6 Ways to Fix the “Missing File Privileges” Error in Steam for Windows

Pankil is a Civil Engineer turned freelance writer. Since his arrival at Guiding Tech in 2021, he delves into the world of how-tos, and troubleshooting guides for Android, iOS, and Windows. Besides his new-found love for mechanical keyboards, he’s a disciplined footfall fan and loves international travel with his wife.

Fix 1: End the igfxEM Module Process

The igfxEM process is a component of the Intel Graphic Executable Main Module. Issues with this process can sometimes prevent Steam from functioning properly on Windows and lead to the “missing file privileges” error. You can try terminating this process using Task Manager to see if that helps.

Step 1:PressCtrl + Shift + Escto open the Task Manager.

Step 2:In the Processes tab, locate and select theigfxEm Moduleon the list. Then, click onEnd taskat the top.

Fix 2: Change the Download Region in Steam

By default, Steam connects you to the nearest server for optimal connection speeds. However, issues with the server in your region can trigger such unusualdownload errors n Steam. To fix this, try changing the download region on Steam.

Step 1:Open theSteam appon your PC > click theSteammenu at the top-left corner > selectSettings.

Step 2:SelectDownloadsfrom the left sidebar.

Step 3:Click thedrop-down menuunder Download Region > select a different nearbyregion> clickOK.

Fix 3: Clear Download Cache in Steam

A corrupt download cache in Steam could prevent you from downloading or updating games, resulting in errors. You can remove the existing download cache to see if that helps.

Step 1:Open theSettingsmenu in Steam.

Step 2:Navigate to theDownloads tab> click theClear Download Cachebutton > clickOK.

Fix 4: Repair the Steam Library Folder

If clearing the download cache doesn’t help, try repairing the Steam Library folder, where the app stores all the downloaded game data. Here are the steps for the same.

Step 1:Open theSettingsmenu in Steam.

Step 2:In theDownloadstab, click onSteam Library Folders.

Step 3:Click thethree-dot menu iconnext to the library folder and selectRepair Folder.

Step 4:ClickCloseonce the process is complete and check if the error still appears.

Fix 5: Verify the Integrity of Game Files

If you only get the “missing file privileges” error while opening or updating a specific Steam game, some of the installed or downloaded game files are likely corrupt or missing. To fix this, check the integrity of the files associated with that game by following the steps below.

Step 1:In the Steam app, navigate to theLibrarytab >right-clickon the problematic game > selectProperties.

Step 2:Switch to theLocal Filestab > click theVerify integrity of game filesbutton.

Fix 6: Reinstall the Steam Client

If nothing works, consider uninstalling the Steam client from your PC and installing it again. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1:Right-click on theStart icon> selectInstalled apps.

Step 2:Scroll down to locate theSteam app> click thethree-dot menu icon> selectUninstall.

Step 3:SelectUninstallto confirm.

Step 4:After removing it,download and install the Steam appagain. After this, you will not see any errors.

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Last updated on 26 July, 2024

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