Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator. Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator Can I get backup codes in case I lose my phone?

DISCLAIMER: We do not provide any support while using Steam Desktop Authenticator. Steam Desktop Authenticator is a program made only thanks to the ambitions of the Steam community and is in no way associated with Steam, Scrap.TF and Valve Corporation. Use of this software is solely at your own risk and responsibility. You accept responsibility for creating backup copies. It is also entirely your responsibility to prevent unauthorized access to your PC.

REMEMBER: We strongly recommend that you back up your maFiles. In any other case, if you somehow lose the access key and/or delete the maFiles directory by mistake AND you did NOT make a backup copy, then everything is lost.

If the access key OR maFiles is lost, then you need to follow this link and click the “Remove Authenticator” button, after which you need to enter the recovery key that you previously wrote down when you linked your account to SDA.

If you did not follow the instructions above and/or did not write down the recovery key (starting with RXXXX), then there is little chance of recovering your account. The only way to recover your account is to write to Steam support and tell them that you deleted the mobile authenticator and did not write down the recovery key.

Detailed Installation Instructions

Download and install .NET Framework 4.5.2 from the official Microsoft page (if you are using Windows7 and above, the system should have done this automatically).
Visit the software release page and download the latest .zip archive.
Unzip this archive to a safe place on your computer. If you lose this folder, you may lose access to your Steam account.
Launch Steam Desktop Authenticator.exe and click the “Create a new account” button.
Log in to Steam and follow the instructions to set it up. Note: You still need a mobile phone to receive SMS.
You will be asked to create an access key, this is done so that if someone tries to steal your account, they will not be able to do it from this program. This step is optional, but we highly recommend it.
Select your account from the list and click Exchange Confirmations to see your pending exchanges.
Don't forget to back up your Steam Guard codes. Follow this link to get recovery codes. You may need to return to them if you lose access to your account.

Possible problems and their solutions

There is no exchange confirmation page (white or blank screen).

To begin, click on the account selection menu, then select the “Force session refresh” button. If this does not work, then click on the account selection menu again, then use the “Login again” button and log into your account.

If this doesn't work or this isn't your problem, contact support.

Installation on Linux OS

To begin, you need to install the mono and monodevelop packages, usually available in the standard package repository.
Open monodevelop and use File->Open. Select the folder where you installed the program and open the file "Steam Desktop Authenticator/Steam Desktop Authenticator.sln"
If you installed the submodules correctly, then you will see 2-3 archives on the left of the screen, one of them will be signed by SteamAuth, and the other by SteamDesktopAuthenticator. (If you installed the submodules incorrectly, an error will appear -> go update them!) For both, use Packages, right-click on Newtonsoft.Json, then update them. Remember that this is required to SteamAuth and SteamDesktopAuthenticator
Select Project->Active Configuration->Release (then the application will run faster).
Select Build->Build All. the packages will be installed correctly.
The resulting files will be located in "Steam Desktop Authenticator/bin/Release".

If you are unable to log in using Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator, please recover your account on our support site (help.steampowered.com).

What is "Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator"?

Troubleshooting

General issues

How to log in to your account using an authenticator?

If the authenticator is activated, then after entering your login and password you will be asked to enter the generated code.

Open the Steam mobile app. If you are logged into your account, go to the Steam Guard section (the very first section in the menu) and enter the code from there (if you are not logged into your account, you will see the current code on the login page).
Enter your current code when prompted. Don't worry if the code on your phone screen turns red and changes - it doesn't expire instantly.

The code cannot be used more than once, and old codes cannot be used. If you just used one code, wait for another one to appear.

No one Do not share your authenticator code or enter it anywhere other than official Valve websites. Steam Support never will not ask for your codes.

Where can I view my authenticator code?

The current authenticator code can be obtained from the Steam mobile app.

Open the Steam mobile app.
If you are not logged into your account, you will see the current code on the login page.
If you are logged into your account, go to the Steam Guard section where you can find the code.

Can I use two-factor protection if I don't have a phone?

Not yet. Support for independent authenticators may be available in the future, but is not currently available.

What's the best way to take advantage of two-factor protection?

First of all, understand that improved security for your account doesn't him invulnerable.

No one Do not share your password or mobile authenticator code.
Do not enter your username, password or authenticator code anywhere other than official Valve websites. Check every link. Often, hackers try to make malicious links look like official ones. If in doubt, do not follow them.
No one Do not share your password or authenticator code. Both Steam Support and Valve will never ask for your codes.
Don't download and do not run programs that are suggested to you by email or chat: in the vast majority of cases they are malicious.
Don't download and do not run programs that offer to clean or improve Steam; such programs may be malicious.

How to disable Steam Guard mobile authenticator?

To remove two-factor protection from your account, open the Steam mobile app, go to the Steam Guard section and select Remove Authenticator. Confirm the deletion in the confirmation window that appears by clicking “Delete Authenticator” again.

