Fix “Steam Error Code 50” When Trying to Log In on Windows

Steam Error Code 50 usually appears when you try to log in or confirm a purchase, and it means the client cannot authenticate your session or reach Steam’s back end servers. The problem most often comes from a damaged configuration cache, especially the loginusers.vdf file (saved login data) or the webcache folder (used for web based parts of the client).

Sometimes, wrong DNS settings or glitches in the React based login interface (Steam’s modern web based sign in screen) cause token mismatches, especially after you switch devices or change your IP address. Unlike errors 105 or 118 that block web content, Error Code 50 stops the login and checkout flow by breaking session continuity.

Before you try advanced fixes, first sign out on every device to clear any active session conflict. Open Steam > Settings > Security > Manage Devices, then click Sign out of all other devices.

Make sure Steam Guard is active and that you can reach your recovery email or mobile authenticator, because you will need them to sign back in on every device.

Also check Steam’s service status (through Steamstat.us or a site such as Downdetector) to confirm the problem is not due to maintenance or a wider outage.

1. Clear Temporary Files

Temporary files hold cached data for many apps. Over time this data can become damaged and trigger errors. Although the cache speeds up normal tasks, broken entries can block authentication. Clear these files first because doing so often fixes the problem.

1. Close Steam completely by right-clicking the Steam icon in the system tray and selecting Exit Steam.
2. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box.
3. Type %temp% and click OK.
4. Find folders related to Steam and delete them.
5. Open Steam again and see whether the error returns.

2. Reset Steam Application

Resetting the Steam application means deleting every file and folder except Steam.exe, userdata, and Steamapps. Doing this removes damaged items and forces the client to download clean copies from Steam’s servers, removing corruption that prevents normal operation.

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type the following and hit Enter.

   steam://flushconfig

   

3. Restart your computer and launch Steam to check if the error is gone.

3. Flush DNS Cache

If the local DNS records are outdated or corrupted, they can keep the client from reaching the correct server. Flushing the DNS cache forces Windows to fetch fresh records that point Steam to the right address. Use these steps:

1. Close Steam completely before proceeding.
2. Click the Start icon and type Command Prompt.
3. Right-click on it and select Run as administrator.
4. Type the following command and hit Enter:

   ipconfig /flushdns

   

5. Restart your computer, open Steam, and try logging in again to see if the issue persists.

4. Reset Network Settings

Because this error often springs from network misconfiguration or conflict, resetting Windows network settings is a good next step if the previous fixes did not work. The reset renews the IP address, restores default DNS values, and clears other network parameters so Steam can open a clean connection. Here is how:

1. Click the Start icon and type Command Prompt.
2. Right-click on it and select Run as administrator.
3. In the Command Prompt window, type the following commands one by one, pressing Enter after each:

   netsh winsock reset netsh int ip reset ipconfig /release ipconfig /renew ipconfig /flushdns

   

4. After that, restart your PC and check if the issue is resolved.

The last resort, if nothing else works, is to reinstall Steam. A fresh install removes any remaining corrupted files or wrong settings that could block the login process.