Security and safety considerations
Search for “ how to make a custom loading screen VTF ” rather than downloading a pre-made file with a suspicious generic name.
Drop your downloaded startup-loading.vtf file directly into the vgui folder. If a file with that name already exists, choose . Step 5: Launch the Game
If you cannot find the perfect startup-loading.vtf download online, you can easily create your own using a free tool called . Download and install VTFEdit .
Some competitive servers enforce a setting called sv_pure 1 or sv_pure 2 . This restricts client-side visual modifications to prevent cheating. If you join a pure server, your custom loading screen may temporarily revert to the default version. How to Create Your Own startup-loading.vtf
You can find the file hosted on repositories like GitHub (hl2-asw-port) .
If you just need a sample VTF to test with, search GitHub or GameBanana for "loading screen VTF" — but I cannot directly link downloads. You can also convert any JPG/PNG to VTF using this online converter (be careful with file permissions).
This error arises when the game fails to locate the required startup_loading.vtf file. According to community discussions spanning over a decade, the most common causes are:
The humble startup-loading.vtf file is a small but powerful piece of the Source engine’s customization ecosystem. Whether you are searching for a specific startup-loading.vtf download to show off your favorite esports team, restore a corrupted default loading screen, or experiment with VTFEdit to create something unique, the process is straightforward.
Despite a successful download, users frequently encounter problems.
Ninety-nine percent of the time, this error is caused by a bad update or an interrupted download. Steam can automatically scan and re-download the original file for you. Open your .