Steam Error Code -105 means the Steam client could not connect to the server behind the page you tried to open—usually the Store, Community, profile, or inventory. It does not automatically mean Steam is offline, and it is not necessarily an account problem.
Start by checking Steam in a normal browser and on another network. Then restart Steam completely, clear its web data, and investigate DNS, router, proxy, VPN, firewall, and Windows network settings in that order. This diagnosis-first approach helps you avoid changing DNS or reinstalling Steam when the real problem is a temporary outage or a blocked network.
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Steam Error Code 105: Unable to Connect to Server—How to Fix It
What Steam Error -105 means
The message usually reads: “Unable to connect to server. Server may be offline or you may not be connected to the internet.” Despite that wording, the error does not identify one specific cause. The failure can be between Steam’s embedded web components and Steam’s services, or somewhere on your computer, router, ISP, or managed network.
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Valve’s troubleshooting guidance lists possible causes including Steam maintenance, local network or ISP problems, incompatible network configurations, and programs that interfere with Steam: Valve’s Steam network troubleshooting page.
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The most useful first question is not “Which fix should I try?” but “Where does the connection fail?”
Diagnose the problem before changing settings
| Test | What the result suggests |
|---|---|
| The Store fails in both Steam and a normal browser | Steam outage or maintenance, an ISP problem, or a broader network failure |
| The Store works in Chrome, Edge, or Firefox but not Steam | Steam web data, steamwebhelper.exe, client settings, proxy behavior, or security software |
| Steam works on a phone hotspot but not home Wi-Fi | Router, DNS, ISP filtering, parental controls, or home-network configuration |
| All websites and online applications fail | Fix the Windows, router, or internet connection first; this is not primarily a Steam problem |
| Only one game fails | Investigate that game’s servers, files, anti-cheat, or launch process rather than treating it as a client-wide Error -105 |
Check for a Steam outage
Open the Steam Store or Community site in a normal browser. Check whether other Steam users are reporting the same problem and whether the issue affects several Steam services across multiple devices or networks.
Third-party status pages can provide useful signals, but they are not definitive proof of an outage. Valve also has support pages for Steam servers being unavailable or too busy. If Steam fails everywhere during maintenance or a wider incident, wait and try again later instead of repeatedly resetting your PC.
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1. Exit Steam completely and restart it
Closing the Steam window may leave background processes running. A hung steamwebhelper process can prevent Store or Community pages from loading.
- Open Steam’s menu and choose Exit.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- If Steam did not close cleanly, end the remaining official Steam processes.
- Reopen Steam and test the affected page.
Valve recommends restarting Steam when web-component problems occur: Steam’s steamwebhelper troubleshooting guidance.
2. Clear Steam’s web browser data
Error -105 often affects pages displayed inside Steam’s built-in web interface. Clearing its cached web content and cookies can remove stale or corrupted data.
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In Steam Settings, look for a control named Delete Web Browser Data, Clear Web Browser Data, Clear Cache, or Clear Cookies. The location and wording can vary by Steam client build; it may appear under Steam → Settings → In Game or a similarly named browser or web-data section. If you do not see it, use the Settings search field or inspect the available sections for “browser” or “web.”
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- Delete the Steam web cache and cookies.
- Exit Steam completely.
- Launch Steam again and test the Store or Community page.
This should not delete installed games or Steam Cloud saves. Do not confuse web browser data with Steam’s Download Cache, which relates to downloads. Installed library files are separate from both. A long-standing community troubleshooting guide documents this web-data fix: Steam Community troubleshooting guide.
3. Restart the modem and router
- Shut down or unplug the modem and router.
- Wait about 30–60 seconds.
- Reconnect the modem first and wait for service to return.
- Reconnect the router, then restart Steam.
Next, test Steam using a phone hotspot or another Wi-Fi network. If it works on the hotspot but not your home connection, the likely problem is the router, DNS, ISP, filtering, or another home-network setting—not the Steam installation.
Windows network fixes
Flush the DNS cache
DNS translates names such as Steam service domains into server addresses. A stale or incorrect local DNS result can cause connection failures, although DNS is only one possible cause.
- Search Windows for Command Prompt.
- Right-click it and choose Run as administrator.
- Run:
ipconfig /flushdnsWindows should report:
Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.Restart Steam afterward. This clears locally cached DNS results; it does not change your DNS provider or repair a general internet outage. Microsoft documents the command in its ipconfig reference.
Try another DNS provider only when DNS is plausible
If websites fail inconsistently, Steam works on another network, or the symptoms suggest name resolution is the problem, you can temporarily test a different DNS provider. Common examples include:
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These are optional examples, not universally superior settings. DNS will not fix a Steam outage, a blocked port, a proxy, a firewall rule, or a managed-network restriction. After changing DNS, reconnect to the network, run ipconfig /flushdns, restart Steam, and revert to automatic DNS if nothing improves. Valve-published troubleshooting material also lists DNS flushing, public DNS testing, and router rebooting as connection tests: Steam’s connection troubleshooting announcement.
