Removing the old Steam Guard Mobile and linking your own

Some accounts still have Steam Guard Mobile linked to the previous owner's Steam app. Until you remove it, you have to request a code through our site every time you sign in, and trading items from the account stays restricted.

This guide shows you how to remove it and link your own app instead. Takes about 10 minutes.

This guide only applies if your order page has a Remove Steam Mobile button. If it does not, the account has no Steam Guard Mobile attached — skip straight to changing the email and password.

Before you start

You can already sign in to Steam (if not, see Signing in to Steam for the first time)
Install the Steam app on your phone and sign in with the account you just bought
Keep the order page open

Steps

Step 1 — Click "Remove Steam Mobile"

On the order page, find the red Remove Steam Mobile button. Click it once and wait.

On success a "Steam Mobile removed" toast appears in the top right corner.

Step 2 — Confirm it actually came off

Sign out of Steam and sign back in. Steam should now ask for a code by email. If it still asks for the app code, it did not go through — click the button again.

Step 3 — Link your own Steam app

Open the Steam app on your phone and sign in with this account
Go to Steam Guard (the shield icon)
Choose Add Authenticator
Enter your phone number and confirm the SMS code
Write down the Recovery Code it shows you — it is shown only once. If you lose your phone without it, recovering the account is very hard.

Step 4 — Wait 15 days before trading

Steam locks trading and Community Market activity for 15 days after you attach a new authenticator. That is Steam's own rule, there is no way around it, and it has nothing to do with us. You can play games normally in the meantime.

If you get stuck

The button says "failed to remove Steam Mobile"

Try again once or twice, about 30 seconds apart. If it still fails, contact an admin. Do not spam the button dozens of times.

Click Get OTP from email on the order page. If nothing appears, try opening the mailbox in full.

The app says your phone number is already used by another account

Steam allows one number across several accounts, but in some cases you have to detach it from the old one first. Use a different number you control, or remove the number from your own existing Steam account.