According to some gamers, Steamworks Common Redistributables keeps downloading every time they open the game. As per the reports, this is not a normal Steam update that the client app checks every time it launches; instead, it is a big update. In this article, we are going to see what you have to do to resolve this issue. So, let us go to the troubleshooting guide.
Why is Steamworks Common Redistributables installed?
Steamworks is a set of tools that allows the developer to create games or programs for the Steam platform. It also provides an environment for your game to run by optimizing the settings on that computer. It includes the following tools.
- DirectX Redistributable
- OpenAL
- Visual C++ (2010, 2013, 2015)
- .NET Framework
- PhysX
This is important for your computer because every time a game is installed, it installs some of the aforementioned tools based on its requirements. To remove redundancy and save space, Steam created Steamworks, which bundles all the required features and allows games to use them instead of installing their own.
Steamworks Common Redistributable keeps downloading on PC
Let us see what you can do if Steamworks Common Redistributables keeps downloading on our Windows PC.
- Restart your computer and try
- Clear Steam Cache
- Check Read and Write Properties of Steam Folder
- Reinstall Steam
The guide for each solution is mentioned hereinafter.
1] Restart your computer and try
Let us start by considering the best-case scenario. If the issue is nothing but a glitch, it can be resolved easily by restarting the computer. So, go ahead and try the same, then open the Steam client app. Hopefully, it will do the trick, but if it persists, move to the next solution.
2] Clear Steam Cache
Next up, we are going to remove the Steam Cache and see if that works. We are doing this to ensure that a corrupted cache in the Steam client app cannot trigger the issue. To do the same, follow the prescribed steps.
- Open Steam.
- Go to Steam > Settings.
- Click on Downloads and then on CLEAR DOWNLOAD CACHE.
Hopefully, this will do the job for you.
3] Check Read and Write Properties of Steam Folder
You need to make sure that the Steam folder is not read-only. If they are, then your file will keep on downloading. To alter the properties, do follow the prescribed steps.
- Right-click on Steam.
- Select Properties.
- Go to General.
- Untick Read-only.
- Click Apply > Ok.
Now, close the properties window and open Steam. It may update for the first time, but hopefully it won’t update Steamworks afterward.
4] Reinstall Steam
If nothing works, then your last option is to reinstall the Steam client app. To do the same, we are going to use Windows Settings. So, follow the given steps to reinstall Steam from your computer.
- Open Settings.
- Go to Apps > Apps & Features.
- Look for Steam.
- For Windows 11: Click on the three vertical dots and select Uninstall. For Windows 10: Click on the app and select Uninstall.
- Select Uninstall to confirm.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to remove the app.
Now, once you have removed the app, go to store.steampowered.com and get the app. Finally, double-click on the downloaded file and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process. Hopefully, it will do the job for you.
Read: Fix MISSING DOWNLOADED FILES error on Steam
Steamworks Common Redistributables not downloading
If Steamworks Common Redistributables is not downloading, the following are the things you can do.
- Check your Internet Connection: Slow Internet is a pretty obvious reason why Steam is failing to download a file. To do the same, use a free Internet Speed tester to know your bandwidth. If it’s low, restart your computer and network devices. In case that’s to no avail, contact your ISP.
- Flush Steam Configuration: Next up, we are going to try and flush the Steam configuration and see if that works. To do the same, close Steam and all the related processes from the Task Manager, now, open Run (Win + R), paste Steam://flushconfig and click Ok. This will ask you to change the configuration, do that, and your issue will be resolved.
- Clear Download Cache: Our last solution involves clearing of download cache using the Steam Client app. To do the same, open Steam and go to Steam > Settings > Download > CLEAR DOWNLOAD CACHE. Now, see if it resolves the problem.
Hopefully, these solutions will do the trick for you.
What happens if I uninstall Steamworks?
As mentioned earlier, Steamworks has the required files to run most of your games. When you remove the suite, all those games will cease to launch on your computer. Also, newly installed games won’t work on your system as it will look for the set of tools mentioned earlier. So, you should never uninstall Steamworks from your computer.
Also Read: How to repair Steam Client on Windows PC
