You can change your Steam username directly from your account settings

Your Steam username is the name other players see when you're in a game or on the Steam community. To change it, you log into Steam, go to your account details, find the profile name field, and save the new name. The change takes effect when ready, and you can change it again whenever you want — there's no waiting period or limit on how many times you do this.

The process is the same whether you're on Windows, Mac, or Linux, and it takes less than a minute. You don't need to restart Steam or your computer.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Steam and click your username in the top right corner, then select "Account details" to reach the settings page where you can edit your profile name.
  • Your profile name is what other players see; your account name (the one you log in with) stays the same and cannot be changed.
  • You can change your username as many times as you want with no cooldown period between changes.
  • The new name appears to other players when ready after you save it, even if they have Steam open.

Step-by-step: changing your username on the Steam client

Start by opening the Steam process on your computer. In the top right corner, you'll see your current username. Click on it to open a dropdown menu.

From that menu, select "Account details". This opens a new window showing your account information. Look for the field labeled "Profile name" — this is what you're changing. Click in that field, delete your current name, and type the new one you want.

Once you've entered the new name, click the "Save changes" button at the bottom of the window. Steam will confirm the change, and your new username is now live. Close the window and return to the main Steam screen.

Changing your username on the Steam website

If you prefer to change your username through a web browser instead of the Steam client, you can do this from the Steam website. Go to steampowered.com and log in with your account credentials.

Click on your username in the top right corner and select "Account details" from the menu. You'll see the same "Profile name" field. Edit it the same way — clear the old name, type the new one, and click "Save changes". The update takes effect when ready across all Steam platforms.

What you should know about Steam usernames

Your profile name (the one you just changed) is purely cosmetic — it's what appears on your profile page and in games when you're playing with friends. Your account name is different. That's the username you type in when you log into Steam, and it cannot be changed. If you ever need to recover your account, you'll use your account name, not your profile name.

Steam also has a separate feature called a "vanity URL" that lets you create a custom link to your profile (like steamcommunity.com/id/yourname). Changing your profile name does not change your vanity URL — you set that separately in the same account details section if you want one.

Common issues when changing your username

If you see an error message saying your chosen name is unavailable or contains forbidden characters, Steam is rejecting it for one of a few reasons. Names cannot contain certain symbols or be identical to an existing profile name (though multiple people can have the same name — Steam allows this). Try removing special characters or adding a number to the end.

If the "Save changes" button doesn't respond when you click it, refresh the page or close and reopen the account details window. If the problem persists, log out of Steam completely, close the process, and log back in. This usually clears any temporary glitches.

Changing your username does not affect your games or friends list

Your games, achievements, playtime, and friend list all stay exactly the same when you change your username. Friends will see your new name the next time they look at their friends list or see you in a game, but the connection between your accounts doesn't break. You don't need to re-add anyone or worry about losing access to anything you own.

If you change your username frequently and worry that friends won't recognize you, you can always tell them your new name in a message or chat. Your profile page also shows your username history if someone wants to confirm it's really you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my username back to what it was before?

Yes. There's no limit on how many times you can change your username or any cooldown between changes. You can switch back to an old name whenever you want, or change to something completely different.

What's the difference between my profile name and my account name?

Your profile name is what other players see and what you just changed. Your account name is what you type in to log into Steam — it's permanent and cannot be changed. You need your account name to recover your account if you forget your password.

Will my friends see the change right away?

Yes. Your new username appears to everyone when ready after you save it. Friends who have Steam open will see the change within a few seconds without needing to restart the process.

Can I use special characters or spaces in my username?

Steam allows most characters, but some symbols are forbidden. If you try a name and get an error, try removing special characters or using underscores and numbers instead. Spaces are generally allowed.

What if someone else already has the username I want?

Steam allows multiple people to have the same profile name, so you can use a name even if someone else does. If Steam says the name is unavailable, it's usually because it contains forbidden characters or violates Steam's community guidelines, not because someone else has it.