How to Fix the Steam Login Error Code E87 on Windows

E87 is a Steam login error that occurs when the gaming platform runs into a problem while you’re signing in. This error may occur because you either changed your account password recently or your system’s date and time. It may arise for no apparent reason. This tutorial shows how to fix login error code E87 in Steam on Windows.

Good to know: learn how to find your Steam ID and customize it.

Preliminary Fixes

Before giving the more technical fixes a go, go through the following points below:

• Restart Steam client: in most cases, simply restarting Steam can fix the E87 error. By restarting Steam, all associated services are restarted as well, which may cause the error to resolve on its own.
• Ensure Steam is up to date: if Steam shows you the E87 login error, it could be because you are running an outdated version. Steam usually checks for updates when you restart it and installs them automatically. If Steam is not opening, try reinstalling it to update to the latest version manually.
• Disable your VPN and firewalls: a VPN or Windows Firewall can block Steam from accessing the Internet, causing the E87 error. Temporarily pause your VPN, and disable the firewall to see if that helps.
• Close other gaming clients: operating different gaming clients can cause conflict, resulting in the login E87 error on Steam. Try closing other game clients on your PC, such as Epic or GOG, to see if that takes care of things.
• Check Steam server status: you may be getting the error due to the Steam servers being down for maintenance or a high load. Check websites like Steam Status and Down Detector to see whether that’s the case. If the servers in your area are down, you will have to wait until they go back up.

If none of these suggestions have worked to fix the error, move on to the following methods discussed below.

1. Log Out From All Devices

Sometimes, if you’re logged into Steam on multiple devices, you may see error E87 when logging in on a new device. This can easily be fixed by simultaneously logging out of Steam on all devices.

1. Open Steam on the device where you want to log out.
2. Click “Steam” in the top-left corner of your screen, and select “Settings.”

3. Navigate to the “Security” tab, and click the “Manage Steam Guard” button on the right.

4. Scroll down the new page, and select “Deauthorize all devices.”

5. You will be logged out of Steam on all devices and computers, then try logging in to Steam on your desired device.

Tip: Learn how to install Steam on a Chrome OS device.

2. Reset Your Steam Account Password

Steam error code E87 commonly occurs if you recently changed your password. Resetting your password again can help fix the issue.

1. Open the Steam website, and log in to your account.

2. Click your name in the top-right corner of the screen. In the menu that opens, select “Account details.”

3. Scroll down to “Account Security,” and select “Change my password.” Steam will give you the choice of sending a confirmation code to your Steam Guard app, associated phone number, or email account.

4. Once you have pasted the confirmation code, re-enter a new password, and click “Change Password.”

5. Use your new password to log in to Steam.

3. Log in by Scanning a QR Code

If logging in using your account name and password continues to result in an E87 error, try logging in via QR code instead.

1. Open Steam on your device. In the log-in window, check the QR code displayed on the right.

2. Open the Steam app on your phone, and tap the shield icon at the bottom of your phone screen.

3. Using the QR scanner that opens on your phone, scan the QR code on your computer screen. You can also scan a QR code directly from Windows.
4. You will get a notification on your phone asking if you want to sign in. Tap the “Sign in to Steam” option.

5. You should be able to access your account.

FYI: add your non-Steam games to your Steam library by following our tutorial.

4. Add “Steam.exe” to the Windows Firewall Exception List

Make sure your firewall is not blocking the Steam client or some of its functionalities by adding “Steam.exe” to the Windows Firewall exception list.

1. Type “Firewall & network protection” in Windows Search, and click the best match below.

2. Click “Allow an app through firewall.”

3. Select “Change settings” in the new window, and click “Allow another app” (which was previously greyed out).

4. Click “Browse.”

5. Select the Steam application, and click “Add” to add Steam to the Windows Firewall exception list.

6. Try again to log in to your Steam account.

5. Force Stop Steam

Sometimes Steam doesn’t close properly, causing the E87 error when you try to log in. You can force-close Steam to prevent this from happening.

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Scroll down and click on Steam, followed by the “End task” button.

6. Run Steam as Administrator

If Steam runs in Administrator mode, it will have full permission to modify, run, and edit system files, thus potentially eliminating the E87 error in the process.

1. Right-click the Steam icon on your screen, and select “Properties.”

2. In the Properties window, navigate to the “Compatibility” tab.

3. Check the “Run this program as an administrator” box.

4. Click “Apply” and close the window. The next time you run Steam, it will run in Administrator mode.
5. Try to log in to your Steam account to check whether the problem has been fixed.

Tip: check out these solutions if your Steam games are not launching.

7. Fix the System Date and Time

If your computer system is set to the wrong date and time, it can cause Steam to not work as intended and show the E87 error. To fix the system’s date and time, follow these steps:

1. Type “Change the date and time” in your Windows search bar, and select the best match.

2. Select the time zone to which you want to set your PC’s date and time. You can also set the date and time manually.

3. Close the window, restart your PC, and open Steam to see whether you can successfully log in.

8. Clear Steam Download Cache

The Steam download cache usually houses temporary files for games that are being downloaded or updated. Sometimes the temporary files can remain in the cache due to an issue with downloading, causing errors. The solution would be to clear the download cache.

1. Click Win + R to open the Run box.
2. Type Steam. /flushconfig in the Run box, and press Enter. The download cache will be cleared.

3. Restart your PC, and open Steam to log in.

9. Launch Steam in Compatibility Mode

If you are still having trouble logging in to Steam, running Steam in Compatibility mode could prevent the error.

1. Repeat the first two steps in Section 7. In the “Compatibility” tab, check the “Run this program in compatibility mode for” box, and select the latest version shown.

2. Click “Apply” then “OK.”

3. Close the Properties window, and run Steam to see whether the E87 error has been resolved.

Tip: learn how to share Steam games with your family.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Steam servers go down frequently?

Steam servers rarely go down due to high traffic or servers crashing. Even if it does happen, only specific services become unavailable. Only in rare cases are people unable to log in to their accounts. Routine maintenance sessions are conducted on the Steam servers, during which the servers are sometimes unavailable. The maintenance usually only lasts a few hours at most. Steam informs the users of any scheduled routine maintenance beforehand through social media.

Will uninstalling Steam delete my games?

Uninstalling Steam will cause all your installed games to get deleted, as all associated files are removed during the uninstallation process as well. However, you can prevent this through two methods. The first is to move the Steam apps folder from the Steam directory to another location on your PC. Then copy this folder back to the directory after reinstalling Steam. Alternatively, create backups of Steam games using Steam’s built-in backup tool before uninstalling Steam. Recover these backups after reinstalling Steam at a later time.

Image credit: Pexels. All screenshots by Khizer Kaleem.