Steam errors -137 and -138 usually affect pages rendered inside the Steam client—such as the Store, Community, profiles, or friends content—rather than proving that your whole internet connection is down. Start by checking for a Steam outage, then fully restart Steam, clear its web data, and check whether security software or an unintended proxy is blocking steamwebhelper.exe. These steps are less disruptive than reinstalling Steam or changing router settings.
What Steam errors 137 and 138 mean
The message “Failed to load webpage (unknown error)” appears when a Steam client web view cannot load. The affected page may be the Store, Community, a profile, friends-related content, news, or another embedded page. Games and other Steam features may still work.
Valve does not publish a current, dedicated definition that maps each of these numeric codes to one guaranteed cause. Steam Community users have associated error 138 with blocked network access to client pages, but that is a community observation, not an official diagnosis: Steam Community discussion of error 138. Treat either code as a symptom. Possible causes include stale Steam web data, a failed web-rendering process, security filtering, proxy or VPN settings, local network problems, a client issue, or a temporary Steam outage.
The code may appear with a leading minus sign, such as -137 or -138. Note the exact version shown in your client when you contact support.
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Check whether Steam or your network is the problem
Before changing settings, compare where the failure happens. Valve notes that Steam-side problems and local ISP or network issues can both cause connection failures: Steam connectivity troubleshooting.
- Only Steam’s client pages fail: prioritize Steam web data,
steamwebhelper.exe, firewall or antivirus rules, and proxy settings. - The same Steam pages fail in a normal browser: investigate a wider Steam outage, DNS, router, ISP, VPN, or network filtering.
- Steam works on another network: the original network, router, or its filtering is the stronger lead.
- Many people are affected at once: wait and check official Steam support channels before attempting local repairs.
Try opening the Store or Community in a normal browser, and, if practical, check from another device or a trusted alternate connection. A browser working does not rule out a Steam-specific block: security software can treat the client’s embedded web process differently.
Restart Steam and its web-rendering process
Fully exit and relaunch Steam
- Close Steam from its menu, then check the Windows notification area and exit it there if it is still running.
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager. If Steam did not close fully, end only remaining Steam processes, such as
steam.exeorsteamwebhelper.exe. - Launch Steam again and test the page that failed.
Do not end unrelated processes or remove files while Steam is running. Valve recommends a Steam restart for web-helper problems and documents restarting the web-rendering component: Valve guidance on Steam web-helper issues.
Clear Steam web data
- Open Steam → Settings.
- Search Settings for browser, web, or delete browser data, or look for Delete Web Browser Data or the closest current equivalent. Steam’s menus can change, so the old Settings → Web Browser path may not be present.
- Use the available web-data control, then restart Steam and test again.
Clearing embedded browser data may sign you out of Steam pages, but it does not delete installed games or the Steam library. If the control is missing, do not delete assorted Steam folders by guesswork; continue with the next check. An older community troubleshooting guide also discusses cached web data and cookies as possible causes: Steam Community troubleshooting guide.
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Restart steamwebhelper.exe
steamwebhelper.exe is part of the component Steam uses for web-based client content. If the client is partly functional, exit Steam, relaunch it, and test. If the problem persists, fully exit Steam again; use Task Manager to end only remaining steamwebhelper.exe processes, then relaunch Steam so it can recreate them. Valve’s web-helper guidance describes restarting this component: Valve guidance on Steam web-helper issues.
Check for a rendering problem
If the page is black, blank, frozen, or accompanied by a message that steamwebhelper is not responding, try disabling web-view GPU acceleration. This is a rendering check, not a universal fix for network errors.
- Open Steam → Settings → Interface.
- Turn off GPU accelerated rendering in web views, or the closest equivalent label in your client.
- Restart Steam and check the affected page.
Valve warns that some video drivers may have trouble rendering Steam content with GPU acceleration enabled. Disabling it can reduce interface performance, so treat it as a diagnostic or workaround. See Valve guidance on Steam web-helper issues.
