You can reset your Steam password through the login page in about five minutes
If you have forgotten your Steam password, you do not need to contact Steam support or wait for help. Steam's password reset tool is built into the login page and works when ready. You will need access to the email address connected to your Steam account — that is the only way Steam can verify you own the account.
The process is straightforward: go to the Steam login page, click "Forgot your password?", enter your account name or email, and Steam will send you a reset link. Click that link, create a new password, and you can log in right away. If you cannot access your email account, the process takes longer, but there are steps you can take.
Key Takeaways
- Visit the Steam login page and click "Forgot your password?" to start a password reset without contacting support.
- Steam will send a reset link to the email address on your account within a few minutes — check your spam folder if you do not see it.
- Your new password must be at least eight characters long and cannot be the same as any of your previous five passwords.
- If you cannot access your email, you can verify your account through your phone number or recovery code instead.
Step-by-step password reset through email
Open a web browser and go to steampowered.com. Click the "Login" button in the top right corner. On the login page, below the password field, click the blue text that says "Forgot your password?"
Enter either your Steam account name or the email address connected to your account. Steam will show you which email address is on file. Click "Search" and Steam will send a password reset email to that address. This usually arrives within a few minutes. Check your inbox and also check your spam or promotions folder — sometimes the email lands there by mistake.
Open the email from Steam and click the blue "Reset Password" button or link. This takes you to a page where you can create a new password. Type your new password twice to confirm it. Your password must be at least eight characters long. Steam will not let you use any password you have used on this account in the past five times, so if you are cycling through old passwords, you will need to pick something different.
Click "Change Password" and you will see a confirmation message. You can now close this page and log into Steam with your new password on any device.
What to do if you cannot access your email
If the email address on your Steam account is no longer active or you do not have access to it, Steam offers two other ways to verify your identity. On the "Forgot your password?" page, after you enter your account name, look for a link that says "I don't have access to this email address."
Steam will ask whether you have a phone number on your account. If you do, Steam can send a code to that phone number instead. You enter the code on the website, and then you can reset your password the same way. If you do not have a phone number on file, Steam will ask whether you have a recovery code. This is a code Steam generates when you set up two-factor authentication. If you saved it, enter it here and you can proceed with the reset.
If you have no access to your email, no phone number on file, and no recovery code, you will need to contact Steam support. Go to help.steampowered.com, click "Contact Steam Support," and choose "I forgot my password" from the menu. Steam support can verify your account through other information like your payment history or phone number, but this process takes several days.
Password requirements and security
Steam requires passwords to be at least eight characters long. You can use uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters like exclamation marks or hyphens. Steam does not have a maximum length, so longer passwords are fine.
Steam will not let you reuse any password from your last five password changes. This is a security measure to prevent someone who knows your old password from getting back in. If you are trying to set a new password and Steam says it is too similar to a previous one, pick something completely different.
After you reset your password, Steam will log you out of all devices. You will need to log back in on each device where you use Steam — your computer, your phone, or any other place. This is intentional: it makes sure that if someone else had access to your account, they are locked out.
Staying logged in and avoiding future lockouts
Steam offers an optional security feature called Steam Guard. When you turn it on, Steam sends you a code by email or to your phone whenever you log in from a new device. This means even if someone gets your password, they cannot log in without that code. You can turn on Steam Guard in your account settings under "Account" and then "Manage Steam Guard."
You can also save your password in your browser so you do not have to type it every time. Most browsers — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge — will ask if you want to save your password after you log in. If you say yes, the browser remembers it. This is safe if you are the only person using your computer. If you share your computer, do not save your password.
Write down your recovery code somewhere safe when Steam shows it to you. This is a long string of characters that Steam generates when you turn on two-factor authentication. If you ever lose access to your email and phone, this code is your backup way to get back into your account. A notebook in a drawer at home works fine — you do not need anything fancy.
What happens if you think someone else knows your password
If you think someone else has access to your Steam account — because you see games you did not buy, or someone changed your email address, or you see login activity from places you have never been — reset your password when ready using the steps above. Then go to your account settings and check the "Devices" section to see where you are logged in. You can log out of any device from there.
Check your email address and phone number in account settings to make sure they are still yours. If someone changed them, you may need to contact Steam support to change them back. Also check your payment methods in the "Billing" section to make sure no unauthorized cards or payment methods are saved.
If money was spent on your account without your permission, contact Steam support with details about the purchases. Steam support can sometimes reverse unauthorized purchases, but you need to report them as soon as you notice them.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get the password reset email?
Steam usually sends the reset email within a few minutes. If you do not see it after ten minutes, check your spam folder, promotions folder, or other filtered folders in your email. If it is still not there, go back to the "Forgot your password?" page and try again — you can request another email.
Can I reset my password on the Steam app instead of the website?
No, you must use the website at steampowered.com. The Steam app does not have a password reset option. Open a web browser, go to the Steam login page, and use the "Forgot your password?" link there.
What if I reset my password but I am still locked out?
If you reset your password and still cannot log in, make sure you are using the new password you just created, not your old one. Also check that Caps Lock is not on — passwords are case-sensitive. If you are still stuck, wait a few minutes and try again, because sometimes the system needs time to update across Steam's servers.
Do I lose my games if I reset my password?
No, resetting your password does not affect your games, friends list, or anything else on your account. Your games stay with your account. You just need to log back in with the new password.
Can I change my password without forgetting it first?
Yes. Log into your Steam account, go to "Account" in the top menu, click "Account details," and scroll down to "Change password." You can change your password anytime without using the "Forgot your password?" tool. You will need to enter your current password to do this.