Steam · Independent guide
Banned After Your Steam Account Was Hacked? What to Do Now
Someone else used your account, and the ban or restriction you see may come from what they did. Steam treats different bans very differently, so the order matters: lock the account down first, find out exactly which restriction you have, then explain it to Steam Support as the owner, with dates.
Show me the order of stepsWe never ask for your password, Steam Guard codes or card numbers; everything happens on help.steampowered.com.
Concept illustration, not a screenshot of the recovery process.
On this page
Steam's own routes
Every step points to Steam Support, the Steam client or the Steam Mobile app.
No codes, no logins
We never ask for passwords, Steam Guard codes, recovery codes or card numbers.
Independent guide
Respawnr is not affiliated with Valve or Steam; Steam's policies and menus can change.
The order that protects you: secure, identify, then write to Support
Writing to Support before the account is secure can undo your own recovery.
You can sign in to your Steam account again, or you have an open recovery request with Steam Support.
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Secure the email on the account
Change that inbox's password first, since Steam resets and alerts all go there.
What to check: Only you can open the email linked to Steam, and its own recovery options are yours.
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New Steam password and Steam Guard
Set a unique password and turn on the Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator in the Steam Mobile app.
What to check: Sign-ins ask for a code from your own phone, and the phone number on the account is yours.
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Sign out every other device
Deauthorize all devices in your Steam Guard settings and check your PC for malware.
What to check: No unknown sessions remain, your PC is clean, and you ignore any chat claiming you were 'reported'.
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Identify what is actually on the account
Check VAC Status under Steam > Settings > Account, your profile, and any red alert or lock notice.
What to check: You can name the restriction: VAC ban, game ban, account lock, trade or community ban, or a timed security limit.
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Write down the dates
Note when you lost access, when you got it back, and what changed in between.
What to check: You have a short, dated account of events and proof of ownership ready, such as a card's last four digits.
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One request to Steam Support
Explain the hijack as the owner on help.steampowered.com, or add it to your existing recovery request.
What to check: A reply in your request on help.steampowered.com, not in Steam Chat, Discord or a friend message.
There is no set timeline for a Steam Support review, and no one outside Valve can speed it up or promise a result. Keep everything in one request so Support sees the full story.
What can change, by type of restriction
Who issued the restriction decides whether anyone can review it.
VAC ban placed while someone else was using your account
What helps
Knowing your library, single-player and non-VAC servers still work.
What can get in the way
Steam says bans stay regardless of who used the account.
Game ban in Counter-Strike 2
What helps
Knowing the rest of your library and account still work.
What can get in the way
Steam says CS2 game bans cannot be appealed or removed by Support.
Game ban from a third-party developer
What helps
Contacting that developer via the game's Support tab in your Library, with dates.
What can get in the way
Each developer has its own rules; Valve only enforces their decision.
Account lock placed to freeze a compromised account
What helps
Proving ownership in your Steam Support request and securing the account first.
What can get in the way
Unanswered questions, a still-compromised email, or several duplicate requests.
Trade ban for scams the hijacker ran from your account
What helps
Explaining the dates of the hijack clearly in one request.
What can get in the way
Steam says Support can't modify trading or Market restrictions; Support alone decides.
Timed trade or Market limit after your own password reset or new device
What helps
Waiting; these security limits end on their own.
What can get in the way
Another password reset or Steam Guard removal can add a new timed limit.
These are conditions to consider, not predictions of recovery. Follow the options and requirements the platform shows for your account.
Scope & boundaries
What this guide helps with
- Explain which ban you have and who can review it
- Show how to secure your own account before contacting Support
- Help you prepare a clear, dated request for Steam Support
- Point you to official Steam Support and developer pages
Outside this guide’s scope
- Remove, reverse or appeal a ban for you
- Suggest a new or second account to play around a ban
- Offer hardware ID spoofing, VPN tricks or unban services
- Ask for your password, Steam Guard codes or card numbers
Only Valve or the game's developer can change a ban. We help you, the owner, secure the account and tell Steam Support the truth; anyone selling a faster way is running a scam.
A few details worth knowing
Will Steam remove a VAC ban if a hacker caused it?
Steam's published policy says VAC bans are permanent and stay on an account regardless of who was using it at the time. You can still describe the hijack in your request, but don't expect a reversal, and never pay anyone who promises one.
Is the trade restriction I see now a ban or just a security limit?
Read the notice shown when you try to trade or use the Market. Steam applies timed limits after a password reset, a new device or Steam Guard changes, and those end on their own; a trade ban issued by Steam Support is usually permanent, and the notice says which kind you have. Our trade ban guide explains each notice.
What should I include in my message to Steam Support?
Your account name, the dates you lost and regained access, what changed while you were locked out, and proof of ownership such as the last four digits of a card used on the account. Never send a full card number or your password.
The hijacker joined or changed a Steam Family. Does that affect bans?
Steam says Family privileges can be revoked, and an account can be VAC banned, if a family member cheats in a game shared from you. Check your Steam Families membership and remove anyone you don't know.
The hijacker added a phone number. Does that matter for bans?
It can. Steam says VAC bans in some games apply to all accounts sharing a phone number, so make sure only your own number is on the account and mention the change in your request.
Official guidance
Check the platform’s current instructions and the options shown for your own account.
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Steam VAC ban policy
help.steampowered.com ↗
Current official guidance for the topic; check the platform page for changes