{"id":22391,"date":"2021-05-13T06:11:57","date_gmt":"2021-05-13T06:11:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.auslogics.com\/en\/articles\/?p=22391"},"modified":"2025-10-16T22:15:24","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T22:15:24","slug":"fix-app-already-running-in-steam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.auslogics.com\/en\/articles\/fix-app-already-running-in-steam\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Troubleshoot the \u201cApp Already Running\u201d Error in Steam"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dealing with a Steam issue isn’t always easy. However, your task won\u2019t be Herculean if the problem affects a single game.<\/p>\n

The “App already running” error is one of those Steam issues that show up when you try to launch a game. While the problem is usually triggered by one game, sometimes it shows up when you try to open any Steam title on your computer.<\/p>\n

The error message reads as follows:<\/p>\n

“Failed to start game (app already running)<\/em>.”<\/p>\n

If you’re on this webpage because you’re yet to figure out how to fix the problem, you’re in luck. We’ve gathered different guides on how to get rid of the error, some of which you might have come across. But rest assured you’ll get the solution you’ve been scouring the Internet for right here.<\/p>\n

Why Does Steam Say My Game Is Running When It’s Not?<\/h2>\n

This is the question that troubles every gamer facing this problem.<\/p>\n

Steam recognizes that the game is running in the program because it probably is. In most situations, the error is the result of a soft crash. The game might have failed to shut down properly after your last session. It could also be running under a different user profile on your system.<\/p>\n

Another possible cause of the error is a launch glitch. This is mostly the case when the error keeps showing up after your second attempt at launching the game.<\/p>\n

How to Fix the “Failed to Start Game (App Already Running)” Error in Steam<\/h2>\n

There are different ways to get rid of the problem, but what works for you depends on the cause of the error in your system. The guides below will show you how to remove the “Failed to start game (app already running)” notification in Steam by helping you get rid of its underlying causes.<\/p>\n

Use the Task Manager<\/h3>\n

Your PC video game or some of its processes could still be running in the background despite it crashing on you. Open the Task Manager to completely close it, then run it again to check if the issue has been resolved. Follow these steps:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Press the CTRL + Shift + Esc<\/code> keyboard combo to open the Task Manager<\/em> or right-click on the taskbar and click on Task Manager<\/em> from the context menu.
    \n
    \r\n
    \r\n \"Press\r\n <\/div>\r\n
    <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
  2. After the Task Manager<\/em> window shows up, switch to the Processes<\/em> tab. If you don’t see any tabs on the first page of the Task Manager<\/em>, click on More Details<\/em>.<\/li>\n
  3. Now, locate the game’s process, click on it, and then click on the End Task<\/em> button.
    \n
    \r\n
    \r\n \"After\r\n <\/div>\r\n
    <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
  4. After that, launch the game and check if the error message pops up.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    You can also reboot your system and launch the game. That way, you’re shutting down every active app and clearing the system memory.<\/p>\n

    Make sure you use the Restart option. Shutting down your system may not prove useful, especially if Fast Startup is enabled on your computer.<\/p>\n

    Log out of Steam and log in<\/h3>\n

    If ending the game via the Task Manager and restarting your device doesn’t solve the problem, log out of your Steam account and sign in again. Doing that will force the client to restart your game library and reinitialize everything. Follow these steps:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Go to the Start<\/em> menu and launch the Steam<\/em> client.
      \n
      \r\n
      \r\n \"Go\r\n <\/div>\r\n
      <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
    2. After Steam<\/em> opens, go to the top-left corner and click on Steam<\/em>.
      \n
      \r\n
      \r\n \"After\r\n <\/div>\r\n
      <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
    3. Select Change Account<\/em> from the menu.
      \n
      \r\n
      \r\n \"Select\r\n <\/div>\r\n
      <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
    4. Click on LOGOUT<\/em>.
      \n
      \r\n
      \r\n \"Click\r\n <\/div>\r\n
      <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
    5. The login screen will now appear.
      \n
      \r\n
      \r\n \"The\r\n <\/div>\r\n
      <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
    6. Enter your login credentials to sign in.
      \n
      \r\n
      \r\n \"Enter\r\n <\/div>\r\n
      <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
    7. After signing in, run the game.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Make sure the game isn’t running on another user account<\/h3>\n

      If you have more than one user account on your computer, make sure the rest aren’t active. Another user might have launched the game. Shutting down your computer should do the trick, but first, make sure you log out of every open user account.<\/p>\n

      To do that, right-click on the Start button to open the Power User menu. After the menu shows up, hover your mouse cursor over “Shut down or sign out” and click on Sign Out. Once you get to the user account selection page, sign in to the other user account that might be open. Now, head to the taskbar and right-click on the Start button. Hover your mouse cursor over “Shut down or sign out” in the Power User menu and click on Sign Out.<\/p>\n