Reset Winsock and renew the network connection
Use this step only after the simpler fixes fail. In an elevated Command Prompt, run:
netsh winsock reset
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /flushdnsRestart Windows when finished. The commands reset Winsock, renew the DHCP address, and clear DNS data. They can affect other network applications, but they do not bypass restrictions imposed by a school, workplace, hotel, or university network. Microsoft documents Winsock reset in its netsh winsock reference.
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- Open Settings → Time & language → Date & time.
- Enable automatic time and time-zone settings where appropriate.
- Choose Sync now.
- Restart Steam.
An incorrect clock can make secure connections and certificates fail. This is especially relevant if Steam shows certificate or secure-connection warnings in addition to Error -105.
Check VPN, proxy, firewall, and antivirus software
Temporarily disable VPN or proxy routing
VPNs and proxies can send Steam traffic through a route that is blocked, filtered, overloaded, or incompatible with the client. Temporarily disconnect from a commercial VPN and check Settings → Network & internet → Proxy in Windows. Older Windows configurations may expose related controls through Internet Options.
Test one change at a time, restart Steam, and then immediately re-enable any security product or proxy you disabled. Do not use a VPN as a universal fix: it can also introduce slower routing, additional blocks, or authentication problems.
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On a school, work, hotel, library, or university network, do not attempt to bypass administrator restrictions. Ask the network administrator whether Steam is supported or use an approved connection. Valve’s network connectivity guidance covers managed and proxy-based network problems.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsCheck firewall and antivirus permissions
Security software may block Steam or its embedded web component. Check that the official Steam executables are allowed through the firewall, especially:
Steam.exe
steamwebhelper.exeA typical installation is under C:Program Files (x86)Steam, but your path may differ.
- Keep the firewall enabled whenever possible.
- Remove stale or duplicate Steam rules if they are clearly incorrect.
- Restore narrowly scoped rules for the official Steam executables.
- Allow them on the appropriate network profile.
- Restart Steam.
If necessary, disable one security tool briefly for diagnosis only, test Steam, and turn it back on immediately. Never leave antivirus or firewall protection permanently disabled. Valve specifically identifies third-party software and security products as possible sources of steamwebhelper problems.
Advanced Steam fixes
Opt out of Steam Beta
If the problem started after a Steam update and you use a beta client, opt out rather than joining the beta as a general fix:
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- Find Beta Participation.
- Choose the option to opt out of beta participation.
- Restart Steam.
Beta builds can contain fixes, but they can also introduce regressions. If you are already on the stable client, changing to beta is not a standard Error -105 solution.
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Consider a repair-style reinstall only as a last resort
Reinstalling Steam cannot repair a Steam outage, ISP problem, blocked proxy, or defective router. It can also create unnecessary library and download-management work.
Before reinstalling:
- Exit Steam completely.
- Confirm where the
steamappsfolder and any other library folders are stored. - Back up important saves and configuration files that are not synchronized.
- Do not casually delete the entire Steam directory.
Retaining the library data can preserve installed game files, but a reinstall may still reset settings, shortcuts, or local configuration. Treat this as a repair attempt, not a guaranteed way to keep every Steam setting intact.
When nothing fixes Error -105
Use another network once more to separate a local problem from a Steam-side or account-specific problem. Then contact Steam Support with:
- A screenshot of the exact error.
- Whether the Store works in a normal browser.
- Whether Steam works through a phone hotspot.
- Your Steam client and Windows versions.
- Whether the problem affects Store, Community, profiles, inventory, downloads, or login.
- The results of clearing web data, flushing DNS, and resetting Winsock.
- Any VPN, proxy, firewall, or antivirus changes you tested.
Do not keep repeating destructive steps such as deleting Steam folders when the evidence points to an outage or network restriction.
Windows, Mac, and Linux notes
The diagnosis applies across platforms, but the commands and menu paths above are primarily for Windows 10 and Windows 11. macOS and Linux use different DNS-cache and network-reset commands, and Steam menu labels can differ by operating system and client build. On any platform, the same evidence is useful: compare the Steam client with a browser, compare your normal network with a hotspot, and determine whether one Steam feature or all Steam services fail.
Quick Recap
The shortest safe fix order
- Check Steam in a browser and look for a wider outage.
- Exit Steam fully and relaunch it.
- Clear Steam web browser data—not installed games.
- Restart the router and test another network.
- Flush DNS.
- Test DNS, proxy, VPN, firewall, and antivirus settings one at a time.
- Reset Winsock and renew the Windows connection.
- Opt out of Steam Beta if the issue followed a beta update.
- Contact Steam Support before attempting a destructive reinstall.
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