Go to and click on Protection history or Quarantine .
Did this guide help? Share it with a friend who’s stuck on the loading screen. Still having issues? Leave a comment with your Windows version and antivirus software for specific help.
is considered a masterpiece of stealth-action gaming. However, few things are more jarring than clicking "Play" on Steam, only to be greeted by an error window bearing the grim message: "The program can't start because steam_api.dll is missing from your computer." (or a similar variant like "steam_api.dll not found"). dishonored steamapidll is missing
Because steam_api.dll manages DRM and background communication, security software often misidentifies it as a Trojan or malware. Before trying anything else, check if your antivirus software has hijacked the file.
Download the latest (specifically the 2010 and 2012 versions, which Dishonored relies on). Why You Should Never Download DLLs from "DLL Sites" Go to and click on Protection history or Quarantine
Delete everything the steamapps folder (where your games are) and steam.exe .
How to Fix the "dishonored steamapidll is missing" Error Launching Dishonored only to be stopped by a "steam_api.dll is missing" error is a frustrating but common issue. This guide provides clear, step-by-step solutions to fix this file error and get you back into Dunwall. Why is the steam_api.dll File Missing? Still having issues
If you are playing a specific edition of the game, you can share whether you are using the or the standard version to check for edition-specific patch requirements.
Using the tool on Steam is the only safe and legal way to replace a missing game file.