How to: Fix Steam Needs to be Online to Update pop up [UPDATED]

| Feb 16, 2011 | 94 comments
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SteamPhoto credit: lydiaisthebombdig (Flickr)

You’ve fired up Steam on your Mac and you get a pop up message telling you that, “Steam Needs to be Online to Update”. You click ok, the message goes away but Steam closes. Annoying isn’t it? Thankfully there’s a simple fix:

  • Browse to <user>/Library/Application Support/Steam
  • Delete the file registry.vdf
  • Open Steam – it should now work.

Enjoy your gaming once more.

UPDATE:

For those unable to see the path, here’s a screenshot from my Mac of my path:

Click the image it to see it bigger!

UPDATE 2:

If you’ve installed Mac OS X Lion then Apple have kindly hidden your Library folder.

Open terminal (under Utilities) and run the following command:

chflags nohidden ~/Library

If you now browse to your user folder you’ll find the library folder is visible again.

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Filed Under: Games

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About the Author

Techie, Jailbreaker, Apple blogger, married, father of two, hugely interested in social media, photography & anything online. Living the dream!
  • Mcpenis

    There is no Steam folder in that location??

  • Ali_3ds

    Me to There is no Steam folder in Application Support folder ??

  • http://lastplaceonthe.net Rob

    I’ve checked my path on my MacBook and can verify that the path exists as specified in the guide above. Can only assume you are either looking in the wrong place or have a different problem with your Steam client.

  • kmos

    THANKYOU!!!! :D

  • Steam

    No Steam folder in Application Support folder for me either…

  • SirCalderon

    Hi there!!

    Try: (username)/Library/Application Support/Steam/…. and not HD/Library/Application Support…

    (I’m not sure whether that helps or not, but I cannot explain it any better since I barely know anything about computers… xD)

  • Fuckyou

    doesnt fucking work

  • anonymous

    can you post an image or something? because steam doesnt show up in app support

  • http://lastplaceonthe.net Rob

    Here you go, as requested, the screenshot with path visible:

    http://jbrpic.co.uk/steam-folder-on-mac-screenshot/

  • Dariuskhambata

    Thanks guys worked a treat, very easy to follow

  • http://lastplaceonthe.net Rob

    You’re most welcome!

  • Adrian Champion

    Found this via Google, worked a treat so thank you very much.

  • http://lastplaceonthe.net Rob

    You are more than welcome. Thank you for the feedback.

  • Jarhead Cook922

    thanks so helpful!

  • Jhnsmith834

    steam wont show up in application support!

  • Dyguren

    Hi i tried  and i am in application support folder, and there is no
    steam folder in it after i downloaded steam, and lots of people are
    still having the same problem, any idea of how to actually fix it?…no matter how many times i download steam, the folder never appears there…

  • http://lastplaceonthe.net Rob

    I haven’t been able to recreate that problem yet but have been looking into it.

  • Cashel111

    thank you :)

  • Harrysmithy

    No steam folder in application support :(

  • http://lastplaceonthe.net Rob

    You are going to the following location aren’t you?Mac HD / Users / YOURACCOUNTNAME / Library / Application Support

  • Pivot101

    i dotn have the file :(

  • Eddie

    THAnk you!

  • Romanicampbell

    thanks much finallt did it

  • matt

    FOR LION USERS: do chflags nohidden ~Library 
    DO THIS IN TERMINAL, APPLE HAS HIDDEN THE LIBRARY FOLDER! THIS WILL UNHIDE IT. Just GOTO APPLICATIONS -> UTILITIES -> THEN TERMINAL

  • Mark Emblau

    SO THATS WHERE IT IS! Thanks a looooot dude!

  • clplye

    thanks bro.

  • Bmm712

    ITS NOT FUCKING THERE

  • jakkyjack

    if you look under “places” then follow the path it works. so places>library>application support>steam.
    its the same with a lot of apps, such as minecraft. so be sure to check both if your looking for something in application support.

  • http://lastplaceonthe.net Rob

    One more outburst from you and you’ll be banned. Not acceptable.

  • http://lastplaceonthe.net Rob

    Excellent advice. Thank you for contributing.

  • Michaelwang07

    I dont have a steam folder in /Library/Application Support/… HELP!!!!

  • http://lastplaceonthe.net Rob

    I’m on a mobile handset at the moment but have a look in the comments and I’m sure someone has already supplied something that will answer your problem.