      Launch the game as an administrator<\/h3>\n

      The game’s launch issues might be occurring because it doesn’t have admin privileges to access some protected system resources that it depends on. Grant it access, and the problem should be resolved once and for all.<\/p>\n

      Now, before you grant the game admin rights, you have to make sure you’re logged into an administrator account. After getting that out of the way, locate the game’s installation folder and adjust the executable file.<\/p>\n

      Follow these steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. First, launch the Steam<\/em> client.
        \n
        \r\n
        \r\n \"First,\r\n <\/div>\r\n
        <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
      2. Open the game library by clicking on Library<\/em> at the top of the screen.
        \n
        \r\n
        \r\n \"Open\r\n <\/div>\r\n
        <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
      3. After the list of games shows up on the left side of the screen, locate the game with the problem, right-click it, and select Properties<\/em>.
        \n
        \r\n
        \r\n \"After\r\n <\/div>\r\n
        <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
      4. The Properties<\/em> options will now populate the right side of the window.
        \n
        \r\n
        \r\n \"The\r\n <\/div>\r\n
        <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
      5. Switch to the Local Files<\/em> tab.<\/li>\n
      6. Click on the Browse<\/em> button.
        \nClick on the \u201cBrowse\u201d button.
        \r\n
        \r\n \"Switch\r\n <\/div>\r\n
        <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
      7. The game’s installation folder should now appear.
        \n
        \r\n
        \r\n \"The\r\n <\/div>\r\n
        <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
      8. Locate its executable file and right-click it.<\/li>\n
      9. Click on Properties<\/em> in the context menu.
        \n
        \r\n
        \r\n \"Locate\r\n <\/div>\r\n
        <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
      10. The Properties<\/em> dialog window will pop up.
        \n
        \r\n
        \r\n \"The\r\n <\/div>\r\n
        <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
      11. Go to the Compatibility<\/em> tab.<\/li>\n
      12. Tick the box beside “Run this program as an administrator<\/em>” and click the OK<\/em> button.
        \n
        \r\n
        \r\n \"Go\r\n <\/div>\r\n
        <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        You should also run the Steam client as an administrator. You can right-click on its desktop shortcut and click on Properties, then check the “Run this program as an administrator” box under the Compatibility tab and click on OK.<\/p>\n

        Opt out of Steam’s beta program<\/h3>\n

        Steam runs a beta program to get users to test upcoming features. The point of the beta program is to get users to find and report bugs and vulnerabilities, such as the issue you’re facing. While features in the beta stage don’t disrupt gaming in a general sense, they can affect individual games. This could be the cause of the error notification.<\/p>\n

        Opt out of the beta program to check if it’s the cause of the problem. Follow these steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Go to the Start<\/em> menu and launch the Steam<\/em> client.
          \n
          \r\n
          \r\n \"Go\r\n <\/div>\r\n
          <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
        2. Wait until Steam<\/em> opens.
          \n
          \r\n
          \r\n \"Wait\r\n <\/div>\r\n
          <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
        3. Go to the top-left corner and click on Steam<\/em>.
          \n
          \r\n
          \r\n \"Go\r\n <\/div>\r\n
          <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
        4. Choose Settings<\/em> in the menu that drops down under Steam<\/em>.
          \n
          \r\n
          \r\n \"Choose\r\n <\/div>\r\n
          <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
        5. Select Account<\/em> on the left side of the window to switch to the Account<\/em> tab.<\/li>\n
        6. Go to “Beta participation<\/em>” and click the Change<\/em> button.
          \n
          \r\n
          \r\n \"Select\r\n <\/div>\r\n
          <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
        7. Once the drop-down menu shows up, select “NONE – Opt out of all beta programs<\/em>.”
          \n
          \r\n
          \r\n \"Once\r\n <\/div>\r\n
          <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
        8. A pop-up will now prompt you to restart the client. Click on Restart Steam<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
          \r\n
          \r\n \"A\r\n <\/div>\r\n
          <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n

          Update Steam<\/h3>\n

          You could be struggling with the “App already running” error because you’re using an old version of Steam. Check for the updated version and install it, then check to see if the error has been resolved.<\/p>\n

          To check for updates, do the following:<\/p>\n

            \n
          1. Launch the Steam<\/em> client.
            \n
            \r\n
            \r\n \"Launch\r\n <\/div>\r\n
            <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
          2. Click on Steam<\/em> at the top of the window and select “Check for Steam Client Updates<\/em>.”
            \n
            \r\n
            \r\n \"Click\r\n <\/div>\r\n
            <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
          3. Restart Steam<\/em> if prompted.
            \n
            \r\n
            \r\n \"Restart\r\n <\/div>\r\n
            <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n
          4. Check if Steam<\/em> is updated.
            \n
            \r\n
            \r\n \"Check\r\n <\/div>\r\n
            <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n