Set up Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator, save your recovery code, approve QR logins and trades, and fix SMS or lost-phone problems.
Install the official Steam Mobile app, sign in to your Steam account, open Steam Guard and choose Add authenticator. Verify your phone number with the SMS code, then save the recovery code securely. Use the app to approve sign-ins, scan Steam QR codes, generate login codes and confirm trades.
Steam Guard is a general Steam account-security feature rather than a setting inside a particular flight simulator. Enabling it protects the same account used by Steam games, add-ons, Workshop content and compatible simulators.
How do I enable Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator?
You enable the authenticator from the Steam Mobile app after signing in and verifying a phone number that can receive SMS messages.
- Install the official Steam Mobile app on your Android phone or iPhone. Avoid unofficial apps claiming to generate Steam Guard codes.
- Sign in to the correct Steam account. Check the account name carefully if you own more than one account.
- Open Steam Guard. Depending on the app layout, this appears as a shield icon or as an item in the main menu.
- Select Add authenticator and enter or confirm your mobile telephone number.
- Enter the SMS verification code sent to that number. Request another code only after checking that the number and country code are correct.
- Save the recovery code when Steam displays it. Store it in a password manager or another secure place that is not available only from the same phone.
- Complete any final confirmation shown by the app, then verify that Steam Guard can display a login code or accept a sign-in request.
The recovery code is not a routine login code. It is a critical recovery credential used when the authenticator must be moved or removed, so never send it to another person or enter it into a message.
How do I use the Steam authenticator to sign in?
The app can approve a sign-in directly, scan a Steam QR code or supply a short rotating code when manual verification is required.
| Sign-in method | What to do | Key check |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile approval | Open the Steam notification or Steam Guard screen and approve the request. | Confirm the device and location are consistent with your own sign-in. |
| QR sign-in | Open the scanner inside Steam Guard and scan the QR code displayed by Steam. | Scan only a code you requested on a device in front of you. |
| Manual code | Open Steam Guard, display the generated code and type it into the sign-in prompt. | Use the newest code before it changes. |
A generated Steam Guard code can usually be viewed without mobile data once the authenticator has been activated, but approvals, confirmations and account changes require a network connection. Keep the phone's date and time set automatically because an incorrect clock can make valid-looking codes fail.
How do Steam trade confirmations work?
When Steam requires a mobile confirmation for a trade or Market listing, open the app's confirmations area, inspect the details and approve or reject the action.
Do not approve a confirmation merely because a notification appeared. Check the items, recipient and transaction details first. An unexpected QR request or confirmation may mean somebody has your password and is waiting for you to authorise their access.
Newly enabled, removed or transferred authenticators can temporarily affect trading and Community Market access. Steam applies security holds according to the account's protection history and the type of transaction, so removing the authenticator to bypass a delay usually makes the restriction worse rather than better.
Why is the Steam Guard SMS code not arriving?
A missing SMS code is usually caused by an incorrect number, carrier filtering, weak mobile reception or too many repeated requests.
- Confirm the full number and country code before requesting another message.
- Check that the phone can receive ordinary SMS messages; Wi-Fi alone does not guarantee SMS delivery.
- Wait before retrying repeatedly, as several requests can invalidate earlier codes or trigger a temporary limit.
- Restart the phone or briefly reconnect it to the mobile network if messages from other services are also delayed.
- If a code arrives late, use only the most recently requested code.
If a generated authenticator code is rejected rather than an SMS code being absent, enable automatic date and time on the phone, reopen the app and generate a fresh code. Also confirm that the app is signed into the same account shown on the computer.
What should I do when changing or losing my phone?
Transfer the authenticator while the old phone still works whenever possible; use the saved recovery code and Steam's account-recovery process if the original device is unavailable.
Do not remove Steam Guard from the old device until the replacement is signed in and the transfer has completed. Keeping the same telephone number helps with SMS verification, but the SIM card alone does not contain the authenticator.
If both the phone and recovery code are lost, begin account recovery through the official Steam client or Steam sign-in page. Be prepared to prove ownership using account information or purchase records. Anyone asking for your password, SMS code, authenticator code or recovery code is not helping you recover the account.
Does Steam Guard affect games or controller settings?
Steam Guard protects account access; it does not alter installed games, saves, simulator controls or controller profiles.
If another person needs legitimate access to eligible games, use Steam's household sharing features rather than sharing your password or mobile approval requests; our guide to setting up Steam Family Sharing explains the account separation involved. If sign-in works but a flight controller does not, that is a separate configuration issue covered in our Steam Input controller setup instructions.
Protect the phone itself with a screen lock, keep its operating system updated and never approve an unsolicited login. Steam Guard is strongest when paired with a unique Steam password and a secured email account, because email access remains central to account recovery.