How To Fix Steam Error: Missing libGL.so.1 on Ubuntu

In this article, we will provide a comprehensive guide on how to fix the Steam error: “Missing libGL.so.1” on Ubuntu. This error typically occurs when you’re trying to install or run Steam on a 64-bit Ubuntu system.

Understanding the Error

The error message “you are missing the following 32-bit libraries, and Steam may not run: libGL.so.1” is usually caused by a missing 32-bit library in your system. Steam requires this library to run properly, and without it, you may encounter this error.

Preparing Your System

Before we proceed to the solutions, it’s important to ensure your system is ready to handle 32-bit architecture, as Steam is a 32-bit application. You can enable this by running the following command:

sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386

This command adds support for installing 32-bit packages on your 64-bit Ubuntu system.

Solution 1: Installing Necessary Libraries for NVidia Cards

If you’re using an NVidia graphics card, you can install the necessary libraries by running the following command:

sudo apt install libgl1-nvidia-glx:i386

In case you’re not using a legacy NVidia driver, you can run:

sudo apt install nvidia-driver-libs:i386

These commands install the necessary 32-bit NVidia libraries on your system.

Solution 2: Upgrading Steam

Sometimes, upgrading Steam can fix this issue. You can upgrade Steam by running the following command:

sudo apt-get upgrade steam -f

The -f option here stands for “fix-broken”. It attempts to correct a system with broken dependencies in place.

Solution 3: Identifying and Installing Missing Packages

You can run Steam from the command line to identify the specific missing packages. Once you’ve identified the missing packages, you can install them using the following command:

sudo apt-get install -y [package-name-1] [packagename2] [...]

Replace [package-name-1], [package-name-2], and so on with the names of the missing packages.

Solution 4: Installing Specific Packages

If the above methods do not work, try installing the package libgl1-mesa-glx-lts-utopic:i386:

sudo apt-get install libgl1-mesa-glx-lts-utopic:i386

Solution 5: Reinstalling the libgl1-mesa-glx:i386 Package

Another solution is to reinstall the libgl1-mesa-glx:i386 package. You can do this by running the following command:

sudo apt-get install --reinstall libgl1-mesa-glx:i386

Solution 6: Installing Bumblebee Packages

Finally, if none of the above solutions work, you can try installing the bumblebee, bumblebee-nvidia, primus, and linux-headers-generic packages and then rebooting your system:

sudo apt install bumblebee bumblebee-nvidia primus linux-headers-generic

After running this command, reboot your system to see if the issue has been resolved.

Conclusion

We hope this guide has been helpful in resolving the “Missing libGL.so.1” error on Ubuntu. Remember, the exact solution may vary depending on your specific system configuration. Always ensure that your system is up-to-date and has the necessary libraries installed for running 32-bit applications like Steam.