support workflow. Include the exact code and a screenshot, your Steam client and Windows versions, which pages fail, whether ordinary browsers work, whether another network works, and whether you use a VPN, proxy, or security product. Those details help distinguish a client-only rendering problem from a wider connection or network-policy issue.
These steps apply to the Windows desktop client. Steam Deck and other operating systems have different menus and system-level network controls, so do not apply Windows Task Manager or command instructions to them as if they were universal.
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