How to fix Steam Login Error Code E87 in Windows?

Steam Login Error Code E87 is not a broken password and not a damaged Steam. In Valve's list of result codes, 87 is a login attempt that Steam throttles on purpose. Stop pressing Retry, wait, and check whether Steam itself is down.

Facts checked on 16 October 2026. Steps written for the Steam client on Windows 11 (25H2 and 26H2) and Windows 10 22H2, read against Valve's Steamworks and Steam Support pages.

What Steam Login Error Code E87 means

The sign-in window shows a grey line under its message, like this:

The sign-in window

Something went wrong while attempting to sign you in.
Error Code: e87

The line is the letter e and a result number from Steam's servers. Valve publishes the meaning of result numbers for game developers, in the Steamworks documentation. There, result 87 is named k_EResultAccountLoginDeniedThrottle and described as: "Login attempt failed, try to throttle response to possible attacker."

Put simply, Steam did not reject your password. It deliberately slowed the answer, the way a bank slows a card that keeps being declined. Valve does not publish a page that ties the on-screen e87 to this list, so the link between them is our reading, and it fits the facts: the number matches and the cure that Valve gives for such limits is to wait.

What causes E87, from most to least likely

Valve publishes no statistics, so this order is ours. It follows the description of the code and what Steam Support says about people who cannot sign in to the client.

Notice what is not on the list: a damaged Windows, outdated drivers or missing updates. The code is an answer from the server, so the computer reached Steam. That is why the first fixes below cost nothing and change nothing on the PC.

How to fix Steam Login Error Code E87

Fixes 1 to 3 cover most cases and change nothing on your PC. Fixes 4 to 6 repair the network path to Steam. Fixes 7 and 8 touch the client and are the last resort.

Fix 1. Stop retrying and wait

5 minutes, then waitingNo riskEveryone who sees E87 starts here, especially after several retries.

E87 is a throttle, and a throttle ends when you stop triggering it. Nothing on your PC can lift it.

1. Stop selecting Retry and close the sign-in window.
2. Write down the code, the time and whether a VPN is on.
3. Do something else for at least 30 minutes. Valve names no length for this limit, so this number is our suggestion.
4. Check the sign-in details in your password manager, so that the next try is typed correctly.
5. Open Steam and sign in once, typing the account name and password by hand.

Fix 2. Check whether Steam is down

3 minutesNo riskThe error started suddenly, or friends have it too.

An outage on Steam's side makes sign-in fail whatever you do on your PC. Knowing that saves you the other fixes.

1. In a browser, open https://store.steampowered.com/stats/. Steam Support calls it the Steam Server Status page.
2. Watch how it behaves. Steam Support says a timeout on Steam's sites means a system-wide issue is very likely.
3. Open a status tracker such as Downdetector and look at the reports for Steam in the last hour.
4. Search for the official Steam account on X for announcements.
5. If Steam is down, close the window and wait. Try again after the outage is announced as over.

The Steam stats address shows player charts, not green and red lights, and trackers are run by other people. A slow page and many fresh reports together are a good sign. One signal alone is not.

Fix 3. Sign in from another network or without the VPN

10 minutesLow riskA VPN is on, or you are on a campus, office, hotel or shared network.

A throttle is aimed at an address. On a VPN server or a shared network many people use the same address, so someone else's failures can land on you.

1. Disconnect the VPN and quit its app, so that it does not reconnect by itself.
2. Restart your modem and router.
3. Start Steam and sign in once.
4. If it still fails, turn on the hotspot of your phone, connect the PC to it and sign in once.
5. Come back to your usual network after the sign-in works.

• It works on the hotspot. Your home address is the problem. Wait as in Fix 1 and test again later.
• It fails only in the evening. Steam Support says a provider may be blocking or shaping the connection at certain hours. Test at other hours and contact the provider.
• University or business network. Steam Support says many block the ports Steam needs, and the ports cannot be remapped. Only the network administrator can change that.

Fix 4. Run the Network and Internet troubleshooter

5 minutesNo riskOther sites or games are slow or fail as well.

E87 is a server answer, so a network fault is not the likely cause. This check rules it out in a few clicks.

1. Press Win + I and open System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
2. Next to Network and Internet, select Run.
3. Apply the fixes it offers and wait for it to finish.
4. Restart the PC and sign in once.

For more checks, such as router tests, see the full guide: How to check your internet connection in Windows

Fix 5. Switch the DNS to Google's

5 minutesLow riskThe troubleshooter found nothing, but other sites are slow or fail to open.

Your provider's DNS can be slow or fail. A public DNS answers differently. It rarely matters for E87, so this comes after the free checks.

1. Press Win + I and open Network & internet.
2. Open Wi-Fi or Ethernet, then your connection's properties.
3. Next to DNS server assignment, select Edit and choose Manual.
4. Turn on IPv4 and enter 8.8.8.8 as Preferred DNS and 8.8.4.4 as Alternate DNS.
5. Select Save, restart Steam and sign in once.

Fix 6. Allow Steam through the firewall

10 minutesLow riskIt started after a Steam update or after you installed a security program.

Steam Support warns that a firewall can start blocking Steam after an update, even if Steam worked before.

