[2023 Full Guide] How to Verify Game Files on Steam

[2023 Full Guide] How to Verify Game Files on Steam

/ Shayne Sherman

Steam has become a popular gaming platform providing access to a vast library of games. Nevertheless, it can face issues like any other software, such as missing or corrupted game files. To resolve such problems, one effective solution is to use the built-in tool provided by Steam to verify the integrity of game files. To verify game file integrity on Steam:

1. Open Steam and click on Library.

steam library

2. In the Library tab, right-click the desired game and select Properties to open the game library.

steam game properties

3. On the Properties menu, select Local Files.

4. In the Local Files tab, select Verify integrity of game files button.

verify game integrity

5. the Steam client will begin to verify Steam game files and automatically replace any missing or corrupted game files.

6. After completing the process, you should see All files successfully validated.

validation successful in steam

One or More Files Failed To Verify

For Steam gamers, receiving an error message that says One or More Files Failed to Verify can be incredibly frustrating. This error typically occurs when Steam’s built-in tool verifies the integrity of game files and encounters an issue with one or more files that could be due to local configuration files.

This can cause problems like games crashing, freezing, or not even starting. Verifying the integrity of game files is essential to ensure the game runs smoothly without missing or corrupted files. However, you cannot play your favorite games when this process fails.

Repair Game Files

Repairing game files is an effective way to ensure your games run optimally. This process scans for any broken or missing components, and if found, can download them again from the server quickly and easily. Repairing game files is a great solution when you experience problems with your games, such as crashing or lower-than-expected performance.

1. Launch the Steam client and click the Steam button at the right-top corner.

2. Select Settings from the menu.

steam settings

3. Go to the Downloads tab in the Settings window and click Steam Library Folders.

steam library folders

4. Click the three dots icon and select Repair Folder.

repair library folder

5. Select Yes in the confirmation prompt.

Reinstall The Steam Game

Reinstalling a game can ensure all game files are installed correctly and any corrupted files are replaced with new ones. While reinstalling a game can take some time, it’s often worth ensuring that your game runs smoothly without any problems.

1. Open Steam and click on Library.

steam library

2. In the right pane, right-click the problematic game in the list and select Manage > Uninstall.

3. Click Uninstall again to confirm and wait for the uninstallation process to finish.

manage steam game uninstall

4. After uninstalling, click on the Steam game and click Install.

install steam game

Frequently Asked Questions About How to Verify Game Files on Steam

Why Verify Game Files in Steam?

Verifying game files in Steam helps to ensure the integrity of game files and can help to fix any issues that may be causing errors or crashes in your game. If a game is crashing or behaving abnormally, verifying the game files can help to repair any corrupted or missing files.

What Happens When You Verify the Integrity of Game Files?

When you verify the integrity of game files, the game or program checks the existing files on your computer against the original files downloaded from the game or program’s servers. Any files that don’t match are replaced with the original versions. This is a useful tool for fixing issues related to corrupted or missing files and preventing potential problems from arising in the future.

Why Do Game Files Get Corrupted?

Game files can become corrupted due to various reasons, such as hardware problems like a failing hard drive or faulty RAM, software conflicts, malware or viruses, power outages or system crashes, incomplete downloads or updates, overclocking hardware components beyond their designed limits, and user error like accidentally deleting or modifying game files.

Will I Lose Save Games When Verifying Files?

No, verifying game files should not remove or delete your saved games. It is possible that verifying game files could cause some issues with saving games, but these issues would likely be resolved with a new verification.

Will I Lose Updates When Verifying Files?

No, verifying files does not remove any updates. Verifying files is a process of checking the game files to ensure they are the correct versions and not corrupted or damaged.

What is the Epic Games Launcher?

The Epic Games Launcher is an application designed to manage and keep track of all your games purchased through the online store. It also provides access to exclusive discounts, news, and other updates related to Epic Games.

Shayne Sherman
Meet the author

Shayne is an expert on all things Microsoft Windows and computer security. As a Windows user of over 30 years, he has been featured on Business Insider, Yahoo, Tech Republic, Hacker Noon, Techopedia, and many other publications. Aside from entertaining at his home theater, he enjoys spending time with his family, including his English bulldog, Fergie.