How to Fix "Steam Authorization Error" in Realm of the Mad God Exalt

Are you seeing the dreaded "Steam authorization error" when trying to enter the pixelated realms of Realm of the Mad God Exalt? As a gamer, I know how frustrating connection issues can be when you just want to slay gods and collect sweet loot.

Not to worry – in this detailed 2800+ word guide, I‘ll show you exactly how to troubleshoot and resolve the Steam authorization error in ROTMG Exalt, so you can get back to purifying realms and maxing those characters.

What Causes the "Steam Authorization Error" in ROTMG Exalt?

Before we get into the fixes, let‘s quickly cover what causes the "Steam authorization error" in the first place.

The Steam authorization error typically appears due to:

Steam/DECA Server Outages – Realm of the Mad God uses Steam for account management and connecting players. If Steam or DECA‘s servers are down for maintenance or experiencing issues, you‘ll get hit with authorization errors when trying to log in.
Opting Out of Steam Beta – To access all of ROTMG Exalt‘s features, you need to opt into the Steam beta client. If you‘ve disabled beta participation, you‘ll likely run into connectivity and authorization problems.

Those are the two most common culrpits. But authorization errors can also happen if:

Your Steam client hasn‘t updated – Make sure you have the latest Steam client by restarting it. Outdated versions can cause authorization hiccups.
You have firewall or antivirus conflicts – Overzealous security software might block Steam or ROTMG connections, leading to errors.
Steam servers are overloaded – During peak times, Steam server load can sometimes cause authorization issues in ROTMG Exalt. Trying again later often helps.
Steam Cloud Save is glitching – Rarely, sync issues with Steam Cloud can temporarily cause authorization errors.

As you can see, the error typically appears due to problems on Steam‘s side, or your Steam client configuration. The good news is once you know the fixes, it‘s usually an easy error to resolve.

Fixing "Steam Authorization Error" in ROTMG Exalt

Below I‘ll walk you through solutions to get Realm of the Mad God Exalt working again when the dreaded authorization error pops up:

#1 Enable Steam Beta Participation

Enabling Steam‘s beta client is required for ROTMG Exalt, since it uses the latest features. Opting out can cause all sorts of connectivity and authorization issues.

To enable Steam Beta:

Launch your Steam client and click "Steam" in the top menu
Select Settings > Account
Under "Beta participation", click Change
In the dropdown, choose "Steam Beta Update"
Click OK to confirm and close
Fully restart your Steam client for the change to take effect

Once Steam reloads, try launching Realm of the Mad God Exalt again. This should resolve any authorization errors caused by outdated Steam clients or opting out of beta.

#2 Verify Integrity of Game Files

If enabling Steam Beta didn‘t fix it, verifying Realm of the Mad God‘s files can sniff out and restore any corrupted data.

Here‘s how to verify ROTMG‘s files:

Open your Steam library and right-click "Realm of the Mad God Exalt"
Choose Properties > Local Files > Verify Integrity of Game Files
Steam will start scanning and checking ROTMG‘s files for issues
If any corrupted files are found, Steam will automatically re-download healthy versions
Once completed, fully restart your computer for changes to apply
Try launching Realm of the Mad God Exalt again

Verifying usually only takes a few minutes unless major files need repairing. Restarting your PC afterwards clears any lingering data hiccups.

#3 Toggle Off Proxy Settings and VPNs

If you connect through a VPN or proxy server, that additional layer can sometimes interfere with Steam authorizations.

To rule out conflicts:

Disable any active VPN connections temporarily
Go into your Windows Network Settings and toggle off any enabled Proxy servers
Restart your network connection and try launching ROTMG Exalt again

If the game connects properly without proxies/VPN active, you know that was the source of the issue. You can enable them again afterwards.

#4 Check Your Firewall and Antivirus Software

Overzealous firewalls and security suites can occasionally block connections to Steam and Realm of the Mad God‘s servers.

To troubleshoot, temporarily:

Disable your antivirus or firewall completely
Whitelist Steam and the ROTMG Exalt executable in your firewall/antivirus
Add exceptions for Steam and ROTMG traffic on your network

If Realm of the Mad God loads properly with security disabled, you‘ll know your firewall or antivirus was interfering. You can tweak their settings to resolve it.

#5 Update Your Steam Client

Make sure you‘re running the absolute latest version of the Steam client, which you can check by:

Opening the Steam menu and choosing Check for Steam Client Updates
Restarting your Steam client completely – this forces an update check
Checking for new client versions at steampowered.com/about

If an update is available, install it and then try launching ROTMG Exalt again. The latest Steam client can resolve a multitude of odd errors.

#6 Reinstall Realm of the Mad God Exalt

If you still can‘t get past the authorization error, completely uninstalling and reinstalling Realm of the Mad God Exalt through Steam is worth a shot:

Right-click ROTMG Exalt in your Steam library and select Manage > Uninstall
Restart your computer fully once it‘s uninstalled
Go back into your Steam library and reinstall Realm of the Mad God Exalt
Try launching the freshly installed game

Reinstalling flushes out any corrupted game files or wonky cached data that could be causing the error.

Wait for Steam/DECA Servers to Recover

During major connection issues or maintenance downtimes on Steam and DECA‘s sides, error fixes might not resolve the authorization error.

In these cases, take a break from purifying realms and wait for their services to fully recover:

Check @RotMG_news on Twitter for server status updates
Watch the RealmEye status page at www.realmeye.com/server-status
Try connecting every 30 mins or so to see if it‘s resolved

ROTMG Exalt will work again once Steam and DECA‘s services are back up and stable. The errors are frustrating but temporary if it‘s on their end.

Alternative Ways to Fix Steam Authorization Error

Beyond the major solutions covered above, a few other troubleshooting tweaks are worth trying:

Restarting your router and modem in case of weird network issues
Logging into ROTMG Exalt directly rather than through Steam
Completely logging out of Steam and logging back in
Clearing your Steam browser cookies and cache
Changing your DNS server settings temporarily to Google or Cloudflare‘s DNS

Toggling these other options occasionally shakes loose odd authorization errors.

Preventing Authorization Errors in ROTMG Exalt

Once you‘ve squashed that pesky Steam authorization error, a few pro tips can help avoid repeat issues:

Keep Your Steam Client Updated

Ensure you have the latest Steam client by:

Setting it to automatically update in the Settings menu
Periodically checking for new versions at steampowered.com

Staying updated prevents most authorization and connectivity problems in games using Steamworks.

Don‘t Disable Steam Beta Participation

Since ROTMG Exalt requires the Steam beta client, keep it enabled at all times under Steam‘s account settings.

Opting out of beta can instantly cut off access until you re-enable it.

Use a Gaming VPN

For protecting your connection, use a VPN designed for gaming like ExitLag, mudfish, or Hide.me. They optimize networks for games rather than choking bandwidth.

Add Exceptions in Your Firewall and Antivirus

If you use a 3rd party firewall or security suite, add exceptions so they don‘t interfere with Steam and ROTMG‘s connections.

Verify Game Files Before Major Sessions

Periodically verifying ROTMG Exalt‘s files through Steam can nip corrupt data and conflicts in the bud before they ruin your realm clearing.

Celebrate with More Loot Collecting!

With the "Steam authorization error" banished, it‘s time to re-enter the pixelated battlefield of the Mad God‘s realm.

Create your hero, form a party in the tavern, and fight to seal those portals. Collect pots, upgrade your gear, and show those gods and titans who‘s boss.

For more Realm of the Mad God tips and discussion, check out the game‘s lively Reddit community at /r/RotMG. And let me know in the comments if you have any other issues getting ROTMG Exalt running smoothly!