  • http://lastplaceonthe.net Rob

    Here’s a direct link to the comment made by another which may help you:

    http://lastplaceonthe.net/steam-needs-online-update/comment-page-1/#comment-269193891

  • Remmelt

    So, for all the people who can’t find the folder:

    Open a terminal and run the this: “chflags nohidden ~/Library”

    Now go to your user-folder and there your library is again. I think apple hide it in Lion. So after that follow the path to the steam folder and open the file. It works; maybe an update in the artikel. 

  • Axel

    Hi, I just got Lion and things look a little bit different, mainly the fact that the library folder is gone! What do i do?

  • http://lastplaceonthe.net Rob

    Open a terminal and run the this: “chflags nohidden ~/Library”Now go to your user-folder and there your library is again.

  • http://lastplaceonthe.net Rob

    Absolutely right – Apple did hide it in Lion. Thanks for sharing – I’ve amended the above post with an update to reflect the required change under Lion.

  • Twr97

    I deleted steam and my steam folder a month ago i downloaded steam today and don’t have a steam folder.
    Please help !

  • Izac01

    I am getting this same issue. I AM going to user/Library/Application Support/… I have NO steam folder… I have looked in both the HD library and user library. 

  • Izac01

    Any ideas on how to fix this would be great! Cheers

  • http://lastplaceonthe.net Rob

    Running Lion?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Larry-Taylor/538120079 Larry Taylor

    Hello, I have been having all the same problems as these people… I use Bootcamp (Windows 7 Ultimate) and I have steam on there and it works perfectly so I took the case of the router being my problem out and I have been seeing the same instructions over and over… go to username/library/application support/steam and then delete certain files… but I am having the same problem as everyone else… I cannot see the steam folder… I have tried using the app Houdini alright I ran the terminal and tried typing in chflags nohidden ~/Library then looking at the application folder again and still nothings changed… Can you please help me?? I have also included a screenshot of everything… I should also mention I am running Mac OS X Lion 10.7…

  • Cheezits

    Ok Rob, I found steam under users, app support, etc, but it did not have the file registry.vdf in the first place. I did have com.valvesoftware.steam.ipctool.plist, so I deleted this. I have yet to see if it works, but if it doesn’t, how do I get registry.vdf to appear? (I already tried chflags nohide) I really want TF2 LOL…

  • Cheezits

    Ok Rob, I found steam under users, app support, etc, but it did not have the file registry.vdf in the first place. I did have com.valvesoftware.steam.ipctool.plist, so I deleted this. I have yet to see if it works, but if it doesn’t, how do I get registry.vdf to appear? (I already tried chflags nohide) I really want TF2 LOL… I might be double posting and if I am, sorry, didn’t mean to but I wasn’t sure if you would see my comment where it is.

  • Cheezits

    Oh by the way I am NOT running Lion. I have Snow Leopard.

  • Cheezits

    Yep, still did not work. PLEASE HELP.

  • PlzHelp

    Plz help I really want Tf2 i cant find my steam folder

  • Twr97

    yes

  • Twr97

    I  installed lion after I deleted steam and before i downloaded it again

  • guest

    i couldnt find the folder as well but i had steam before and i had to delete the old games that were still on my comp for me to update.

  • guest

    i couldnt find the folder as well but i had steam before and i had to delete the old games that were still on my comp for me to update.

  • Clock004

    32mb out of 37.. everytime i get the that error message.. i deleted the file.. sux!

  • Frederik

    when i type ”chflags nohidden ~/Library” in Terminal it says -bash: chflags nohidden ~/Library: No such file or directory

  • Cr7mufcr

    yesss ohh yeahhhhh thanx guys you guys are the best the best i mean there besttttt unbeatable the world is a great area to live in thaxxxxxx you guys helped me aa lloottt

  • http://www.facebook.com/dochenson Adam Henson

    She works!

  • filip

    this was awesome. very helpful. thanks!

  • http://profiles.google.com/waawaawiewaa Jennifer N.

    yay! thanks a bunch! 

  • Hiiyujin88

    problem is, there isnt any steam folder on my mac, i understand the directory but the whole steam folder just wasnt thr.

  • Hiiyujin88

    it’s just wasnt there, same goes with the shared user

  • Hiiyujin88

    hope you can help up :) cheers!

