How to change your Steam name
You can change your Steam name (the display name other players see) directly through your Steam account settings on any device where you're logged in. The process takes less than a minute: open Steam, go to your profile, click "Edit Profile," change the name in the "Profile Name" field, and save. Your new name appears immediately to other players.
Steam does not limit how often you can change your name, and there is no cost. You can change it back to a previous name or try something entirely new whenever you want. The only restriction is that Steam's profanity filter will reject names containing certain words or character combinations, and you cannot use another player's name if they have already claimed it.
Your Steam name is different from your account name (the login credential you created when you registered). Changing your display name does not affect your login details, your games, your friends list, or any of your account security settings.
Key Takeaways
- Open Steam, click your profile picture in the top right, and select "Profile" to reach your profile page.
- Click the "Edit Profile" button, then change the text in the "Profile Name" field to whatever you want.
- Click "Save Changes" and your new name will show to other players within seconds.
- You can change your name as many times as you want, and Steam will reject names that contain profanity or are already in use by another account.
- Changing your display name does not change your login name, password, or any security settings on your account.
Step-by-step: changing your name on desktop
Start by opening the Steam client on your computer and logging in if you are not already. Look for your profile picture or account name in the top right corner of the window and click it. A dropdown menu will appear with several options.
Select "Profile" from that menu. You will land on your public profile page, which shows your username, avatar, and activity to other players. Near the top of the page, you should see an "Edit Profile" button (it may say "Edit" depending on your Steam version). Click it.
Once you are in edit mode, you will see a field labeled "Profile Name" at the top of the form. This is where your current display name appears. Click in that field, delete the old name, and type your new one. You can use letters, numbers, spaces, and most special characters, though Steam will block names with profanity or offensive content.
After you have entered your new name, scroll down and click the "Save Changes" button at the bottom of the page. Steam will process the change immediately. Your new name will appear on your profile and in chat, friend lists, and game lobbies within seconds.
Changing your name on mobile or web browser
If you do not have the Steam client installed, you can change your name through the Steam website. Go to steampowered.com, log in with your account credentials, and click your profile picture in the top right corner. Select "Profile" from the menu.
On your profile page, look for the "Edit Profile" button and click it. The web version works the same way as the desktop client: find the "Profile Name" field, replace the old name with a new one, and click "Save Changes." The update takes effect immediately.
Mobile users can also change their name through the Steam mobile app or the mobile web version of Steam. The steps are identical: navigate to your profile, enter edit mode, change the name field, and save. Some older mobile devices may have a slightly different layout, but the "Profile Name" field and "Save Changes" button are always in the same logical place.
What names Steam will reject
Steam's automated filter blocks names that contain profanity, slurs, or content that violates the Steam Community Guidelines. If you try to save a name and see an error message, the name you chose likely triggered the filter. Try removing or replacing the word that caused the rejection.
You also cannot use a name that another player has already claimed as their profile name. If you see an error saying the name is unavailable, it means someone else's account is already using it. Choose a different variation — add a number, a symbol, or a different word.
There is no official list of blocked words, because Steam's filter changes over time and may vary slightly by region. If you are unsure whether a name will be rejected, try it: if it fails, you can immediately try a different version without penalty.
If your name change does not appear right away
In rare cases, a name change may take a few minutes to show up everywhere in Steam. If you changed your name but still see the old one in chat or on your profile, try logging out and logging back in. This forces Steam to refresh your account information on that device.
If the old name persists after logging out and back in, clear your browser cache (if you used the web version) or restart the Steam client. These steps clear temporary files that may be holding onto outdated information. After a restart, your new name should appear correctly.
If you changed your name more than an hour ago and it still has not appeared anywhere, contact Steam Support through the Help section of your account. This is extremely rare, but Steam's support team can investigate whether a technical issue prevented the change from going through.
Changing your name does not affect your account security
Your display name and your login name are completely separate. Changing what other players see does not change the username and password you use to log into Steam. You will still use the same credentials to access your account, download games, and manage your library.
Changing your name also does not reset your two-factor authentication, your email address, your payment methods, or any other security settings. Your friends list, game achievements, and playtime history all stay exactly as they were. Only the name visible to other players changes.
If you want to change your actual login name (the one you type when you sign in), that is a separate process and is much more restricted. Steam allows you to change your account name only once, and only under specific circumstances. For most users, changing your display name is the only name change you will ever need to make.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my Steam name back to what it was before?
Yes. There is no limit on how many times you can change your name, and you can use any previous name again as long as no one else has claimed it. Simply follow the same steps: go to your profile, click "Edit Profile," change the name field, and save.
Will my friends see my old name if I change it?
No. Your new name appears immediately in your friends' friend lists, in chat, and on your profile. They will see the new name the next time they look at their friends list or any place where your name appears.
What if someone else already has the name I want?
You cannot use a name that another account has already claimed. If Steam tells you the name is unavailable, try adding a number, a symbol, or a variation of the word. For example, if "Alex" is taken, you could try "Alex123" or "AlexMain."
Does changing my name affect my game saves or achievements?
No. Your game saves, achievements, playtime, and entire game library are tied to your account, not to your display name. Changing your name has no effect on any of your games or progress.
Can I use special characters or emojis in my Steam name?
You can use most special characters like hyphens, underscores, and periods. Emojis and some Unicode characters may not work, depending on your system. If a character does not appear when you try to save, Steam does not support it — try a different character instead.