Check firewall, antivirus, proxy, and VPN settings
Make sure security software is not blocking the web helper
A firewall rule that allows steam.exe may not also allow steamwebhelper.exe. Check your firewall, antivirus web shield, HTTPS inspection, or other network-filtering software for blocks affecting both processes. Valve cautions that third-party security software can interfere with Steam’s web helper and its security sandboxing: Valve guidance on Steam web-helper issues.
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- If needed, briefly pause the relevant third-party web-filtering feature or firewall to test one affected page.
- If the page loads, turn protection back on immediately.
- Set a narrow exception for the necessary Steam component or ask the security-software vendor for help. Do not leave protection disabled or exclude an entire drive.
Community reports include cases where allowing steamwebhelper.exe resolved error 138, but results vary: Steam Community firewall report and Steam Community discussion of error 138.
Review proxy or VPN settings
A proxy or VPN can affect Steam’s embedded pages even if other applications appear to connect normally. On Windows, open Settings → Network & internet → Proxy and check whether a manually configured proxy is enabled. Disable it only if you do not intentionally use it. If you use a VPN, disconnect it temporarily and test Steam, then reconnect if it is needed.
Users on work, school, or university networks should not remove managed proxy settings without authorization; ask the network administrator whether Steam traffic is supported. A community troubleshooting discussion also describes proxy settings as a possible connection issue: Steam Community proxy discussion.
Test your network before changing advanced settings
- Restart your modem or router, then test Steam again.
- If possible, connect to a trusted alternate network, such as a phone hotspot. Avoid entering account credentials on a network you do not trust.
- If Steam works on the alternate network, focus on the original network’s filtering, DNS handling, captive portal, router, ISP, VPN, or managed-network restrictions.
Valve notes that proxies, university networks, and ISP-side restrictions can affect Steam connectivity, and recommends considering DNS changes in context rather than assuming they are the cause: Valve network and connectivity guidance. Port forwarding is not a sensible first step for a Store or Community page-loading error; it is relevant to particular multiplayer, hosting, or Remote Play situations, not a general repair for embedded web views.
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Try Windows DNS and Winsock repairs
Use these commands only after the Steam-specific checks, particularly if other sites or applications also have connection trouble. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run:
ipconfig /flushdns
netsh winsock resetThe first command clears Windows’ local DNS resolver cache. The second resets the Winsock catalog; restart Windows afterward before testing Steam. These commands are not guaranteed to fix an error limited to Steam’s client. If the problem began after manually changing DNS, restoring automatic DNS is a useful reverse test. Valve advises reverting DNS changes when they may be contributing to connection problems: Valve network and connectivity guidance.
Reset Steam configuration only if simpler fixes fail
steam://flushconfig is an advanced configuration reset described in an unofficial Steam Community guide; it is not an official Valve fix specifically for codes 137 or 138: Steam Community troubleshooting guide.
- Make sure you know your Steam account sign-in details and can access Steam Guard.
- Press Windows+R, enter
steam://flushconfig, and confirm the action. - Relaunch Steam and sign in if prompted, then test the affected page.
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Let Steam check for client updates and restart Windows before considering a reinstall. If the client itself appears damaged, reinstalling the client may replace its files, but deleting the whole Steam installation folder can remove installed games and local data. Preserve or back up the steamapps folder before any repair that involves removing files. Reinstall Steam only from Valve’s official Steam download page.
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Verifying game files generally does not address Store or Community pages: those are client and network components, not files belonging to an individual game. Valve’s persistent-connectivity workflow is available at Steam connectivity troubleshooting.
When to contact Steam Support
If the page still fails after the checks that fit your symptoms, send Steam Support the details that can distinguish a client failure from a network block:
- A screenshot and the exact code, including whether it has a minus sign.
- Your Steam client and Windows versions.
- Which pages fail, and whether games or other Steam functions still work.
- Whether the same pages load in a regular browser, on another device, or on another network.
- Whether you use a VPN, proxy, third-party firewall, antivirus web shield, or managed network.
- Which troubleshooting steps you tried and what changed.
Submit the issue through Valve’s Steam connectivity support workflow. For Steam Deck or other non-Windows systems, use device-specific guidance rather than Windows Task Manager paths or Windows network commands.
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