Why is Steamworks Common Redistributables installed?
Steamworks is a set of tools that allows the developer to create games or programs for the Steam platform. Not only that, it gives your game an environment to run on by optimizing the settings of that computer. It includes the following tools.
DirectX RedistributableOpenALVisual C++ (2010, 2013, 2015).NET FrameworkPhysX
This is important for your computer as every time a game is installed it installs some of the aforementioned tools as per its requirement. To remove the redundancy and to save your data and space, Steam created Steamworks which accumulates all the required features and allows the games to use them instead of installing their own.
Fix Steamworks Common Redistributables keeps downloading
Let us see what you can do if Steamworks Common Redistributables keeps downloading on our Windows PC. The guide for each solution is mentioned hereinafter.
1] Restart your computer and try
Let us start by taking the best-case scenario into account. If the issue is nothing but a glitch, it can be resolved easily by restarting the computer. So, go ahead and try to do the same and then open the Steam client app. Hopefully, it will do the trick, but if it does persist, move to the next solution.
2] Clear Steam Cache
Next up, we are going to remove Steam Cache and see if that works. We are doing this to ensure that no corrupted cache in the Steam client app can trigger the issue in question. To do the same, follow the prescribed steps. Hopefully, this will do the job for you.
3] Check Read and Write Properties of Steam Folder
You need to make sure that the Steam folder is not read-only. If they are, then your file will keep on downloading. To alter the properties, do follow the prescribed steps. Now, close the properties window and open Steam. It may update for the first time, but, hopefully, it won’t update the Steamworks afterward.
4] Reinstall Steam
If nothing works, then your last option is to reinstall the Steam client app. To do the same, we are going to use Windows Settings. So, follow the given steps to reinstall Steam from your computer. Now, once you have removed the app, go to store.steampowered.com and get the app. Finally, double-click on the downloaded file and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process. Hopefully, it will do the job for you. Read: Fix MISSING DOWNLOADED FILES error on Steam
Steamworks Common Redistributables not downloading
If Steamworks Common Redistributables is not downloading, the following are the things you can do.
Check your Internet Connection: Slow Internet is a pretty obvious reason why Steam is failing to download a file. To do the same, use a free Internet Speed tester to know your bandwidth. If it’s low, restart your computer and network devices. In case that’s to no avail, contact your ISP.Flush Steam Configuration: Next up, we are going to try and flush the Steam configuration and see if that works. To do the same, close Steam and all the related processes from the Task Manager, now, open Run (Win + R), paste Steam://flushconfig and click Ok. This will ask you to change the configuration, do that, and your issue will be resolved.Clear Download Cache: Our last solution involves clearing of download cache using the Steam Client app. To do the same, open Steam and go to Steam > Settings > Download > CLEAR DOWNLOAD CACHE. Now, see if it resolves the problem.
Hopefully, these solutions will do the trick for you.
What happens if I uninstall Steamworks?
As mentioned earlier, Steamworks has the required files to run most of your games, when you remove the suite, all those games will cease to launch on your computer. Also, newly installed games won’t work on your system as it will look for the set of tools mentioned earlier. So, you should never uninstall Steamworks from your computer. Also Read: How to repair Steam Client on Windows PC