1. Close Steam completely.
2. Type Control Panel in Windows search and press Enter.
3. Open System and Security > Windows Defender Firewall.
4. Select Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall, then Change settings.
5. For Steam and Steam Web Helper, tick Private and Public, and select OK.
6. Restart the PC and sign in once.

If you use another security suite, add Steam to its allowed list the same way. Turning protection off is not the fix. A short pause for one test is allowed: Turn off Microsoft Defender protection for a moment

Fix 7. Run Steam as administrator

5 minutesLow riskFixes 1 to 6 changed nothing.

We found no source that ties E87 to permissions, so this is a cheap test and not a likely cure. It rules out a profile or file permission problem.

1. Close Steam completely.
2. Right-click the Steam shortcut and select Run as administrator.
3. Sign in once and see whether the code returns.
4. If it worked, right-click the shortcut, select Properties, open Compatibility and tick Run this program as an administrator.
5. Select Apply and then OK.

Fix 8. Reinstall Steam and keep your games

15 to 20 minutesRead the warningEverything else failed, and Steam signs in on another PC.

This replaces the client files. It is the last step because E87 rarely comes from damaged files.

1. Copy the steamapps folder out of the Steam folder, as the warning says.
2. Open Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall a program, select Steam and then Uninstall.
3. Restart the PC.
4. Download the Steam installer from the official Steam website and run it.
5. Move the saved steamapps folder back into the new Steam folder.
6. Start Steam and sign in once.

General steps for removing programs: Uninstall a program or app in Windows

If E87 stays: what to send to Steam Support

If the code stays after a day, the cause is on Steam's side or with your account. Steam Support wants a screenshot of the error, so the code must be visible.

1. Take a screenshot of the window with the code visible.
2. Note the time, your network and whether the sign-in worked on another network or device.
3. Open https://help.steampowered.com in a browser and choose Help, I can't sign in.
4. For a client that will not sign in, open Steam Support's page I can't sign in to the Steam Client and use its form.
5. Attach the screenshot and say which fixes of this guide you tried.

• It fails everywhere. Other PCs and networks give the same code, so the PC is not the cause.
• It fails on one network only. Ask your internet provider. Steam Support lists providers that were found to block Steam traffic.
• Other apps also lose connection. Test with a wired cable. Steam Support says wireless and powerline links can cause intermittent failures.

The logs folder in the Steam folder exists, but Valve does not document which file records a sign-in failure, so send a log only if Support asks for one.

How to avoid Steam Login Error Code E87

Frequently asked questions

What does Steam error code E87 mean?

E87 shows that Steam deliberately slowed your sign-in. Valve's Steamworks documentation describes result 87 as a login attempt that failed so that the response is throttled against a possible attacker. It is not a damaged Windows or a broken Steam. The number matches the on-screen code, though Valve does not publish a page that ties them together. The cure is to stop retrying, wait, and sign in once.

How long does E87 last?

Valve does not say. Steam Support's page for people who cannot sign in says you may need to wait a few hours and try again. Our suggestion, not Valve's, is to leave it for at least 30 minutes, and longer after many retries. Each fresh attempt during the limit can count against you, so one patient try is worth more than many fast ones. If the code is still there the next day, send Steam Support a screenshot.

Is E87 a wrong password?

No. A wrong password gets its own message on the sign-in form, which asks you to check the password and account name. E87 can follow wrong tries, because repeated failures are what a throttle reacts to. If you mistyped the password several times in a row, stop, wait, and type it carefully when you try again.

Can a VPN cause error E87?

It can contribute. A throttle is aimed at the address your traffic comes from. On a VPN server or a shared network, other people's failed attempts come from the same address, so the limit can hit you even if you did nothing wrong. Turn the VPN off, restart your router and sign in once. If it works on your phone's hotspot, the address was the problem.

Do I need to reinstall Steam to fix E87?

Almost never. E87 is an answer from Steam's servers, so the client already reached them. Reinstalling is the last fix in this guide because it cannot lift a throttle. If you do it, copy the steamapps folder out first, so a large game download is not lost, and then put it back after the new install.

Does E87 mean my Steam account was hacked?

Not by itself. The description speaks of a possible attacker, but that is about how Steam protects the sign-in, not a sign that someone broke in. If you got a Steam Guard request you did not start, or the account changed without you, decline the request and use the stolen account option in Steam Support. Never share your password or Steam Guard code with anyone.

Is Steam down when I see E87?

Sometimes. An outage can cause failed attempts, and the failed attempts can then trigger the throttle. Open the Steam stats page and a status tracker. A timeout on Steam's sites is, according to Steam Support, a sign of a system-wide issue. If Steam is up and pages open normally, the limit is more likely aimed at your address or at repeated tries.

Does changing DNS or running as administrator fix E87?

Rarely. We found no source that ties E87 to DNS or permissions. Both are cheap to test, so they are in the guide, after the fixes that match the cause. If your other sites are slow, a DNS change can help the connection. Running as administrator only rules out a permission problem on your own profile.

I searched for Steam error code E87 in Polish, Turkish or French. Is this the same page?

Yes, the code is the same in every language: kod błędu E87, hata kodu E87 and code erreur E87 are all result 87, the throttled login. The Steam client may show its text in your language, but the line under it still reads Error Code: e87. The fixes here apply as written. The Steam menu names in the steps may be translated in your client.