There can be several reasons why you might want to disable the Steam Guard mobile authenticator on your phone. Perhaps you’re unable to log in to your Steam account, the 2FA code isn’t working, or you’re changing a device. Regardless of the reason, this article will walk you through multiple methods to disable and remove the Steam Guard mobile authenticator.
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Disable Steam Guard via Mobile App
One of the easiest ways to remove the Steam Guard mobile authenticator from your Steam account is through Steam’s mobile app. You can download it from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
Now that you have downloaded the app on your device, follow the below steps:
1. Open the Steam app on your phone and jump to the Steam Guard tab.
2. After that, tap the Settings icon (Gear Icon) and select Remove Authenticator.
3. On the next screen, hit the Remove authenticator button and reconfirm your decision by tapping the Remove button.
4. Lastly, tap on the Done button and your two-factor authentication on Steam will be removed.
Tip: Facing slow download speed on Steam? Here are 13 ways to fix it.
Disable Steam Guard via Desktop App
Another way to remove the 2FA from your Steam account is by using the desktop version of the Steam app. Here’s a step-by-step guide to it:
1. Open the Steam app and click on the Steam tab in the top left corner and then select Settings.
2. Under the Account section, click “Manage Steam Guard Account Security”.
3. Now click on the Remove Authenticator button.
4. There’s a possibility that you might have lost your phone or uninstalled the Steam mobile app. In that case, choose the “I no longer have access to my Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator” option.
Also, since we have already shown you the steps to remove the Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator using the mobile app, we will skip the first option.
5. Now select the “Remove my Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator using my recovery code” option.
We hope while setting up the Steam Guard authentication, you saved the recovery codes somewhere safe. If you’ve lost it, don’t worry. In the next section, you will find out how to disable the Steam Guard mobile authenticator without the recovery code.
6. Enter the Steam Guard recovery code in the text field and hit the Use recovery code button.
That’s it, you’ve successfully removed the 2-factor authenticator from your Steam account.
To confirm that, you go back to the Steam Guard section and there you will no longer see the option to remove the authenticator.
How to Remove 2FA if Without Steam Guard Recovery Code
In case your phone is broken or stolen or is no longer in working condition, there’s no need to panic. You can still disable the Steam Guard mobile authenticator without the recovery code. Here’s a full guide:
1. Go to Steam Settings and click on the Manage Steam Guard Account Security option in the Account tab.
2. Click the Remove Authenticator button and select “I no longer have access to my Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator”.
3. Now choose the “I no longer have access to my recovery code” option.
4. Select the “Text an account verification code to my phone number…” option.
5. Enter the verification code you received on your mobile number (associated with Steam) and then hit the Continue button. If didn’t receive the code you need to click on the Resend account verification code button.
6. On the next page, select the option that says “Email an account verification code to…”
7. Enter the verification code you received on your email account associated with your Steam ID. If you didn’t receive the code, hit the Resend account verification code button.
8. Lastly, click on the Remove Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator button and you will be logged out of your Steam account.
Re-login to Steam and you will no longer see mobile authentication settings.
Tip: Read this guide if the Steam game not closing.
How to Re-Enable Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator
Now that all the issues related to your Steam account have been resolved, you may want to re-enable 2FA on Steam to add an extra layer of security. To do that, follow the below instructions:
1. Open the Steam app on your phone and navigate to the Steam Guard page.
2. After that, hit the Add authenticator button and enter the verification code you received on your registered mobile number and then tap the Verify code button.
3. Now, copy or write down the Recovery Code and keep it safe. In the future, you will need this code to restore your account access, or to remove mobile authentication.
4. After that, point your camera toward the QR code displayed on Steam’s login screen (PC).
5. Once the scan is completed, tap on the Sign in to Steam button.
That’s it. You have successfully enabled the Steam Guard Mobile Authentication on your Steam account.
Time to Take Down the Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator
Well, there can be a number of reasons why you might want to disable two-factor authentication on Steam. However, we still strongly recommend keeping mobile authentication enabled to ensure your Steam account remains safe.
Before you go, you can also check out our in-depth comparison between Microsoft Store and Steam.
