Steam Game Stuck as “Installing” in LaunchBox

If LaunchBox shows a Steam game as installing even when it isn’t, here’s why. LaunchBox relies entirely on Steam’s own install status files, and if those files are corrupted, LaunchBox will reflect that incorrect state.

Why This Happens

Steam tracks whether a game is installed, updating, or uninstalled using app manifest files. If one of these files becomes corrupted, Steam may think the game is mid-install or mid-update forever, and LaunchBox simply reports what Steam tells it.

This is why:

• Reinstalling the game temporarily fixes the issue

• Uninstalling it again causes the problem to return

• Deleting and re-adding the game in LaunchBox doesn’t help

How to Fix It

1. Locate the app manifest file

   • Go to your Steam library folders and look inside the steamapps directory.

   • Find a file named something like:

     appmanifest_XXXXXX.acf 

     (The number corresponds to the game’s Steam App ID.)

   • If you’ve ever had multiple Steam library locations, check all of them. Duplicate manifest files can cause issues.

2. Open the file in a text editor

   • Look for entries named:

     StateFlags UpdateResult 

3. Check the values

   • 4 → Installed

   • 6 → Update required

   • 1 → Uninstalled

   If you see any other value, Steam may think the game is still installing or updating.

4. Resolve corruption

   • If multiple manifest files exist for the same game, remove the duplicates.

   • You may also need to reinstall the game once more after fixing the manifest so Steam rebuilds it correctly.

Important to Know

Because LaunchBox reads install status directly from Steam, there’s nothing LaunchBox can override or correct on its own in this situation. Fixing the Steam manifest file is the only reliable solution.

If you’re unsure which manifest file belongs to your game, checking the game’s Steam App ID can help narrow it down.

Good luck, and once Steam reports the correct state again, LaunchBox should immediately follow suit.