Error Code 16 | Disk write error

Industry

Gaming

Canonical

/gaming/error-codes/error-code-16/

Last Updated

Feb 25, 2026

Summary

This code indicates that Steam could not write data to disk during an operation.

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What This Code Means

Error Code 16 appears when Steam encounters a failure while writing files to storage. The issue is related to disk access or permissions rather than licensing or network services. It does not imply account restrictions. The operation stops to prevent data inconsistency. Storage conditions may affect behavior.

Where Users Usually See This Code

Game installation processes
Updates and patches
Content download completion

Why This Code Appears

Disk write permission issue
Storage access interruption
File system inconsistency

What Typically Happens Next

Installation or update stops
Content remains incomplete
Retry may be required later

What This Code Is Not

It is not a server outage
It is not a license validation error
It is not a ban or suspension

Troubleshooting Checklist

□ Retry the operation later
□ Monitor storage behavior
□ Observe if error repeats

Notes And Edge Cases

Disk-related errors may occur intermittently. External drives can influence write behavior.

Related Codes

8 links

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