FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions

Community-Supported Guide

This guide is community-maintained and not an official OpenSteamTool resource.

Common issues organized by category. If you don't find your issue here, check the GitHub issues or the Debug Logging guide.

Installation Issues

Antivirus is blocking OpenSteamTool

OpenSteamTool uses DLL proxy techniques that may trigger false positives from antivirus software.

Solutions:

1. Add an exception — Add your Steam folder (C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\) to your antivirus exclusion list
2. Try the Debug build — Download the Debug variant of the release — the debug build has different binary signatures and may bypass overly aggressive heuristics
3. Verify the source — OST is fully open source on GitHub. You can inspect the code or build it yourself

After making changes, re-extract all files from the release ZIP and copy them again.

OST doesn't seem to load / games still show as owned

1. Verify that the DLL files (dwmapi.dll, xinput1_4.dll, OpenSteamTool.dll) are in your Steam root directory (where steam.exe is)
2. Check that your .lua files are in config\lua\ — not config\stplug-in\
3. Close Steam completely (Exit from system tray) and relaunch
4. Try the Debug build and check main.log in <Steam>/opensteamtool/ for errors
5. Make sure you're launching Steam normally (not as Administrator — unless required)

Play button shows "Purchase" instead of "Play"

If the button in your Steam Library says Purchase for a game you configured with a .lua file, it means OpenSteamTool is not loaded. This is most commonly caused by antivirus software removing or quarantining the DLL files.

Fix:

1. Check your antivirus quarantine — restore any OST DLLs that were removed (dwmapi.dll, xinput1_4.dll, OpenSteamTool.dll)
2. Add your Steam folder (C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\) to your antivirus exclusion list
3. Re-extract all files from the OST release ZIP into your Steam folder
4. Close and reopen Steam

See Antivirus is blocking OpenSteamTool for more detailed steps.

Steam crashes immediately after launching

This is rare but can happen if the DLLs are corrupted or incompatible with your Steam version.

1. Remove the OST DLLs (dwmapi.dll, xinput1_4.dll, OpenSteamTool.dll) from your Steam folder
2. Launch Steam — it should work normally
3. Download a fresh copy of the OST release ZIP
4. Re-extract and re-copy the files

Security & Privacy

Is OpenSteamTool safe? Does it send my data somewhere?

Yes, it's safe. OpenSteamTool runs entirely locally inside your Steam client. It does not:

• Send your personal data — No login credentials, Steam account info, or game activity is transmitted anywhere
• Send usage statistics — OST does not report usage statistics, installed games, or anything about your system to any server
• Modify game files — OST by itself only intercepts Steam's ownership checks. Your game installations remain untouched

What network requests OST makes:

Request	Purpose	Frequency
Pattern downloads	Fetches hook locations for your Steam version from steam-monitor	On Steam launch
Manifest downloads	Gets game manifest codes needed to download games (via manifest.opensteamtool.com or your configured API)	Per game download
Stats API (optional)	Queries recommended SteamIDs for achievements (via stats.opensteamtool.com)	When [stats] enable_api = true

All of these are essential technical requests — no tracking, no telemetry, no data collection.

Can OST steal my Steam account?

No. OpenSteamTool does not have access to your Steam password, login tokens, or account credentials. It runs as a DLL inside Steam and hooks internal functions — it never interacts with Steam's authentication system. The source code is fully public and can be verified by anyone.

Why does antivirus flag OST as a virus?

OST uses DLL proxy techniques (dwmapi.dll, xinput1_4.dll) — it places DLLs with the same names as Windows system DLLs in the Steam folder so Steam loads them instead. This technique is also used by some malware, which is why antivirus software sometimes raises false positives.

The DLLs are safe and fully open source. You can:

1. Inspect the code on GitHub
2. Build the binaries yourself from source
3. Add your Steam folder to your antivirus exclusion list

See the Antivirus is blocking OpenSteamTool section above for detailed steps.

Can the .lua files from sources contain malware?

Lua (.lua) files are plain text configuration files — they contain simple function calls like addappid(730). They cannot execute arbitrary code or infect your system.

However, the downloaded archives may contain other files (executables, installers, etc.). Only take the .lua file and ignore everything else. Never run random executables from any source.

Can Steam ban my account for using OST?

No, there is no risk. OpenSteamTool works by intercepting Steam's internal functions locally on your machine — it never sends modified data, forged ownership claims, or any account-related information to Steam's servers. From Steam's perspective, you are simply playing games you downloaded through the client, just like any other user.

