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How to Run Steam as Admin in 4 Easy Ways
An in-depth guide on running the app with privileges
3 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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Key notes
Players can often fix Steam games that don’t start by selecting to run them as an administrator. Running any software as admin ensures the app has full rights to modify files, access restricted folders , and edit the registry.
Users should never run suspicious programs as administrators, but there’s no reason to doubt Steam, as it is a trustworthy program.
Steam is, after all, the foremost Windows gaming platform. So, this is how users can run Steam as an administrator.
How can I run Steam with admin rights?
1. Use the Run as Administrator Context Menu Option
Players can select to run Steam as an administrator via its context menu. To do so, right-click the Steam shortcut on the desktop and selectRun as administrator.
If there isn’t a shortcut for the gaming client on the desktop, right-click Steam on Windows 10’s Start menu and selectMore>Run as administrator.
2. Select the Run this Program as an Administrator Setting
However, users can also configure Steam to run as an admin automatically. In doing so, users won’t need to selectRun as administratorevery time they launch Steam.
1. First, press theWindows Key + Ehotkey to openFile Explorer.
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Then open the Steam folder in File Explorer, which will usually be installed atC:\Program Files (x86)\Steamby default.
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Right-click theSteam.exeand selectProperties.
4.Then select theCompatibilitytab shown in the snapshot directly below.
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Select theRun this program as an administratorsetting on that tab.
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Click theApplyandOKoptions to save the changes.
If youencounter any File Explorer issues, check out our dedicated article to find out how to fix them.
3. Choose the Run as Administrator Shortcut Option
4. Extend Admin Rights to All of Steam’s Folders
The administrator settings grant admin rights to the Steam exe. However, users will need to adjust user permissions to fully extend admin rights to all Steam’s folders. Follow the guidelines below to do that.
Granting Steam full admin rights, as outlined above, will reduce the chances of unexpected errors arising when players launch games.
Note that users can also grant any other software admin rights much the same as Steam.
We hope our guide helped you run Steam as an admin, but if you encountered any issues, let us know in the comments section.
More about the topics:administrator account,Steam Guides
Matthew Adams
Windows Hardware Expert
Matthew is a freelancer who has produced a variety of articles on various topics related to technology. His main focus is the Windows OS and all the things surrounding it.
He is passionate about the tech world, always staying up-to-date with the latest and greatest. With an analytical view, he likes problem-solving, focusing on errors and their causes.
In his free time, he likes to read and write about history and tries to always develop new skills.
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Matthew Adams
Windows Hardware Expert
He is passionate about everything surrounding Microsoft’s OS, focusing on troubleshooting guides & tips for everyday problems.
