How to Turn Steam Online

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Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: February 24, 2025

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• Enabling Online Mode in Windows
|
• Enabling Online Mode on Mac OS X
|
• Q&A
|
• Tips

|Show more |Show less

Steam allows you to play games offline at any time without being connected to the Internet. When you’re ready to access your online Steam community, you can do so directly through the Steam menu on Windows, or by editing your Steam registry file in Finder on Mac OS X.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Enabling Online Mode in Windows

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1. 
   1
   Launch the Steam application on your computer.
2. 
   2
   Click on “Steam” in the upper left corner of your Steam session.
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3. 
   3
   Select “Go online.”
4. 
   4
   Click on “Okay” when informed that Steam must restart to enter online mode. Steam will restart, go online, and exit offline mode.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Enabling Online Mode on Mac OS X

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1. 
   1
   Launch the Steam application on your computer.
2. 
   2
   Click on “Steam” in the upper left corner of your Steam session.
3. 
   3
   Select “Go online.”
4. 
   4
   Click on “Okay” when informed that Steam must restart to enter online mode. Steam will restart, go online, and exit offline mode.

   • Continue with the following steps if Steam does not go online.
5. 
   5
   Open a new Finder window on your Mac OS X computer.
6. 
   6
   Type “users” into the search field in Finder.
7. 
   7
   Double-click on your Steam account name.
8. 
   8
   Open the “Library” folder.
9. 
   9
   Open “Application Support.”
10. 
    10
    Open “Steam.”
11. 
    11
    Open the file named “registry.vdf” using TextEdit.
12. 
    12
    Look for text that reads, “offline 1.”
13. 
    13
    Change the number “1” to a “0.”
14. 
    14
    Exit TextEdit and select the option to “Save” at the prompt.
15. 
    15
    Close and reopen the Steam application on your computer.
16. 
    16
    Click on “Account” at the top left corner of your Steam session.
17. 
    17
    Select “Go Online.” Steam will exit offline mode, and go online.
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Community Q&A

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• Question

  Do I have to be connected to the internet in order to change my Steam profile from online to offline?

  

  Community Answer

  Yes, you do; otherwise it won't connect to the online client. If it doesn't connect, check your router or internet connection.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 5 Helpful 3
• Question

  How do I update Steam without actually going online? because I apparently cannot go on Steam without updating it. And I'm not online. Is there any way to fix this issue?

  

  ture znipp

  Community Answer

  Of course you can't update it, because you aren't online. What you can do is connect to the internet, update Steam, and then display your status as "Offline", even while connected to the internet.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 4 Helpful 3
• Question

  I have a problem where it says that I'm not online, even though I am. What do I do?

  

  Vivienne Klein

  Community Answer

  Restart Steam. It happens to other people often too. If you just log out quickly or just exit the app, then it will most likely say you are back online again. You also have to be connected to the internet to play online.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 9 Helpful 2

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Tips

• On Mac computers, go to "Accounts" and under Accounts click on "Go Online" To go offline, do the same thing except you will click "Go Offline"
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