How to Fix Sign-in Error Code E84 on Steam?

Error code E84 in Steam started occurring after the October update in which Steam included the new UI (User Interface) for the sign-in screen. We have found many different solutions that indicate there are many different causes of this error, such as corrupted Steam temporary and cache files, incorrect time set, and a problem with the network connection.

1. Add a Launch Parameter

Launch parameters are used to pass the values that the application accepts before loading any other configuration files. There are many launch parameters for Steam, and each parameter functions differently. Since this error is caused by the login UI update, we can try reverting the UI to the old version by using the launch parameter.

The launch parameter we are going to use is -noreactlogin. It is accepted by Steam.exe and can be used to revert to the new login UI. This will disable the ReactJS login screen, which will return to the old login window. To use this command, you will have to add it to the target value at the end of Steam.exe. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click the Start Menu and type Steam.
2. Right-click Steam and select Open file location.
   
3. Here right-click the Steam shortcut and go to its Properties.
   
4. Type -noreactlogin in the target value at the end.
5. Once done, click Apply and click OK.
6. Then launch Steam and try login to your account.

2. Reset the Steam Password

You can also try resetting your Steam password to avoid this error. It may seem strange, but it has actually worked for most of the affected users. Consequently, we recommend that you reset your Steam password using the following instructions.

1. To reset your Steam password, open Steam and click Help, I can’t sign in.
   
2. Then, choose I forgot my Steam Account name or password.
   
3. Now enter your email address, verify you are not a robot, then click Search.
   
4. Once your account has been detected by Steam, select Email an account verification code to email.
   
5. Check your email account for the Steam verification email.
6. Once you received the email, click Resume Recovery to open the link to recover your Steam login credentials.
   
7. Here select the Reset my password option.
   
8. Then, enter password and confirm password, then click Change Password.
   
9. Once done, you will be navigated to the page Your password has been updated.
10. Now try login to your Steam account.

3. Clear Temporary Files

Every application you use creates temporary files for short-term purposes. These files are created and required by the applications to complete various tasks. However, they are not meant for long-term use, so we can safely delete them. If the Steam temporary files become corrupted, you will encounter login error E84. Therefore, try clearing the temporary files.

1. Open Run Program by using the combination of Win + R keys.
2. Then, type Temp in the box and hit Enter. This will open up the Windows temporary files Window.
   
3. Press the Ctrl + A to select all the files.
4. Hit the Delete key to remove all the files.
   
5. Once done, again open the Run Program.
6. This time type %temp% and hit Enter. This will open the Local temporary files Window, which has all the temporary files created by the application.
   
7. Again, press Ctrl + A and hit the Delete key on the keyboard to remove the temporary files.
   
8. If you see a popup saying This action can’t be completed, just close it because some temporary files are running in the background. So you cannot delete them.
9. Once done, launch Steam and try login with your credentials.

4. Clear Steam Cache files

Cache files contain the data that the application often requires and the user frequently accesses. The application creates cache files to decrease loading time because if the application requests data from the server, it takes time for the application to receive the requested data. Thus, the application stores the data in the cache files.

So if there is corruption in the cache files, you will encounter the login error. Therefore, try clearing the cache files by following the steps.

To clear the Steam cache files, follow the steps:

1. Press the Win + R keys together to open Run Window.
2. Type appdata and click OK to open the appdata folder.
   
3. From here, go to the Local folder and delete the Steam folder.
   
4. Once done, launch Steam and try login to your account.

4. Set the time to adjust automatically

This solution is very important because if you have manually set the time, it might be wrong. Since several users have fixed this issue by setting the date and time automatically, we can say some users have an incorrect time set, causing this error. Thus, you need to set the time automatically. Follow the steps to do that:

1. Navigate to Settings by pressing Win + I on the keyboard.
2. Once you have opened the settings, click Time & language from the left.
3. Then, open the Date & time settings.
4. Here make sure that the Set time automatically option is enabled.
5. Then, click Sync now option to match the time with the time server.
   
6. Once done, now open Steam and check if the error persists or not.

5. Use VPN

The login error E84 is also caused by a problem with the network connection, which prevents Steam from contacting the login servers. If that’s the case, you can use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to log in to your Steam account.

Using a VPN will allow you to change your location and IP address, which will alter the route to the Steam server and potentially fix this error. There are many VPNs available; you can download one of the best with the assistance of our article.

6. Use Your hotspot

You can also use a hotspot to log in to your Steam account, but make sure to use different network connections such as mobile data or any other Wi-Fi connection. This will help if there is a problem with your network connection that prevents Steam from authenticating you.

There are two ways to use a hotspot on a PC. The first way is to have a dongle or Wi-Fi adapter; simply turn on the hotspot and connect your PC to it.

However, if you don’t have a Wi-Fi dongle or Wi-Fi adapter, you can use a data cable, also known as a USB cable, which comes with the mobile charger, to connect to the hotspot.

For that, you need to connect the USB cable to the mobile device and PC. Then, you should go into the hotspot settings and turn on USB tethering. This will allow you to use your mobile internet on your PC. Once completed, you can log in to your Steam account to check whether the error is fixed or not.

7. Try Login using another device

If you are still encountering the login error E84 on your PC, you can try logging into your Steam account using other devices such as a mobile phone, laptop, or even the Steam website. If you can successfully log in, you can return to your PC and try logging into your Steam account.

This is a strange workaround, but it has actually worked for several affected users. Therefore, we recommend that you try this before moving on to the remaining methods.

8. Delete the Steam Package folder

The Steam package folder stores information about games and user data. It is an essential folder for Steam, as it manages updates, installation, and user data. Hence, if the files within this folder become corrupted, you might encounter this error. Therefore, try deleting the Steam package folder, which will automatically be created when you run Steam.exe.

1. To do so, right-click on Steam and select ‘Open file location’. You can directly navigate to the Steam app folder if you have not created a shortcut.
2. Here find the Package folder and delete it.
   
3. Once done, run the steam.exe and wait for Steam to download the package folder from the server.
4. Once done, try login to your Steam account.

9. Reinstall Steam

If all else fails to fix this error, you can try reinstalling Steam, as this is the last solution that you can attempt from your end. If you have not created a library to save games downloaded from Steam, you should back up the games from the Steam Apps folder before reinstalling Steam. You can follow these steps to do so:

1. Right-click Steam and select Open file location.
   
2. Now go to Steamapps > Common.
3. Here you will see all the games that you have downloaded, copy all the folder and paste it into the other drive.
   
4. Once done, click the Start Menu and type Add or remove programs and open it.
   
5. Here find Steam and click the three dots.
6. Then, click Uninstall.
7. Again, click Uninstall to confirm.
   
8. Once done, download the Steam installer from the link.
9. Once it is downloaded, simply run the installer to install the Steam.
10. Then, copy the games and paste them into Steamapps > Common folder.
11. Once done, check if the login error is fixed or not. if it is, then discover the game files of the games by navigating to the Steam Library.