Steam Manifest Unavailable Error – How To Fix

Steam Manifest Unavailable Error – How To Fix

If you encounter an unavailable Steam manifest error, the Steam client failed to access the manifest. The error occurs when the platform cannot find certain files, making the game unavailable. For this reason, it’s important to find a way to fix it. Many users have reported the occurrence of this error.

Read on for all the possible ways to fix this annoying problem.

How to Fix the Steam Manifest Unavailable Error

Steam gives an obvious error when it can’t find its game list. There are several troubleshooting methods that can help fix this error message and get you back to gaming.

Change Download Region

This method has been proven by users to be the most useful when faced with the Steam manifest unavailable error. Here’s how to do it:

Open the Steam app.
Click the “Steam” option in the upper left corner of the window.
Go to “Settings” in the drop-down menu.
Select the “Downloads” option on the left of the options menu.
Go to “Download Region”.
Select a different region from the current one.
Tap the “OK” button to save changes.
Restart Steam to see if the error is fixed.

Also, some users claim that clearing cache has helped with this problem. So, before you try this method, make sure you clear the download cache in the app. The option can be found under the “Download Region” option.

Sign Out and Sign Back in

Usually, players try to log out of their account and log back in when they encounter a problem. This method can also be helpful for this particular error, especially if you haven’t logged out of Steam in a while. To exit Steam:

Open the Steam app.
Click the “Username” option in the upper right corner of the client.
Select the option “Log out of account.”
Close the app and restart it and log into your Steam account.

This simple method is sometimes enough to fix the Steam manifest unavailable error.

Reset Your Internet Settings

If the two methods mentioned have not fixed the error with manifest, you should try resetting your internet settings. All you need to do is clear the DNS cache and check if it works. This method is more complicated.

Press the “Windows” key and the “R” key simultaneously to open the “Run” window.
In the dialog box, type “steam://flushconfig” and press “Enter” to open the “Clear Download Cache” window, where the cache is flushed.
Press the “Windows” key and the “R” key in the dialog box to reopen.
Type “cmd” and hit the “Enter” key.
At the “Command Prompt”, type “ipconfig/flushdns” and press “Enter” again.

After completing these steps, you need to restart your PC and see if the manifest unavailable error persists or is fixed.

Temporarily Turn Off Windows Firewall Defender

Windows Firewall Defender can sometimes block Steam’s access to the manifest. Here’s how to temporarily disable it:

In the search box Type “firewall” near the window icon.
Select “Windows Firewall Defender.”
Click “Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off in the next window.” This option is located on the left side of the screen.
Turn off the firewall by clicking the checkbox next to “Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (not recommended).”
Tap the “OK” option to finish.
Restart your Steam app and check if the error persists.

Reinstall the Steam App

You can try uninstalling and reinstalling the app if everything else fails to fix the manifest error. While following this method, make sure your “Steamapps” folder is backed up. This will be useful if you want to use this folder later. You can find it in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\Steamapps most of the time.

Here’s how to reinstall Steam:

Press the “Windows” key and the “R” key simultaneously.
Type “appwiz.cpl”.
From the list, find the Steam app.
Select “Uninstall.”

This should do the trick and resolve the manifest not available error.

Disable VPN

VPN services and proxy server configurations can cause manifest errors in Steam. They cause problems with online connectivity, but disabling them can fix problems with Steam. Next, disable VPN and proxy servers before launching the platform and ensure that tasks from these servers are removed from Task Manager.

FAQs

What does content not available on Steam mean?

If you encounter this message on Steam, it means that the server in your area is not working. To fix this problem, you just need to change the download region on Steam and use a different server to update the games in your library.

Where is the Steam manifest?

The application manifest file is in the “Game Library” on Steam. When you find the game, you just need to right-click on it and select the “Manage” option. There you can see “Browse Local Files.” You can find specific files in “steamapps” folder in Windows Explorer. Can You Delete the Steam Manifest File?

Steam needs a manifest file, which shouldn’t be deleted. If you accidentally delete these files, Steam won’t be able to update the game. Even if you try to install the game, it will be deleted and trigger the full download again. You can try and bring in some of the manifest files you deleted by following link for this GitHub.

Solution for Steam Manifest Unavailable Error

This article lists several solutions if the manifest error appears again when you try to download or update a Steam game on your PC. You may have to try several or different combinations of solutions before solving the problem. However if you still receive the error message after trying all the solutions, get in touch Steam customer support is probably the best course of action.

Do you frequently encounter issues with Steam manifest unavailable errors? Which method worked best for you in fixing this problem? Let us know in the comments section below.

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