War Thunder Steam update checklist and file verification

The War Thunder FAQ says that Steam players can update and launch the client from their Steam library. The same FAQ recommends enabling automatic updates and launching through the original launcher. That recommendation does not erase the Steam path. It means that the player should know which route is being used before recording an update result. War Thunder FAQ^[1]

Use one route per test record. The file-check labels named below are described only on a community wiki, so read them in the installed client rather than trusting this table.

Do not start a second installation just to test a different update route. That can make the source of a file or shortcut unclear.

The War Thunder FAQ lists a supported PC baseline of Windows 10 64-bit, 4 GB RAM and a DirectX 11 level GTX 660 or Radeon 77XX class GPU at 720p, with a recommended tier of Windows 10 or 11, 16 GB RAM and a GTX 1060 or Radeon RX 570 class GPU. Those figures are compatibility information and not a prediction of performance. Before starting an update, record the installed build, Windows version, driver version, resolution and active graphics API so the state before the update is written down.

The FAQ explains that the Gaijin.NET Agent tracks updates and can refresh the game to the latest version. It also says that automatic updates can be enabled or disabled from the wrench icon in the original launcher. Steam users can update through their game library.

1. Close War Thunder.
2. Open the launcher that owns the installation.
3. Check the visible download queue or update indicator.
4. Allow the update to finish before launching the game.
5. Record the visible version or patch label.
6. Launch through the same route used for the update.

This is a setup record, not a timing test. If the update appears paused, record the state before restarting the launcher. For an infinite Steam update or download, use the scoped Gaijin Support Steam update procedure^[4], which renames the game folder before Steam verifies and reacquires missing files. Avoid deleting partial files unless official support directs that step for the exact error.

A Steam file check confirms that the installed files match what Steam expects, and it is the first checkpoint after an update behaves unexpectedly. Steam Support^[3] documents the route: right-click War Thunder in the library, open Properties, select Installed Files and choose Verify integrity of game files. Wait for the check to finish before launching the client again. The separate Gaijin Support Check Files article^[2] covers the direct Gaijin launcher, not this Steam menu.

A file check may redownload missing or corrupted files. Once reacquisition begins, wait for it to finish before launching the client again, then use the result as a checkpoint.

The integrity check confirms that the required files are in their expected state. It does not prove that a driver, overlay, renderer or graphics option is suitable for a particular PC.

The direct Gaijin launcher carries its own file check, and it is a different record from the Steam one. Gaijin Support says to open Launcher settings in the game launcher and select Check files. Confirm the current label in the launcher before starting, and wait until the process is complete before starting the client. How to perform a Check Files function, Gaijin Support^[2]

Keep the direct launcher path separate from the Steam path in the notes. A player who verifies files in Steam should not report the result as a direct-launcher check. This distinction matters when a machine has more than one shortcut or installation folder.

After the update or file check, perform a small verification pass.

1. Start the client through the same route.
2. Confirm that the login screen and hangar load normally.
3. Record the visible build or patch label.
4. Open the graphics or display menu only if the issue concerns that menu.
5. Close the game normally.
6. Reopen it once through the same route.

Do not change graphics settings during this update check. If a graphics issue appears right after this update, use War Thunder low FPS after an update with a controlled recovery to check whether the update itself is the cause. For a low FPS symptom with no recent update involved, use War Thunder low FPS troubleshooting with a safe reset, slug war-thunder-low-fps-safe-reset. A clean update record needs one primary change at a time.

This is a Setup workflow. It does not rank GPUs and it does not recommend an upgrade.

The War Thunder FAQ states that a permanent internet connection is required. That is a service requirement, not evidence that a particular network is fast enough for a download or that a local delay is caused by the game files. Record the connection type and any error code, but do not turn the record into a network benchmark.

There is no general manual rollback procedure in the sources used here. If the update leaves the client in a bad state, keep the installed files unchanged, repeat the official integrity check for the correct platform and contact Gaijin support with the build, route, error and steps already attempted.

Do not replace executable files, mix Steam and direct-client folders or download unofficial patches. These actions make provenance harder to prove and can create a new security problem.

The Gaijin Support Check Files article resolves the earlier community-wiki source problem for the direct launcher. Rechecked directly on September 27, 2026, it says to open Launcher settings in the game launcher and select Check files. Steam's file verification is documented separately by Steam Support, and the installed client still needs a local label check before publication.

RigCircuit must also confirm the current Steam labels, direct launcher labels and post-update build on a local PC. This article now covers the update and file-check process only. War Thunder low FPS after an update with a controlled recovery, slug war-thunder-low-fps-after-update, and War Thunder low FPS troubleshooting with a safe reset, slug war-thunder-low-fps-safe-reset, cover performance diagnosis and recovery. Editorial review should confirm this three-way split before publication.

• War Thunder FAQ^[1], War Thunder, checked September 27, 2026.
• How to perform a Check Files function^[2], Gaijin Support, checked September 27, 2026. The live page currently says to open Launcher settings and select Check files.
• Technical game integrity^[5], War Thunder Wiki, published August 8, 2024. Kept only as a secondary description of the same procedure.
• Verify Integrity of Game Files^[3], Steam Support, checked September 27, 2026.
• Game update issues in Steam^[4], Gaijin Support, checked September 27, 2026.