How to Fix the “Preparing to Launch” Loop on Steam (Windows 11)

Is your game stuck on Preparing to Launch when you hit Play on Steam? It's a common problem. Sometimes the Steam window vanishes, the loading box blinks non-stop, or nothing happens at all.

This can occur with games like Cyberpunk 2077, Rust, CS2, GTA V, Elden Ring, Fortnite (using Steam launchers), and quite a few others.

The great news is that it can be fixed, and most fixes are quick.

Here are some solutions that usually work.

1. Restart Steam as Administrator

Sometimes, Steam doesn't have the right access to start files.

Steps:

1. Fully close Steam using Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc)

2. Right-click Steam.exe

3. Select Run as Administrator

Try restarting the game.

2. Verify the Game Files

The loop starts when files are corrupted or missing.

1. Right-click the game in Steam

2. Go to Properties

3. Select Installed Files

4. Click Verify Integrity of Game Files

If Steam fixes broken files, give it another shot.

3. Disable Steam Overlay

Overlays can sometimes mess with games, stopping them from starting up properly.

1. Open Steam Settings

2. Go to In-Game

3. Turn off Enable the Steam Overlay

Try restarting the game.

4. Update GPU Drivers

If your game isn't starting, the problem could be old Windows drivers or that you're using integrated graphics.

Use:

• GeForce Experience

• AMD Adrenalin

• Intel Arc Control

After updating, restart your PC.

5. Close Background Apps Causing Conflicts

Apps like:

• Discord overlays

• MSI Afterburner

• Razer Cortex

• Overwolf

• Epic Games Launcher

• Xbox app

…can interfere.

End the processes in Task Manager, then start the games again.

6. Disable Fullscreen Optimizations

1. Find the game .exe file

2. Right-click > Properties

3. Go to Compatibility

4. Check Disable Fullscreen Optimizations

Give it another shot.

7. Clear Steam Download Cache

Steam might get stuck in a loop if it's checking saved data.

1. Open Steam Settings

2. Go to Downloads

3. Click Clear Download Cache

4. Restart Steam

8. Run the Game Directly from the Folder

You might find that skipping Steam works sometimes.

Go to:

SteamLibrary > steamapps > common > Game Folder

Double-click the .exe file.

If the game starts but doesn't run correctly, the problem probably lies in your Steam settings, not the game itself.

9. Repair Microsoft Visual C++ and .NET Runtime

A lot of games need certain things installed before they'll even run.

Search in Start Menu:

• Apps and Features

• Repair all Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables

• Ensure .NET Runtime is installed

10. Reinstall Steam (Without Deleting Games)

As a last resort.

1. Back up steamapps/

2. Uninstall Steam

3. Reinstall to the same directory

4. Steam will detect existing games

Why This Issue Happens

Common causes:

• Missing system permissions

• Corrupted installation files

• Overlay conflicts

• Outdated GPU drivers

• Game requiring runtime packages

• Steam cache issues

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Steam stuck on “Preparing to Launch”?
This problem typically pops up due to damaged game files, incorrect system settings, old drivers, or issues with overlays.

Is this issue related to Windows 11?
It doesn't happen all the time, but Windows 11's power settings and security features might make it show up more often.

Do I need to reinstall my game?
Windows 11's power settings and security stuff might cause this to happen more than you'd expect, though it's not a constant thing.