SteamIDs are needed for many things like entering servers and registering with third parties. They also allow other people to search for your profile and to link a profile to a VAC ban.
What is a SteamID?
A SteamID is a unique string of 17 numbers attached to your profile permanently. It can be in the forms steamID64, steamID3, and steamID Hex. SteamID64 is a unique string of 17 digits. SteamID3 is this string of digits compressed into 3 sets of data represented like this U:1:22202. SteamID Hex is the 17 digits compressed into hexadecimal form which would look like this, 11000010044E856. The different formats exist only to compress the steamID64 version that the steam API uses. PC gamers can find your profile and information about you by searching this steamID up. An example of what a steamID would look like would be: 76561198164803343
Why would you want to find someone’s steamID?
Searching up the steamID of an account will give you what games they play, who their friends are and if they have any VAC bans. This information is available to anyone with your username or steamID. Cheating in games like CSGO, TF2, COD can result in a VAC ban on your profile. Third party services like Ubisoft and EA can ask for your steamID to link accounts as well.
Some games require your steamID. For example, the game Rust requires your steamID in some servers. You can find the steamID and add roles to players on your server. No private information is given out when a steamID is searched for, you can only get information that is public on your profile.
Where can I find my steamID?
Steam doesn’t tell you where to find your steamID and therefore it’s hard to play games that require this. For example, if the account you were looking for was the ID for the Shroud Steam profile, you would:
1. Go to steamidfinder.com
2. Enter the targeted Steam username into the box and click: Find Steam ID.
3. At the top of the page you will find your steamID.
Or you can track down IDs inside of steam by:
1. Opening the steam client
2. Clicking on your profile in the top right corner
3. Clicking on Account details
4. Your steamID should be visible beneath the account name
How to customise your SteamID
Did you know that you can customise your steamID link? It’s super easy and only takes seconds. Note this does not remove the steamID but rather replaces it as the steamID other people will see – steamIDs are bound to your account upon creation
Follow these steps to customise your steam ID link by:
1. Going onto your profile and clicking ‘Edit profile’
2. Underneath your profile name box you’ll see another box called ‘CUSTOM URL’
3. Enter a new URL to set your new steamID
4. Make sure to save after you have made the changes
How to check if someone has a VAC ban
Valve Anti-Cheat (VAC for short) is the technology used by Steam to catch hackers, using tools like aimbots. A VAC ban on someone’s profile means they have been banned from playing a game for using cheats. VAC bans appear on the right side of a user’s profile underneath their activity status along with how many days since the VAC ban has been administered; these bans can not be removed.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change my Steam Account name?
You can change your profile name which will be how other people see your username online. Your account name and SteamID cannot be changed.
Can I change my SteamID number?
No, you can only add a custom URL to your profile. The SteamID number is binded to your account from creation.
Can I Merge Steam Accounts?
You cannot merge steam accounts per the Steam Subscriber Agreement. This means that once you have redeemed any keys or subscriptions they can not be transferred.
Can a VAC ban be removed?
No. VAC bans are permanent and only in rare cases where the bans were delivered unfairly are they then removed.
Do all the SteamID types link to the same account?
Yes. All types of SteamID can be associated with an account and can be converted back and forth between forms.
Now that you know how to find your SteamID, why not take a look at the best free Steam games to try on Valve’s platform without paying a penny, or the best PC games of all time if you fancy splashing out a bit more?