Change your Steam password from your account settings page

To change your Steam password, sign into your Steam account on a web browser, go to your account name in the top right corner, select "Account" from the dropdown menu, then click "Change password" on the left sidebar. Steam will ask you to enter your current password, then your new password twice. After you submit, you'll receive a confirmation email — you must click the link in that email within 24 hours or the change won't take effect.

The entire process takes about five minutes if you have access to your email. If you can't receive the confirmation email, Steam won't complete the password change, so make sure the email address on file is one you can actually access before you start.

Key Takeaways

  • You must change your password through the Steam website account settings, not through the Steam desktop app.
  • Steam requires you to confirm the change by clicking a link in a confirmation email within 24 hours.
  • If you've lost access to your registered email address, you'll need to recover your account through Steam Support before you can change your password.
  • A strong password should be at least 8 characters long and include uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
  • If someone else has access to your account, change your password when ready and review your connected devices in the account settings.

Step-by-step instructions for the password change

Open a web browser and go to steampowered.com. Click your account name in the top right corner and select "Account" from the menu that appears. On the left side of the page, you'll see a list of options — click "Change password." Steam will ask you to enter your current password in the first field. Type it exactly as you normally do when logging in.

In the second field, enter your new password. In the third field, type the same new password again to confirm it. Steam requires the new password to be at least 8 characters long. After you fill in all three fields, click the button to submit your change. Steam will send a confirmation email to the address registered on your account.

Open your email and look for a message from Steam Support with the subject line "Confirm your Steam password change." Click the link inside that email. The link is valid for 24 hours — if you don't click it within that time, the password change will be cancelled and you'll need to start over. Once you click the link, your new password is active when ready.

What to do if you don't receive the confirmation email

Check your spam or junk folder first — confirmation emails sometimes get filtered there by mistake. If the email isn't there, make sure you're checking the correct email address. You can see which email is registered to your Steam account by going back to the Account page and looking at the "Contact Email" field.

If the email address on file is one you no longer have access to, you'll need to recover your account through Steam Support before you can change your password. Go to help.steampowered.com and select "I can't sign in" or "I need help with my account." Steam will walk you through verifying your identity and updating your email address. Once your email is updated, you can then change your password using the normal process.

How to create a password Steam will accept

Steam requires passwords to be at least 8 characters long, but longer is better — consider 12 to 16 characters if you can remember it. Include at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number, and one symbol (like ! @ # $ % or &). Avoid using your username, the word "Steam," or any part of your email address in your password.

Do not reuse a password you've used on other websites or accounts. If that other site gets hacked, attackers will try your email and that same password on Steam. A password manager like Bitwarden, 1Password, or KeePass can generate and store a unique password for Steam so you don't have to remember it yourself.

Reviewing your connected devices after a password change

After you change your password, Steam will sign you out of all devices except the one you're currently using. This is a safety feature — if someone else had your old password and was logged in somewhere, they'll be forced to log out. You'll need to sign back in on any other computers or phones where you use Steam.

To see which devices are currently signed into your account, go to your Account page and click "Manage Steam Guard" on the left sidebar. Scroll down to "Your Devices" and look at the list. If you see a device you don't recognize, click the three dots next to it and select "Sign out of this device." This removes the attacker's access without affecting your own devices.

What to do if you've forgotten your current password

If you can't remember your current password, you can't use the normal password change process because Steam requires you to enter it first. Instead, go to steampowered.com and click "Sign in" at the top right. Click "Forgot your password?" below the password field. Steam will send a password reset link to your registered email address.

Click the link in that email to set a new password. The reset link is valid for 24 hours. Once you've set your new password through the reset process, you can sign in normally. If you don't receive the reset email, check your spam folder or follow the account recovery steps described in the "What to do if you don't receive the confirmation email" section above.

Why changing your password matters for account security

Your Steam account is connected to your game library, payment methods, and personal information. If someone gains access to it, they can change the password themselves, lock you out, steal your games, or use your stored payment information. Changing your password regularly — especially if you've reused it on other websites or if you think someone else might know it — reduces the risk that an attacker can take control of your account.

If you suspect someone has already accessed your account without permission, change your password when ready, then review your connected devices and check your account email address to make sure it hasn't been changed. If your email has been changed, contact Steam Support right away because you may not be able to recover your account on your own.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my Steam password from the Steam app on my computer?

No. You must change your password through the Steam website at steampowered.com using a web browser. The Steam desktop app does not have a password change option. If you try to change it elsewhere, you're likely on a fake website designed to steal your login information.

What happens if I don't click the confirmation email link within 24 hours?

The password change will be cancelled and your old password will remain active. You'll need to start the password change process over from the beginning. You can attempt the change as many times as you need.

Will changing my password log me out of my games in progress?

No. Changing your password will sign you out of Steam on other devices, but if you're actively playing a game on your current device, you can keep playing. You'll be signed back in automatically the next time you launch Steam on that device.

Do I need to change my password if I think my email was hacked?

Yes. If your email account is compromised, an attacker could use the password reset feature to take over your Steam account. Change your Steam password when ready, then change your email password as well. Consider enabling Steam Guard (a two-factor authentication feature) to add an extra layer of protection.

What should I do if I see a device I don't recognize in my connected devices list?

Sign that device out when ready by clicking the three dots next to it and selecting "Sign out of this device." Then change your password to prevent the attacker from logging back in. If you see multiple unfamiliar devices, contact Steam Support because your account may have been compromised for some time.