Why bans are not a concern:

• All unlocking happens locally — OST changes what Steam thinks you own by hooking in-memory functions. Steam's servers never receive fake ownership data
• No server-side detection — There is no mechanism for Steam to detect that OST is running. It appears identical to a normal Steam client to Steam's backend
• No account tampering — OST does not modify Steam account data, login credentials, or authentication tokens
• Games are downloaded from Steam — You download games directly from Steam's official servers. OST just removes the ownership check

That said, as with any third-party tool, use it at your own discretion. If you are concerned about your account, you can run OST on an alternate Steam account.

Game Launch Issues

Ubisoft games fail to launch (click "Start Game" but nothing happens)

Some Ubisoft titles (e.g., Assassin's Creed Shadows) may not launch properly — clicking "Start Game" briefly reverts without launching.

Check:

• Verify the .lua file contains correct depot IDs and decryption keys for the specific game version
• Try closing Steam fully and relaunching
• If the issue persists, check the GitHub issues for known Ubisoft-specific workarounds

Denuvo error 88500005

Denuvo verification has a 30-minute validity window. After that, the ticket expires and Denuvo throws this error.

Fix:

1. Close the game
2. Get fresh AppTicket and ETicket data (download a new .lua file from a source)
3. Try launching again

If the issue persists, the game may need extra Lua configuration (like forcedenuvo or addprocess) — the Lua file provider typically handles this.

Alternatively, you can use a Denuvo crack to remove the protection entirely. See the Lua Sources guide for details.

Denuvo error 88500012 / 88500051

These errors mean the Denuvo authorization path never engaged — usually because:

• The protection scan didn't detect Denuvo in the game's executable
• The game is launched through a third-party launcher (env-less)
• A fresh per-launch nonce-based ticket is required

This is handled by the Lua file provider. Get an updated .lua file from your source. If the issue persists on multiple sources, check the GitHub issues.

Denuvo error E12 on launch

Some Denuvo titles (NBA 2K26, F1 24, and other recent 2K Games titles) may report an E12 error when launching.

Possible causes:

• The game is launched through a third-party launcher that doesn't pass Steam environment variables
• ProtectionScan fails to detect the Denuvo protection in the executable
• A fresh per-launch nonce-based ticket is required for strict Denuvo titles

Fix:

1. Get an updated .lua file from your source with fresh ticket data
2. Check if the game's executable has known issues with ProtectionScan (the .exe may be too small or obfuscated)
3. This error is actively being worked on — check GitHub for the latest fixes

These errors are being addressed in PR #148 (adds addprocess(), forcedenuvo(), and seteticketurl() Lua functions) — once merged, Lua file providers will update their configs accordingly.

Application load error 5:0000065434

Some older SteamStub-protected games (like Fallout: New Vegas) may need manual SteamStub removal. This is game-specific and not something OpenSteamTool can fix.

Check:

• The Lua file provider's notes for the specific game
• Whether the game has been reported on the GitHub issues

Game crashes on launch

1. Disable DLL injection if you have it enabled — set [inject] enabled = false in opensteamtool.toml
2. Remove -onlinefix from launch options if you're using it (see the Online Play guide)
3. Check if the game uses Denuvo — you may need refreshed tickets or a Denuvo crack (see the Lua Sources guide)
4. Try the Debug build and check pipe.log for Denuvo authorization issues

Multiplayer / online play doesn't work

If a game's multiplayer isn't working, see the Online Play guide.

I own a legitimate copy of a game, but OST is interfering

If you own a Denuvo-protected game and OST is interfering with your legitimate copy:

1. Remove the .lua files for that specific game from config\lua\
2. If issues persist, temporarily remove the OST DLLs when playing your owned games
3. You can have separate Steam shortcuts with/without OST by keeping copies of the DLLs elsewhere

Steam Compatibility Issues

"Unsupported Steam version" error

Your Steam client updated to a version that OpenSteamTool doesn't have patterns for yet.

Options (in order of recommendation):

1. Wait — The upstream steam-monitor bot usually publishes patterns within hours of a Steam update. Just restart Steam later and it should work.
2. Check for a new OST release — A newer version may already support your Steam build
3. Downgrade Steam (advanced, not recommended) — waiting is far easier

"No pattern found" popup on launch

This means the upstream pattern database hasn't been updated for your Steam build yet.