  • Paintball_punkchs

    I found out the problem to “no steam in application support”. I’ll walk you through it, go to finder, click on Macintosh HD. Then click on Users, it should open to what ever you named your computer and Shared, click on your name. Find Library, then follow the instructions above.

  • steeve

    The strangest part of this is, if the folder isn’t there, you have to make it.

    Go to [user]/Library/Application Support.  If there is no folder Steam under there, create a new folder Steam.

    It may seem inconceivable that the Steam developers wrote a program that needs your help making its own folder, but that’s how bad they suck.  This also shows that they never tested their own product once on a clean machine before taking money for it.

  • Uvedkomnemails

    If you don’t see a Steam folder it’s because you aren’t in the the users library.

    HOW TO FIND IT: 
    1. Open the finder.
    2. Hold the ‘alt’ key and click on ‘go’ int top of the screen. Keep holding ‘alt’.
    3. If you are holding ‘alt’ you will see the users library shortcut. Click on library.
    4. Now go to the steam folder and delete the registry file. 

  • Leo

    Great!! really thx!!!

  • Stephen Berlyant

    OMG Thank you!!!

  • http://lastplaceonthe.net Rob

    Most welcome.

  • Mailymail

    Fantastic – thanks!

  • Hussein 97

    You are best ths !!!!!!!!

  • Aangel

    I too did not see the .vdf file but saw a plist file instead. Deleting that enabled me to continue.

  • Guest

    i deleted the file, but when i open steam, it just reappears

  • eK

    at last!!!! thank you … !!!

  • Anonymous

    simply didn’t work for me :( The file is gone but it still wont update

  • http://twitter.com/ToPeace ToPeace

    Thanks. Worked like a champ.

  • Ed

    after i deleted the registry.vdf, i launched steam, but the file’s now back again..?!

  • somebody

    How do you do it for macbook pro?

  • http://lastplaceonthe.net Rob

    The exact same way as described in the article.

  • Cayce

    Thank you so much! And also if you guys have lion you do not have to do the terminal cmd all you have to do is open finder hold the option key and click go in the task bar it will then add library to the menu.

  • Cayce

    Here is an image!

  • Sadclown

    thanks

  • Zaned70

    there is no steam in the applications support and no “places” whatsoever also no user in macintosh hd

  • http://lastplaceonthe.net Rob

    User is your username.

  • Zaned70

    i know

  • Zaned70

    NEVERMIND I TYPED IN MY PASSWORD TO IDISK AND THE STEAM WINDOW JUST POPPED UP

  • Your4218

    I love you so much

  • Babs_barbella

    Ok, here’s my problem, not that different from the others… I know how to get to applications support, but… The Steam Folder was never created, even applying on terminal the nohidden command… No folder yet. So I created one as I read in a comment, but still nothing happens, I’ve checked package folder, the .vdf nor the cdf… whatever it is, is not there, and all the things I’ve put on finder to look up (steam related) neither, so… What do I do?… I’ve checked on my Console… But I cannot do the download links from safari to a folder in my computer… Nothing, I’ve tried everything… I’ve checked about maybe 13 forums to fix this problem but nothing… This sucks. 

  • Jppasa

    I created the Steam folder… what do I do after that? I tried opening Steam again but got the same problem, the .vdf file does not appear (or any other file/folder)

  • http://lastplaceonthe.net Rob

    You don’t create a steam folder. The one you need is already there with the file within. If you can’t find the folder read the comments and additional notes to the post.

  • Pinkie Pie

    I just try to lunch Steam again and again even in the problem, and I success to update completely…

  • VitorFromBrazil

    CARA ESSE POST ME AJUDOU PRA CARALHO! QUE DEUS ILUMINE VOCÊS! MUITO OBRIGADO! VOU PODER JOGAR FOOTBALL MANAGER 2012!

  • Icalasari

    Ok, this is nice and all

    Now tell me where this stupid file is on Windows 7 >.< Everybody keeps saying registry.vdf is what I need to alter, even if on a Windows 7. However, everybody gives the Mac path (and going to the Steam folder doesn't turn up anything)

  • Michaelgirgis

    YOU ARE A GOD! <3 I LOVE YOU. 

  • http://twitter.com/wongMLs Mac Lovers.

    thanks :)

  • Hope

    Hi it didn’t work. Same thing again. any idea? Thanks!

  • Lclauss2

    So the steam folder isn’t in application support. I’ve tried everything listed here and nothing seems to be working. I am absolutely in the users library. Any ideas?