01
Four values, often called login
The colloquial word "login" is ambiguous. The user sees a nickname next to the avatar, a profile address in the browser, sometimes a numeric identifier, and separately enters the account name in the login window.
Steam specifies that account names are unique and are not reused, while email and profile names can be used more freely. This is why a public nickname cannot be considered a reliable payment information.
| Value | Where used | Suitable instead of login |
|---|---|---|
| Account name | Login and recovery | Yes, if the form asks for a login |
| Profile name | Public display | No |
| Steam ID | Profile Identification and Integration | Only if the form asks for a Steam ID |
| Communication and recovery | No |
02
Where to look for the account name
If Steam already remembers the login, do not infer from the nickname in the upper right corner: this is the profile name. Check your password manager or saved account record without revealing your password to third parties.
If the name is forgotten, use the official Steam Support wizard “I forgot my Steam Account name or password”. Searching by email or phone helps you find your account through the Steam infrastructure, rather than through a third-party site.
03
Why can’t you substitute a similar nickname?
Public names do not have to be unique. Two people can use similar characters, spaces and avatars, and the owner can change the nickname after purchase.
Deposits to a digital wallet are difficult to redirect once deposited. Copy the required value, paste it into the form and compare the beginning and end of the string again.
Do not retype your login from memory.
Do not add the steamcommunity.com link to the login field.
Do not use email if the field directly asks for an account name.
Do not send the password along with the ID.
04
What data is never needed for top-up
Password, one-time Steam Guard code, backup codes and browser cookies give access to your account and are not delivery details. Requesting such data is a reason to stop the operation.
For direct top-up, a public or service identifier, which is clearly indicated on the seller's form, is sufficient. For a Steam Wallet code, the ID is not transferred to the seller at all: the code is activated by the owner himself on Steam.
05
Check after top-up
Log into Steam and open Account Details. The wallet balance is displayed next to the profile name, and transactions can be verified against the account history.
If the money does not appear, save the order number and do not create a repeat payment until support responds: two identical operations will complicate diagnostics.