How to fix steam content file locked issue 2021

Introduction

If you are an obsessive gamer or played games during this quarantine you would have faced this issue while updating your game. So if you are a new gamer, let me tell you what Steam is.

Steam is a video game digital distribution service launched by the value that provides automatic updates for games.

However, sometimes when you are updating a steam game, steam content file errors may pop up, So this article will give you some ways to fix this error. But if you are a new gamer What does a steam content file locked mean in steam? It means that Steam can’t write the files to the hard drive.

How to fix the steam content file issue??

There are numerous answers for disposing of steam content file issues that we face while updating our game however one of the most beneficial methods is to uninstall the steam alongside all the substance of the game and reinstall it. I know it sounds like a long process. There are two significant disadvantages of this process is it is very tedious and data-consuming.

Before jumping into this long process let’s have a look at simpler methods.

METHOD 1

Check Antivirus

Initially, how about we check whether our antivirus remains against us in updating the steam content file. Sometimes, your antivirus may be one causing the problem because antivirus software may consider steam files as potential viruses and quarantines. So you cannot update your game.

If the antivirus is causing the trouble, then you must incapacitate the antiviruses until you update the steam game. Keep in mind the steps below are intended to temporarily disable, not to uninstall, an antivirus program.

We have listed a few commonly used antivirus software along with methods to deactivate them. With the goal that you can update your game.

McAfee Antivirus

Mcafee doesn’t have the option to leave out specific files from its scanning process. So it leaves us with the main choice to impair the antivirus until you update the Steam game. You must follow these steps to disable the antivirus

STEP 1: Open McAfee
STEP 2: Select Virus and Spyware
STEP 3: Find the option REAL-TIME SCANNING.
STEP 4: Click the option and Select turn it off

Once you turn off the real-time scanning. Follow the steps to verify the integrity of the game files.

STEP 1: Firstly, Go to windows.
STEP 2: Next select the option restart and Restart the computer
STEP 3: Then Relaunch steam
STEP 4: Go to the LIBRARY section Right-click on the game.
STEP 5: Select the Properties option.
STEP 6: Select the local files tab
STEP 7: Then click VERIFY INTEGRITY OF THE GAME FILES.

ESET NOD32

Similarly, the users of ESET NOD32 antivirus face this issue while they attempt to update the steam. NOD32 tends to consider some files as harmful content and block them from the update. Thankfully, there is a way to exclude your Steam.

STEP 1: Visit “C:\Program File\Steam\SteamApps\common” – this might be your default location of the steam
STEP 2: Copy the above address and Open ESET NOD 32
STEP 3: Paste it in the ‘exclude from Real-time scanning’ option

Once you disabled real-time scanning, Follow these steps to verify the integrity of the game files.

STEP 1: Firstly, Go to windows
STEP 2: Then Select the option restart and Restart the computer
STEP 3: Then Relaunch steam
STEP 4: Head over to the LIBRARY section. Right-click on the game
STEP 5: Next Select the Properties option.
STEP 6: Then Select the local files tab
STEP 7: Finally, Then click the VERIFY INTEGRITY OF THE GAME FILES button

It will take a few minutes to verify.

Kaspersky AV

Sometimes, Kaspersky considers Steam as harmful content and handicaps the Steam from making changes to the hard drive. Below are the steps to be followed by which you can fix this error

STEP 1: First Open Kaspersky Av
STEP 2: Then Go to ‘THREADS AND EXCLUSIONS’
STEP 3: Next Go to ‘TRUSTED ZONE’
STEP 4: Finally Add Steam.exe as a trusted application.

After making Steam the trusted application. Follow the Steps to VERIFY THE INTEGRITY OF THE GAME FILES.

STEP 1: First Go to windows
STEP 2: Then click on the restart option and Restart the computer
STEP 3: Next Relaunch steam
STEP 4: Head over to the LIBRARY section.Right-click on the game
STEP 5: Then Select the Properties option.
STEP 6: Then Select the local files tab
STEP 7: Then click the VERIFY INTEGRITY OF THE GAME FILES button

It will take a few minutes to verify

METHOD 2

Reset Winsock

Winsock catalogue is another element that causes the failure to update steam file games. By resetting the Winsock you can resolve the steam content file issue. We can sort out this by following a few commands.