What devices does Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator work on?

The mobile authenticator works on all devices with iOS version 6.1 and higher, Android version 2.2 (Froyo) and higher, and Windows version 8.1 and higher.

Troubleshooting

If you are unable to log into your account using Steam Mobile Authenticator, please regain access to your account on our support site: help.steampowered.com

Why are my items on hold?

If the account has not been protected by Steam Mobile Authenticator for the previous 7 days, then all exchanges and sales of items on the Marketplace will be held for a period of 15 days. There will be no item retention if your account is protected by Steam Mobile Authenticator for more than 7 days. Adding a Mobile Authenticator will not remove any holds already applied on trades or items for sale.

I suddenly lost access to my mobile app account and can no longer see authentication codes. What should I do?

Please make sure you are using the latest version of the application and try closing the application and starting it again. This problem is rare and usually resolves by running the application again. Do not uninstall or install the application again. If you delete the app from your device, you will need to restore the authenticator at https://help.steampowered.com.

Help! I no longer have access to my old phone and I can't log into my account! What to do?

If possible, contact your mobile operator and ask for a new SIM card with the same number. Steam will be able to send SMS notifications to it, and you can recover your account by following the instructions below.

If you don't have access to your phone and don't remember your recovery code, contact Steam Support. Click on the “I need help” button located on the top right of this page so that they can help you disable the authenticator. If you don't have access to the email address associated with your Steam account, please provide .

My authenticator codes are not working!

If you can't sign in to your account using authenticator codes:

Check if the time displayed on your phone is correct. Authenticator codes are generated based on the time set on the phone, and if it is incorrect, the code will be incorrect.
If you use an authenticator on multiple of your accounts, make sure you enter the codes for the correct one.

Is it possible to transfer the authenticator to a new phone?

Yes, you can.

You will need access to the phone number associated with your account (for verification via SMS) or the recovery code that you wrote down when activating the authenticator.

Log into your account in the Steam mobile app on your new device. When asked to enter an authenticator code, select “Help! I no longer have access to the authenticator codes." Follow the step-by-step instructions in the app to transfer the authenticator to a new device or disable the authenticator on an old one.

Once an Authenticator has been transferred, any exchanges or listings on the Marketplace will be held for a few days to protect your items in case the changes were not made by you. More information can be found in the article.

I'm going to buy a new phone. What do you need to take care of?

If you keep your same phone number, you don't need to do anything in advance. After purchasing a new phone, you can transfer the authenticator to it using

If two-factor authentication is enabled on an old phone whose number you will not be able to use in the future, you must:

How do I remove a phone number from my account?

Log into your account through the Steam store, then:

Go to page "About your account"(in the drop-down menu under your person name at the very top of the page).
Select "Manage your phone number".
Select "Delete phone number".
To delete a number, you need to enter the code from the authenticator or SMS. Select one of these options and follow the further instructions.

Can I get backup codes in case I lose my phone?

Yes, you can generate backup codes for emergencies. It's quite easy to do this:

Sign in to your Steam account.
In the drop-down menu under your login in the upper right corner of the page, select "About the account."
Select "Setting up Steam Guard".
Select "Get spare codes".
Enter your current authenticator code (or the recovery code you received earlier).
You will see a page with codes that you can use instead of the codes generated by your phone. Additionally, whenever new codes are created and one is used, you will receive an email notification.

The recovery code was not saved. How to find it?

Log into your account in the Steam mobile app, and on the Steam Guard page you will see a “Recovery Code” option. For security reasons, you will not see the recovery code if you are unable to log into the mobile application.

I don't receive SMS notifications!

If you are not receiving SMS notifications from Steam, make sure your mobile operator allows you to receive them. Messages may come from a 6-digit number, and you need to make sure that your operator supports receiving messages from such numbers. Steam also doesn't send too many SMSs in a short period of time, so it's worth waiting and trying again within an hour. Also make sure your inbox is not full.

Why is my phone number not working?

To begin, make sure you enter your phone number in international format (begins with a + sign and the country code).

Check that the country code is correct (Steam automatically selects your country of residence, but you can change it manually in the menu under the phone input field).

Valve does not work with some numbers - in particular, with numbers that use VOIP technology, as well as with numbers that cannot be sent SMS. If your number is rejected and you believe it is an error, please contact Steam Support.

General issues

Why can't I add numbers using VOIP technology?

Valve does not work with numbers using VOIP technology because they do not provide the required level of security. If you cannot add a number because the system detects it as using VOIP technology, you will need to use a different mobile number. Some operators use VOIP technology to provide mobile phone services, but we are not able to support such numbers. You will receive a notification if the number you entered cannot be used.

Can I use multiple phones at the same time for authentication?

No, you can only use one authenticator per account.

Is it possible to use one phone number on several accounts at the same time?

