| Fix | Success Rate | |------|---------------| | Change DNS to Google/Cloudflare | ★★★★★ | | Disable VPN/Proxy | ★★★★☆ | | Disable IPv6 | ★★★☆☆ | | Clear cache | ★★★☆☆ | | Check hosts file | ★★★☆☆ | | Reinstall Steam (keep games) | ★★☆☆☆ |
Switch to a reliable public DNS like or Cloudflare DNS .
Here is a breakdown of why this happens and how to get back online.
If you cannot access the Settings menu because the error is blocking you, try running Steam in Offline Mode first, changing the setting, and then restarting in Online Mode.
If none of these work, the issue may be deeper within your operating system's network drivers. In rare cases, reinstalling the Steam client entirely (keeping your game files safe by moving the steamapps folder) is the final resort. However, for 95% of users, or waiting out a server outage resolves the problem.
Here’s a detailed explanation of and how to fix it.
If you are still staring at Error -118, try this quick summary checklist:
There are few things more frustrating than sitting down for a gaming session, opening Steam, and being greeted by a blank screen and a cryptic error message. If you are seeing (often accompanied by the message "Unable to connect to server"), you aren't alone.
Open hosts in Notepad as admin. Look for entries containing: