Top 7 Ways to Fix the ‘Missing File Privileges’ Error in Steam for Windows

Do you keep getting the ‘missing file privileges’ error when opening or updating a game in Steam? This can happen for various reasons, including inadequate permissions, malfunctioning background processes, or corrupt game files. In any case, such errors can effectively keep you from playing your favorite games on Windows.

If the usual solutions, like restarting the Steam client or your computer have proven ineffective, don’t fret. Below, we share some effective solutions to fix the ‘missing file privileges’ error in Steam for Windows. Before we begin, update the Steam client on your computer and ensure that it runs the latest version.

1. End the igfxEM Module Process

The igfxEM process is a component of the Intel Graphic Executable Main Module. Issues with this process can sometimes prevent Steam from functioning properly on Windows and lead to the ‘missing file privileges’ error. You can try terminating this process using Task Manager to see if that helps.

Step 1: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc keyboard shortcut to open the Task Manager.

Step 2: In the Processes tab, locate and select the igfxEm Module on the list. Then, click the End task option at the top.

Restart Steam and check if the error still appears.

2. Run Steam as an Administrator

Errors like ‘missing file privileges’ in Steam can also occur due to insufficient permissions to access a particular game directory. To avoid such issues, you can ensure Steam runs with admin rights on your PC.

Step 1: Right-click on the Steam shortcut on your desktop and select Run as administrator from the context menu.

Step 2: Select Yes when the User Account Control (UAC) prompt appears.

If this solves the error, you can configure Steam to always run as administrator. For that, select the Steam app shortcut and press the Alt + Enter keyboard shortcut to open its properties.

In the Steam Properties window, switch to the Compatibility tab. Then, tick the checkbox next to ‘Run this program as an administrator’ option and hit Apply.

3. Change the Download Region in Steam

By default, Steam connects you to the nearest server for optimal connection speeds. However, issues with the server in your region can trigger such unusual download errors in Steam. To fix this, you can try changing the download region in Steam.

Step 1: Open the Steam app on your PC. Click the Steam menu at the top-left corner and select Settings.

Step 2: Select Downloads from the left sidebar.

Step 3: Click the drop-down menu under Download Region and select a different nearby region. Then, click OK.

4. Clear Download Cache in Steam

A corrupt download cache in Steam could prevent you from downloading or updating games, resulting in errors. You can remove the existing download cache to see if that helps. Don’t worry, this process won’t affect your installed games or their data.

Step 1: Open the Steam app on your PC.

Step 2: Click the Steam menu at the top-left corner and select Settings.

Step 3: Navigate to the Downloads tab and click the Clear Download Cache button.

Step 4: Select OK to confirm.

5. Repair the Steam Library Folder

If clearing the download cache doesn’t help, you can try repairing the Steam Library Folder, where the app stores all the downloaded game data. Here are the steps for the same.

Step 1: Open the Steam app. Click the Steam menu in the left corner and select Settings.

Step 2: In the Downloads tab, click the Steam Library Folders button.

Step 3: Click the three-dot menu icon next to the library folder and select Repair Folder.

Step 4: When the User Account Control (UAC) prompt appears, select Yes to continue.

Step 5: Click Close once the process is complete and check if the error still appears.

6. Verify the Integrity of Game Files

If you only get the ‘missing file privileges’ error while opening or updating a specific Steam game, it’s likely that some of the installed or downloaded game files are corrupt or missing. To fix this, you can check the integrity of the files associated with that game by following the steps below.

Step 1: In the Steam app, navigate to the Library tab. Right-click on the problematic game and select Properties.

Step 2: Switch to the Local Files tab and click the ‘Verify integrity of game files’ button.

After Steam repairs issues with the game files, you can update or open a game on your PC.

7. Reinstall the Steam Client

Lastly, if nothing works, you can consider uninstalling the Steam client from your PC and installing it again. Here’s how you can go about it.

Step 1: Right-click on the Start icon and select Installed apps from the list.

Step 2: Scroll down to locate the Steam app on the list, click the three-dot menu icon next to it, and select Uninstall.

Step 3: Select Uninstall to confirm.

After you remove it, download and install the Steam app again. After this, you will not see any errors.

Fuel Your Gaming Adventure with Steam

It can be frustrating when such errors in Steam interrupt your gaming session. Hopefully, one or more of the above tips have helped you fix ‘Missing File Privileges’ error in Steam, and you can continue to play your favorite games.