STEP 1: Firstly, Click the WINDOWS+ R key together.
STEP 2: Then Type this: netsh Winsock reset in the run box.
STEP 3: Once you type that Press the enter key.
STEP 4: Finally, Go to windows and then select the restart option. Restart the computer.

METHOD 3

Repair Corrupt Files

If you have tried the other methods and still have no luck. Then try this method. There can be some corrupted files in your steam content file directory due to which you will face the steam error. Fixing the files will fix the problem.

To repair corrupted files, you will do the trick subsequent steps:

STEP 1: First Exit Steam
STEP 2: Go to the Steam directory.
STEP 3: Move to the folder Logs and click on Txt.
STEP 4: Move to the lower part of the text file and search for errors.
STEP 5: Search the folder named root.
STEP 6: you have to move to the root folder of the mod.
STEP 7: Relaunch the Steam and Go to your download folder.
STEP 8: Finally click the Update option

METHOD 4

Relocate Steam Installation and Game Files

So far nothing has worked for you so attempt this process it can be protracted yet may work for you. This process is Split into two so in the initial step, we attempt to relocate the steam and hope it works as planned. On the off chance that a mistake happens, we need to reinstall the steam. If there is any disturbance to the copying process there is no other choice other than to reinstall it.

HOW TO MOVE STEAM TO ANOTHER LOCATION?

STEP 1: Go to Steam Client Settings Menu.
STEP 2: Click the Downloads tab and Then select Steam Library Folders.
STEP 3: Here you can see the default location and change the location Choose ADD LIBRARY FOLDER
STEP 4: Exit the Steam Client application.
STEP 5: Browse to your Steam directory. (default is: C: \Program Files \Steam).
STEP 6: Delete all the files and folders (other than UserData and SteamApp folders).
STEP 7: Move the whole Steam folder to the new location.
STEP 8: Open Steam and log in.

If the Steam content file lock is still there Let’s move to the next process in this method.

STEP 1: Close your Steam Client application.
STEP 2: Search to the installation folder where you relocated Steam ( New location where you moved Steam)
STEP 3: Find the SteamApp folder
STEP 4: Uninstall Steam.
STEP 5: Install Steam again to the new location that you selected.
STEP 6: Move the SteamApps folder into the new Steam folder.
STEP 7: Open Steam and enter your account details.
STEP 8: Verify the integrity of the Steam content file.

FOLLOW THESE STEPS.

STEP 1: Firstly, Go to windows
STEP 2: Click on the Restart option and Restart the computer
STEP 3: Next Relaunch steam
STEP 4: Then head over to the LIBRARY section.Right-click on the game
STEP 5: Once right-click the game select the Properties option.
STEP 6: Then Select the local files tab
STEP 7: Finally click the VERIFY INTEGRITY OF THE GAME FILES button

It will take a couple of moments to verify

Thus, you will be ready to play.

METHOD 5

Check Disk Scan

The issue might be due to poor sectors in the hard disk. We can use the already existing Windows function to solve this error.

Follow the following steps

STEP 1: Press the “Windows” + “R” key together.
STEP 2: Type “cmd” in the dialog box
STEP 3: Next, perform this command in the command prompt: chkdsk c: /f
STEP 4: Finally, press Y to confirm the disk check scan

Wait and see whether the problem still prevails.

METHOD 6

Run as Administrator

This is the last solution. In a certain situation, Steam requires unique consents when they are not permitted then the “Steam Content File is Locked” error might occur. To solve this follow the simple methods to solve this issue

STEP 1: Firstly, Right-click on the STEAM.
STEP 2: Then Select Properties.
STEP 3: Next click the COMPATIBILITY tab
STEP 4: Check the RUN AS ADMINISTRATOR OPTION
STEP 5: Finally, Click on “Apply” and Then “OK“.

Thus open Steam and check whether the issue is cleared.

CONCLUSION

That’s all gamer buddies

I hope this article was helpful to you and gave a solution to the steam content file locked issue. Continue gaming without any problem and have great fun. This issue can be sorted with a little amount of patience and time.