Steam Friends and Chat Button not Working: 5 Ways to Fix It

Have you been having problems with the Steam friends and chat button not working? If yes, you are not alone, as many other users worldwide also experience this issue, which is quite frustrating for players who frequently use this feature.

Many Steam users have grown to love and depend on the friends and chat button because it provides quick chat and helps you stay up to date. In this article, we will help you combat this error by giving you some troubleshooting steps to implement.

Why is my Friends and Chat not working on Steam?

There are many reasons why you could be experiencing this error; some of the most common ones include the following:

• Server issues – If the game servers are currently down, under maintenance, or undergoing an upgrade, you will encounter this error.
• Slow network speed – You might face this error due to an unstable or weak internet connection.
• Corrupt files – You will get this error if the game files are damaged or corrupted.
• Outdated software – You will get this error if you are running on an outdated version of Steam or have not gotten the necessary updates required by Steam.

What do I do if Steam Friends and Chat button is not working?

We recommend trying out these prefixes before heading to our more comprehensive solution.

• Verify your internet connection – If your network is experiencing performance issues, friends chat on Steam may not function. Since Steam is an online platform, you’ll need to connect to a reliable internet connection to prevent problems while using it.
• Relaunch Steam – This simple step can help fix the bugs causing this problem on Steam. Log out of your Steam account, wait for about 10 seconds, sign in to your account again, and see if the friends and chat feature is working.
• Restart your system – Rebooting your system is a good step to take, as this will help remove any glitches or bugs causing this problem.

If the steps above do not work, follow our more comprehensive steps below.

1. Verify the Steam server

Checking the Steam server should be the first step because this is the most common cause of this error. To check the Steam server, go to Downdetector.com and see if the Server is up and running. If the servers are down, you have no choice but to wait till the servers are back up.

However, if the servers are working fine, follow the next steps in this article to fix this problem.

2. Remove Steam cache and cookies

1. Launch the Steam application, click on Steam at the left corner of your screen, and choose Settings.
2. Select the Web Browser tab on the left and choose DELETE WEB BROWSER CACHE.
   
3. After deleting the browser cache, click the DELETE ALL BROWSER COOKIES button.
4. After this process, see if the Steam friends and chat button works.

3. Run Steam as an administrator

1. Right-click on the Steam icon and select Properties.
   
2. Navigate to the Compatibility tab, check the box next to the Run this program as an administrator option, click Apply, then click OK.
   
3. After running this process, check whether the error has been fixed.

4. Verify the game files

1. Launch your game library on Steam.
2. Right-click on your game and choose Properties.
   
3. In the Properties menu, choose LOCAL FILES.
   
4. On the next page, select Verify integrity of game files.
   
5. Your device will start to check the integrity of your game files.
   
6. After completing the verification process, check whether the Steam friends and chat button not working error has been fixed.

5. Reinstall Steam

1. Hold the Windows + R keys simultaneously, type appwiz.cpl in the text field, and press Enter.
   
2. In the Programs and Features, look for your Steam client app, right-click on it, and click Uninstall.
   
3. After uninstalling the application, go to the official Steam website to re-install the application.
4. Once it is reinstalled, log in to your account again and check if the Steam friends and chat button is working.

To conclude, following the steps in this article will help you get the Steam friends and chat button working quickly. Try multiple solutions until you find one that works well for you.

Also if you get the error message an error occurred adding this account in Steam, we have a comprehensive guide that should help resolve it.