Majority of users encountered this problem, either in the process of installing or updating their Steam games. There are many reasons why this could happen, could be major, at the same time could be a minor issue that will easily go away. If you are among the people that have encountered or currently facing this problem, then you don’t need to worry anymore, cause we have in this article simple and easy steps to fix this Steam Missing File Privileges Error.
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How To Fix Steam Missing File Privileges?
Here are the most tested and trusted ways to fix this problem. We suggest you go through the whole methods first and then decide the one that is suitable for you.
1. Stop the igfxEm process
The igfxEM is a software component that comes with the Intel Common User Interface. It is a product of Intel Corporation. It comes along with the standard package, during the process of installing Microsoft Windows and the accompanied drivers for operating the graphic cards. This software functions as a middleware between the user and the Intel Graphics. It aids the user to also see and make necessary adjustments to the Graphic card characteristics and settings, by making good use of the GUI provided.
The full meaning of igfxEM is Intel Graphics Executable Main Module. It is a harmless .exe file from a trusted source, with a digital signature signed. It is not among the Windows core files and it’s not visible. It also has a steady location where it can always be found, and that is (C:\\Windows\System32\igdxEm.exe). If you find this particular file any other place that is not this location, then you need to be careful because it might be a virus.
Ending this process is well known to solve the issue of Steam Missing File Privileges, and since the process is not a core Window process, stoping it won’t hurt your computer. Below is how to end the igfxEM process on your computer.
Step 1. On your Windows computer keyboard, press Windows key + R to reveal a dialogue box and then type “taskmgr,” in the dialogue box and press Enter.
Step 2. Now that the task manager is open, search for igfxEM process on the process tap.
Step 3. Once you have located the process, right-click on it and then select End Process
Step 4. Now using administrator, restart the Steam client and commence downloading the game again, and check it the problem has been fixed.
2: Changing the download region
This method has been tried by many users and confirmed to be a very effective and easy way to fix this problem. The Steam content system has been separated into several different regions, and then through the aid of your network, the Steam automatically searches and locates your region and then sets it as your default region.
In a situation whereby the servers in a particular region is malfunctioning, maybe as a result of the failure of the hardware or overloading, this can prompt the error. In that case, it is recommended that you change the download region of your steam client. Below is how to change the download region:
Step 1. Open your Steam, and navigate to the drop-down menu in the upper left corner of the steam window and click on Settings.
Step 2. Hit ‘Downloads’ and then scroll to ‘Download Region’.
Step 3. Ignore the regions currently set as default and choose other regions in the list.
Step 4. Restart the Steam, and check if the problem is fixed
3: Temporarily Disable Antivirus
The antivirus software can sometimes encroach on the Steam directory write permissions, and this can prompt the missing file privileges error. In this situation, all you need to do is to disable the antivirus. There are many antiviruses out there and there are different ways to disenable them. We will use Avast antivirus as an example.
Step 1. Navigate to the system tray and right-click on the Avast icon, then move your cursor over ‘’Avast shields control’’.
Step 2. Take a good look at the listed options and choose the time span to disable the antivirus
Step 3. First, start with 10 minutes and triggering an install/update to know if the problem will be fixed. If it’s positive, the go ahead and start a full installation/upgrade
Step 4. Start the steam and launch the install/update
4. Repair the Steam Library Folder and Verify its Integrity
When the Steam Library Folder is corrupt and configured wrongly, it can cause this error. Also, it could be as a result of your game files been incomplete for one reason or the other. This method will resolve the problem. Follow steps below to do it:
Step 1. Open your Steam client, and from the drop-down menu, click on Steam and then click on Settings
Step 2. When the setting is open, scroll to the top of the Downloads tab and click on Steam Library Folders.
Step3. A list of all the locations Steam is installed in your computer and the storage/spaces that Steam is using will show on a new small window. Right-click and go ahead and select Repair Steam Library.
Step 4. You have just repaired the library. The next step is to Verify the Integrity of the Game Files present.
Step 5. Close the Settings tab, and navigate to the games library.
Step 6. Locate the game causing the error, right-click on it and select Properties.
Step 7. Now that you are in the properties, click on Local Files and then click on Verify Integrity of Game Files. Steam will automatically start the verification process of all the files in the game. It will automatically download and replace any missing or corrupted file.
5: Grant Administrator Privileges to the steam
To be absolute in functioning, steam needs to be given the privilege to be able to Read and Write on your computer. It should not be a read-only program. When steam is not able to write on files, it can develop a problem in the process of downloading or updating a file that does not give it permission to write.
If that is the case, then you can solve the problem by simply granting it the Administrator Privileges, which automatically allows it to also write on the different files. To do this, follow the steps below:
Step 1: From this location (C:\Program Files\Steam) open your steam directory. If you installed steam in a different custom directory, then look for it in that location.
Step 2: When you get to the steam folder, right-click and click on properties. Scroll to the security tap and hit on Advanced option.
Step 3: Now the next Window will show you a table, edit the first 4 rows and then allow full control.
Step 4: In order to edit a roll, just click on each row and then hit the edit button. You will notice a new window will pop up, containing all the different options. Tick on all the boxes, starting from Full control to the last box. Makes sure to save your settings by clicking on Apply and then close the window. Repeat the same process for the remaining 4 editable rows.
Step 5: Now to check if the issue has been fixed. Right-click on Steam and then hit run as administrator.
6. Grant Administrator Privileges to the Particular File Affected
Just like in the above method, but this time you will have to locate the particular file that is affected and allow it to have full access, instead of issuing the command to every file all at once. By so doing, the process will be faster and the issue fixed quickly.
Usually, the path that leads to the affected file is always included in the error message, this makes it easy for it to be traced. Follow the same process used in method 5 to grant administrator privileges to the particular file affected.
7. Deleting files Via safe mode
Another method you can use when all the above methods have failed is to delete the game files and let Steam download them afresh. Why you have to do it through safe mode is to disable every other software running in the background to make it easy to carry out admin actions.
Deleting the files will not affect the system as these are not system files rather they are files which as a result of this error stopped halfway during downloading.
Step 1. Get to the location of the affected file, you can make use of the Run application or you can navigate to the library tab in steam and then go the game that is popping up the error message an right-click on it, then click on properties (this is how to go to the location of the affected files)
Now that you have to know the location of the affected file, go to the next step.
Step 2. Start your computer in safe mode. To do this, go to your Startup settings and select the option ‘Enable Safe Mode with Networking’
Step 3. You have entered safe mode, now scroll to the location of the file you located in step 1.
Step 4. When you get to the Steamapps list, click on the exact folder that says “download”. Delete all the contents inside the folder.
Step 5. Restart your system
Step 6. Using administrator access, Launch steam. Again use the same steps in Method 4 to Verify the Library and Integrity of the Game files before starting your download again.
Step 7. Check if the issue has been resolved
