How to Add Friends on Steam

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: May 15, 2018

This wikiHow teaches you how to add a friend to your Steam account. If you haven't made a minimum of five dollars' worth of purchases or added five dollars to your account, you won't be able to add friends.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

On Mobile

1
Open Steam. It's a dark-blue app with the Steam logo. If you're already logged into Steam, opening this app will take you to your last-opened page.
- If you aren't logged in, enter your username and password, then tap Log in.
- If you haven't spent at least five dollars (or added five dollars to your Steam account balance), you can't add friends.
- After logging in, you may be prompted to confirm your identity by entering a code sent to your Steam email. If so, open the aforementioned email address, look for an email from "Steam Support", open the email, and enter the five-character code listed below "Here is the Steam Guard code you need to login to account [your account name]:".
2
Tap ☰. This option is in the top-left corner of the screen.

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3
Tap Friends. You'll find this on the left side of the screen.
- For Android, tap Chat.
4
Open the Search bar. To do so, you'll either swipe down on the screen (iPhone) or tap the magnifying glass in the top-right corner of the screen (Android).
5
Type in the name of a friend or group. As you type, you should see usernames appear on the section of the page below the search bar.
- On iPhone, you'll need to tap the All Players tab below the search bar.
- On Android, you'll need to tap Search All Players below the search bar.
6
Tap your prospective friend's username. As long as you spelled their username correctly, it will appear below the search bar when you're done typing.
- You'll have to tap their name twice on Android: once below the search bar, and once on the following page.
7
Tap Add Friend. You'll see it below their profile picture. Tapping this will add them to your Friends list on Steam, though you may have to wait for them to approve your request.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

On Desktop

1
Go to the Steam website. You'll find it at http://store.steampowered.com/. This will take you to your Steam home page.
- If you haven't spent at least five dollars (or added five dollars to your Steam account balance), you can't add friends.
2
Hover over your username. If you're logged into Steam on your computer, you'll see your username at the top of the page.
- If you aren't already logged in, first click login in the top-right corner of the webpage, then enter your Steam email address and password.
3
Click FRIENDS. It's an option in the drop-down menu below your username. This will take you to your profile's Friends page.
4
Click +ADD FRIENDS. You'll see this button on the right side of the page.
5
Type in the name of a friend or group. As you type, you should see usernames appear on the section of the page below the search bar.
- You can also narrow your search by clicking Individuals or Groups below the search bar.
6
Click ADD AS A FRIEND. It's to the right of your preferred user's name. Doing so will add them to your profile's Friends page.
- You may need to wait for the other person to accept your request before they're added to your account's Friends page.

Community Q&A

Question

I just started on Steam, and it won't let me add friends. How do I do it?

Community Answer

You need to spend at least 5 dollars before you can add friends, join groups, etc.
Question

Can I add friends from a different country?

Community Answer

Yes, you can add friends on Steam from around the world!
Question

How do I add friends?

Community Answer

You need to add $5 to your account wallet or spend $5 or over on a DLC or game before you can add friends.