In Windows, you can quite often encounter problems caused by the absence of a particular dll library. All of them are associated with various elements of the system, but in this article we will talk about steam_api. It will be told about the library itself, why this error appears, how to fix it and where to insert steam_api.dll. Upon completion of reading the article, you can easily eliminate all the malfunctions.
What is steam_api.dll
Gamers around the world may encounter an error caused by the lack of the steam_api library. Already by the name you can understand that it is associated with a rather well-known Steam gaming distribution store. But what is the reason for its appearance? We’ll figure it out now.
Initially, you should define the library itself. Steam_api.dll is required in the system for the server to communicate with games and programs from the store. Accordingly, without it, no game will start, giving an error that this file was not found in the system. The most interesting thing is that the file can be in it, but it can be damaged or duplicated. In the second case, the system simply scans not what is needed and gives an error. This file is blocked by antivirus. He may mistakenly think that steam_api is a virus and quarantine it.
How to fix the error
Once a problem has arisen, it is necessary to look for ways to solve it. Fortunately there are plenty of them.
Method 1: quarantine exception
So, we have already said that this library can be blocked by antivirus. In this case, the algorithm for correcting the error is quite simple: you just need to remove the file from quarantine and add it to the list of exceptions. After that, try to start the game again - it should work.
Method 2: reinstall the game
If for some reason the game still does not start, or you could not find it in quarantine, then there is another way to solve it. Of course, it is not so relevant, but in most cases it should help. Its essence is to reinstall the game with the antivirus disabled. In this case, the game will install the library itself, and due to the fact that the antivirus is disabled, it will not be quarantined, therefore, there will be no error.
Method 3: install the library
There is also a third option - installing the steam_api.dll file itself. But here it is necessary to strictly adhere to the instructions, otherwise there will be no result. But initially you need to understand where to insert steam_api.dll, because the success of the operation will depend on its location.
First, download the file itself from the Internet. When you have done this, you need to decide where to insert steam_api.dll. It all depends on your system. If it is 32-bit, then the path is: C: \ Windows \ System32 \, and if it is 64-bit, then C: \ Windows \ SysWOW64 \.
But anyway, even having decided where to insert steam_api.dll, this will not be enough. Still need to register the library. To do this, press Win + R and run the regsvr32 steam_api.dll command. Now for sure everything - games should run without problems.