This error generally occurs when you’ve just closed the game, or it crashed unexpectedly, and you try to relaunch it within a short time. It is mainly caused when the game hasn’t closed completely on your system. However, some games have reportedly experienced this issue out of the blue. So, without wasting much time, let’s fix this annoying issue and get you on your game.
How to Fix “App already running” Error?
The first thing to do when you’re facing this error is to restart your PC. However, if you’ve already tried this and are still facing the problem, you can try these methods that have fixed it for the majority of users.
Close Your Game From the Task Manager
If you are having this issue, chances are, the game is still running on your system and hasn’t closed properly. If that is the case, you should try to close it by force. To force close the game, try this: If for some reason, it shows an error while you’re closing the game, you can move on to the next method.
Relaunch Steam
Sometimes you might not be able to close the game in Task Manager, and it shows an error message instead. In such a case, you should close Steam and relaunch it again. Here’re the steps: Now, launch Steam from your desktop and try to open the game. See if this method fixed your problem. If not, you can move on to the next method.
Delete the App Cache Folder
There is a folder called ‘app cache’ in the Steam directory, which stores important data and settings of your profile and games. If it has some corrupted files, you might not be able to launch the game properly. In such cases, deleting the ‘app cache’ folder might solve your problem. To delete the app cache folder, try these steps: See if you can launch the game without any error. If it launches and you can play the game normally, you can delete the backup folder. Or, if you want to keep it, you can continue with your game.
Verify the Integrity of Game Files
Missing or corrupted files in your game directory might be the cause of this error as well. To make sure you have all the required files, you need to verify the integrity of your game files. This process will only take a minute, so it is always worth checking for any missing or corrupted files. To verify the integrity of your game files: Now, come back to the main window and launch the game. See if it runs without showing errors. If it still shows an error, you can try this next method.
Run Steam Flushconfig Command
This command will delete all download cache files stored by Steam. It is the ultimate solution when it comes to fixing errors in Steam. However, you need to close all processes of Steam before running this command. To run this command: After this process is completed, it will log you out from Steam and relaunch it. When it launches, you can simply log in again and open your game. Check whether your issue is gone. If it’s still showing errors, you can try the next method.
Opt-out From Beta Programs
You might face this error if you have participated in Steam beta programs. Although there is a low chance that the error is caused by the Beta update, launching the game through a normal version of Steam might fix your issue. To opt-out from Steam Beta updates: Now, launch Steam again and try to open the game. See if it launches without showing any errors. If the problem still persists, you can move on to the next method.
Reinstall the Game
If nothing works for you, then the last step is to reinstall the game again. Keep in mind that downloading a game takes a lot of time and bandwidth, so only use this method when absolutely nothing works for you. To reinstall your game: See if you can launch the game without any errors or issues.