Yes. You can use one phone number on multiple accounts. To do this, you need to log into each account in the Steam mobile app and follow the instructions to activate the mobile authenticator. Codes will appear in the mobile app for all accounts, regardless of which account you log into. Accounts associated with the same phone number may be treated as one if they violate the Steam Subscriber Agreement, Steam Rules, or Steam Restrictions.

Do I need to pay for SMS messages that I receive?

Standard SMS fees may apply, please check your plan details for details.

Why am I not prompted to enter a code when logging into Steam after saving my data?

To speed up the login process, we don't ask for a code if you have saved your Steam login information. If you want to be prompted for a code every time you log in, do not save your login information: go to the Steam client settings, select the “Account” tab and check the “Don’t save data on this computer” option.

Do VAC and game bans apply to all accounts linked to the same phone number?

If an account that has a phone number associated with it receives a VAC ban or a game ban, all accounts using the same phone number will also be banned. Even if there is no blocked game on other accounts, they will not be able to purchase this game due to blocking.

Phone number blocking is not supported in all games and is at the discretion of the developers.

Detailed Installation Instructions

Download and install .NET Framework 4.5.2 from the official Microsoft page (if you are using Windows7 and above, the system should have done this automatically).
Visit the software release page and download the latest .zip archive.
Unzip this archive to a safe place on your computer. If you lose this folder, you may lose access to your Steam account.
Launch Steam Desktop Authenticator.exe and click the “Create a new account” button.
Log in to Steam and follow the instructions to set it up. Note: You still need a mobile phone to receive SMS.
You will be asked to create an access key, this is done so that if someone tries to steal your account, they will not be able to do it from this program. This step is optional, but we highly recommend it.
Select your account from the list and click Exchange Confirmations to see your pending exchanges.
Don't forget to back up your Steam Guard codes. Follow this link to get recovery codes. You may need to return to them if you lose access to your account.

Possible problems and their solutions

There is no exchange confirmation page (white or blank screen).

To begin, click on the account selection menu, then select the “Force session refresh” button. If this does not work, then click on the account selection menu again, then use the “Login again” button and log into your account.

If this doesn't work or this isn't your problem, contact support.

Installation on Linux OS

To begin, you need to install the mono and monodevelop packages, usually available in the standard package repository.
Open monodevelop and use File->Open. Select the folder where you installed the program and open the file "Steam Desktop Authenticator/Steam Desktop Authenticator.sln"
If you installed the submodules correctly, then you will see 2-3 archives on the left of the screen, one of them will be signed by SteamAuth, and the other by SteamDesktopAuthenticator. (If you installed the submodules incorrectly, an error will appear -> go update them!) For both, use Packages, right-click on Newtonsoft.Json, then update them. Remember that this is required to SteamAuth and SteamDesktopAuthenticator
Select Project->Active Configuration->Release (then the application will run faster).
Select Build->Build All. the packages will be installed correctly.
The resulting files will be located in "Steam Desktop Authenticator/bin/Release".

If you don’t have a mobile phone or it’s old and doesn’t support the Steam application, or you just don’t want to bother with an additional device when working with Steam, then the Steam desktop authenticator (SDA) program should help you.

The essence of this program is that it completely replaces both your mobile phone and the Steam application, emulating it directly on your computer. There are no bans for using the program, and therefore you can safely download and simplify your life.

How to use Steam desktop authenticator

- Download the archive with the program from the link;
- Unpack the archive, click on the exe file of the program, and then wait for the installation to complete (takes no more than a minute);
- We confirm everything that the program asks, and then after installation, select in the window the item “This is my first launch and I just want to log into my account(s)”;
- In the new window, click the “Add account” button;

- Enter your personal profile information. If necessary, create a new account (read how to do this);
- Now enter your or any mobile phone you have access to. It is necessary for a one-time confirmation, and will not be needed later.
- If your mobile phone is still not linked to your account, go to Steam, go to Settings/Account and add your number;
- Save the code from the Steam desktop authenticator, which you will later need to enter in a new window;

At this point, linking the profile to SDA is completely completed. Now all notifications and confirmations can be viewed directly on your computer.

How to solve an error when launching Steam desktop authenticator

If after clicking on the Steam desktop authenticator exe file an error occurs, or nothing happens at all, do not worry. This is due to the fact that your computer cannot detect some program files. Solving the problem is very simple. Download .Net Framework from the link and install this package. After installation, restart your computer. The program should work.

Please note that when using the Steam desktop authenticator program, it must be constantly active. It is best to add this program to the startup panel if you often work with Steam. To do this, go to the folder “C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Main Menu\Programs\Startup” (for one user) or “C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Main Menu\Programs\Startup” "(for all users). Now create a shortcut for Steam desktop authenticator. To do this, right-click on the program’s exe file, select “Send,” and then click “Desktop (create shortcut).” Now copy the created shortcut to one of the folders mentioned above. That's all - Steam desktop authenticator will load automatically with the operating system. If you want to remove it from autorun, simply delete the shortcut from the folder.

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