Rust is a multiplayer-only survival video game that has been developed and published by Facepunch Studios, released in 2018. Rust PC players will have to use Steam to play the game but somehow players are encountering an error message while trying to get into the game. It basically says “Disconnected: Steam Auth Timeout” every time. Now, if you’re also one of the victims then you can follow this guide on How to Fix Rust Steam Auth Timeout Error.

It’s quite unfortunate that except for the error message there is no other info or reason available for the affected players to find out the possible fix whatsoever. So, diagnosing the issue becomes quite hard for the players as you aren’t sure about the actual reason. Well, don’t worry. As per several reports, it seems that there are some possible server issues that may trigger this error while connecting to the Rust server. But this isn’t the only reason for sure.

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In some cases, your poor internet connection, firewall blocking issue, corrupted game files, corrupted anti-cheat engine, even issues with the Steam download cache, etc can cause the Steam Auth Timeout error while launching the Rust game. So, it’s always a better idea to check out all the possible workarounds below one by one to completely resolve such an error.

How to Fix Rust Steam Auth Timeout Error

So, without wasting any more time, let’s jump into the guide below.

1. Check Steam Server Status

Make sure to check out the Steam server status from this link to ensure there is no server connectivity or outage ongoing at that moment. If there is an issue with the Steam server then you should wait for a couple of hours or so before trying to get into the Rust game again. If there is no issue with the Steam server then make sure to check out the next method below. You can also visit the third-party DownDetector website to check for the same.

2. Power Cycle on Wi-Fi Router

It’s also worth mentioning to perform a power cycle on your Wi-Fi router to refresh the networking glitch and any kind of internet connectivity issue whatsoever. To do so: simply turn off the router and unplug the power cable from the router > Wait for around a minute or so then make sure to plug back the power cable in and turn on the router.

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3. Turn Off Windows Defender Firewall

You should also disable the antivirus software and the defender firewall protection on your Windows temporarily to check if you can play Rust on Steam or not. Sometimes a security protection software can aggressively block ongoing server connections on the PC. To do so:

  • Click on the Start menu > Search for virus & threat protection.
  • Click on it from the search result and turn off the real-time protection manually.
  • Next, search for defender firewall from the Start menu > Open it and turn off manually.

4. Opt-Out of Steam Beta

According to some affected Steam users, having registered for the Steam Beta program may cause some conflicts or server connectivity issues. You should opt-out of the Steam Beta program by following the steps below to check if that helps or not. To do so:

  • Open your Steam client > Click on Steam from the top left corner.
  • Now, click on Settings from the list > Select the Account from the vertical menu on the left side.
  • Head over to the left menu and click on the Change button under Beta participation.
  • Then use the drop-down menu to change the status to None – Opt-out of all beta programs.
  • Once done, close the Steam client, and restart it.

This should fix the issue completely. However, if the problem didn’t solve, you can opt-in for the Steam beta program again.

5. Verify Integrity of Game Files

Maybe your game files are either corrupted or missing due to some unexpected reasons on the PC. If that’s the main reason for you, try verifying the integrity of game files on the PC to check for the issue. To do so:

  • Open the Steam client on your PC.
  • Find out Rust in the game Library.
  • Now, right-click on Rust.
  • Click on Properties > Select the Local Files tab.
  • Click on the Verify Integrity of Game Files button.
  • Next, wait for the validation process to complete.
  • Finally, reboot the PC to apply changes.

6. Repair EAC (Easy Anti-Cheat)

Sometimes repairing the EAC service on your Windows computer may fix multiple issues. You should follow the steps below to do the same:

  • Open the Steam client > Go to Library.
  • Click on Rust from the left pane > Click on Settings (Gear icon).
  • Click on Manage > Select Browse local files.
  • Now, open the installed Rust directory on your PC.
  • Open the EasyAntiCheat folder > Here you’ll be able to see an ‘EasyAntiCheat_Setup.exe’ file inside the folder.
  • Just right-click on the exe file > Select Run as an Administrator.
  • If Prompted by UAC, click on Yes to proceed.
  • Make sure to select Rust from the drop-down menu.
  • Click on Repair Service > Wait for the repairing service to finish.
  • Once done, make sure to close everything, and reboot your PC to apply changes.
  • Finally, you should be able to easily fix the server connectivity error and log into the server.

7. Clear Steam Download Cache

You should also try clearing the Steam download cache from the client itself to resolve any kind of download-related issues or glitches. To do this:

  • Open the Steam launcher > Click on the Steam tab from the top-left corner.
  • Now, click on Settings > Go to the Downloads section.
  • Click on Clear Download Cache > If prompted, click on OK to confirm the action.
  • Finally, click on OK to save changes and restart the Steam client.

8. Repair Steam Library Folder

Try repairing the Steam Library Folder directly from the Steam client by following the steps below. There may be some issues with the Steam client or its library folder whatsoever.

  • Open the Steam launcher > Click on the Steam tab from the top-left corner.
  • Now, click on Settings > Go to the Downloads section.
  • Click on Steam Library Folders > Look for the specific game installation directory which is causing an issue.
  • Next, right-click on that specific game folder and select Repair Library Folder.
  • If prompted by Steam, make sure to allow the permissions to start the repairing process.
  • It may take some time. So, have some patience.
  • Once done, make sure to restart your computer to change the effects immediately.

9. Update Steam

Basically, Steam should update to the latest version automatically whenever you launch it. However, if the Steam client isn’t upgrading itself for some unexpected reasons then you can also follow the steps below to do the same manually.

  • Open the Steam client on your computer > Click on the ‘Steam’ tab from the top left corner.
  • Click on ‘Check for Steam Client Updates…’ and the Steam client will check for the available update to install.
  • If available, it’ll automatically download and install the update. Make sure to close Steam and restart it properly.

If there is no update available, that means your Steam client is already running on the latest version right now.

10. Repair Steam Client Service

It may also be possible that the Steam client service is somehow causing some issues with its service. You should repair the client service by following the steps below:

  • Press Windows + R keys to open up the Run dialog box.
  • Type cmd and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter keys to run it with admin access.
  • Now, go to the installed Steam folder (location) and copy the path.
  • Paste it into the command prompt that’ll look something like [Here the location may vary on your computer depending on where you’ve installed it]

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\bin\SteamService.exe /repair

  • Press Enter to execute it.
  • Once done, close the command prompt window, and re-open the Steam client on your PC.

11. Reinstall Steam and Rust

Try uninstalling and reinstalling the Steam client on your Windows PC as a final resort apart from the Rust game. Sometimes reinstalling the program on Windows can fix multiple issues with the system glitch or corrupted application. To do this:

  • Press Windows + I keys to open Windows Settings.

  • Click on Apps > Scroll down the list of installed apps and locate Steam. [You can also directly type steam and search for it]

  • Click on Steam and select Uninstall.

  • Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the uninstallation process.

  • Once done, make sure to restart your PC to change effects.

  • Next, head over to the Steam Installation webpage and grab for your Windows PC.

  • Finally, open Steam > Sign in to your Steam account > Download and Install Rust again.

  • Wait for the game installation and then try launching it.

  • You’re done. Enjoy! The Rust Steam Auth Timeout Error shouldn’t appear again.

12. Contact Steam Support

If none of the methods worked for you, then try contacting Steam Support for further assistance. You’ll need to provide screenshots and log files to get a quicker resolution.

That’s it, guys. We assume this guide was helpful to you. For further queries, you can comment below.