• This typically resolves automatically within a few hours of a Steam client update
• The game should still launch — only some advanced hooks may be temporarily disabled
• No action needed on your part; just wait and try again later

OST worked before but stopped after a Steam update

Steam auto-updates can break compatibility temporarily. This is normal.

1. The upstream steam-monitor bot detects the new Steam version and publishes patterns
2. Restart Steam — OST downloads the new patterns on launch
3. If it still doesn't work after a few hours, check for a new OST release

Download Issues

License error / "application load error" after placing .lua file

A license error usually means Steam hasn't picked up the new configuration yet.

Fix:

1. Close Steam fully (Exit from system tray — not just minimize)
2. Open your config\lua\ folder and confirm the .lua file is there
3. Launch Steam again
4. Try downloading / launching the game in your Library

This refreshes Steam's license cache. If it still doesn't work, try getting a fresh .lua file from a different source.

Game shows in library but won't install / download

1. Make sure your .lua file is in the correct folder: config\lua\ (not config\stplug-in\)
2. Close Steam fully and reopen it
3. If still not working, try a fresh .lua file from a different source
4. Check if the manifest API is blocked (see Download Issues below)

Manifest download fails / "no internet" / HTTP 403

If downloads fail, the default manifest API (manifest.opensteamtool.com) may be:

• Blocked in your region
• Returning 403 for your IP range (datacenter/VPN IPs are sometimes blocked)
• Temporarily down

Fix — Switch manifest API:

Create or edit opensteamtool.toml in your Steam root directory:

[manifest]
url = "steamrun"

Other options:

• "wudrm" — Recommended for users in China
• "opensteamtool" — The default, try switching back later

Game downloads are very slow

1. Configure HTTP timeouts in opensteamtool.toml if the connection is unstable:

[manifest]
timeout_recv_ms = 30000
timeout_connect_ms = 10000

2. Try a different manifest API (steamrun or wudrm)

Games don't decrypt in Offline Mode

After downloading games in Online mode, switching Steam to Offline Mode may prevent the games from decrypting and launching.

Fix: Run Steam in Online mode when launching unlocked games. OST needs to communicate with manifest APIs and Steam's servers for depot decryption. This is a known limitation (issue #137).

Download starts but never finishes / gets stuck

1. Check your internet connection
2. Try pausing and resuming the download in Steam
3. Switch to a different manifest API (see above)
4. Check manifest.log (Debug build) for specific error codes

"Content still encrypted" error on Workshop downloads

When trying to download Workshop items, Steam may report the content is still encrypted or fails to create the Workshop folder.

What's happening: OST's Workshop support for certain games is still being refined. The depots decrypt correctly, but Workshop file routing may not complete for all titles.

Workaround:

• Check if the game has a specific Workshop Lua config from your source
• Some games with heavy Workshop reliance may have incomplete support
• This is a known area for improvement (tracked in issues #126, #110, #151)

Changing setManifestid doesn't take effect until Steam restart

If you modify setManifestid() in a .lua file to pin or unpin a game version, the change may not apply until you fully restart Steam.

While OST supports hot reload for most Lua changes, manifest binding updates sometimes require a full Steam restart ([package] cache is not invalidated on hot reload).

Simply close Steam (Exit from system tray), then relaunch.

Lua File Issues

Where do I get .lua files?

You don't need to write them yourself. See the Lua Sources guide for trusted sources, download limits, and ratings.

Only take the .lua file from the download. Do not run any executables, installers, or tools that may be included.

Can I have multiple .lua files?

Yes! You can have multiple .lua files in config\lua\. OST loads all of them. You can organize them by game, by type (games, tickets, stats), or any way you like.

Do I need to restart Steam after changing .lua files?

No — OpenSteamTool supports hot reload. Just save the .lua file and changes take effect immediately. No restart needed.

The .lua file from one source doesn't work — should I try another?

Yes. Different sources may have different configurations, ticket data, or manifest IDs. If one source's file doesn't work, try the other.

Can I use a Lua file from one source with tickets from another?

Yes. Lua files are just text files — you can merge content from different sources. For example, use one source's game unlock config and another's ticket data. Just ensure you're not duplicating addappid() calls for the same game.

Need More Help?

• Debug Logging — See the Debug Logging guide for how to enable detailed logs
• GitHub Issues — Search or report issues at github.com/OpenSteam001/OpenSteamTool/issues
• Developer Guide — For advanced configuration and Lua scripting, check the Developer Guide