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How to add friends on Steam

There are five ways to add someone on Steam: a Friend Code, a profile URL or SteamID, a QR code, a quick-invite link, and nearby / Add a Friend search. The fastest is usually the Friend Code, a short number you can read out or paste, but each method suits a different situation. Below are step-by-step instructions for desktop and the mobile app. If you need to look up someone's numeric ID first, our Steam ID Finder turns a profile link into a clean SteamID.

Friend Code (the quick number)

A Friend Code is a short numeric code tied to your account. It is not the same as your long 17-digit SteamID, and it is meant to be shared easily.

To find yours on desktop:

  1. Open the Friends & Chat window (the Friends button in the bottom-right of the client).
  2. Click Add a Friend.
  3. Your Friend Code appears at the top of that page. Copy it and send it to whoever you want to add.

To add someone by their code:

  1. Open Friends & Chat, then Add a Friend.
  2. Paste their Friend Code into the search box.
  3. Their profile appears. Click Add as Friend. They get an invite to accept.

Friend Codes are the cleanest option because there is no confusion over URLs or spelling. Both people just need to accept the request.

Profile URL or SteamID

If you have a link to someone's profile, or their SteamID, you can find them directly.

  1. Open Friends & Chat, then Add a Friend.
  2. Paste the full profile URL (like steamcommunity.com/id/theirname) or their SteamID into the search box.
  3. Their profile loads. Click Add as Friend.

You can also just open the person's profile in your browser or client and click the Add Friend button on the profile page itself. If you only have a numeric ID and want to confirm you have the right person before sending a request, paste it into our Steam profile viewer to see the public profile, or use our Steam ID Finder to convert between ID formats. If you are unsure what your own ID even is, our how to find your Steam ID guide walks through every format.

QR code (great for in-person)

The QR code method is built for adding someone sitting next to you, no typing required.

  1. On the Add a Friend page (desktop or mobile), look for the QR code option.
  2. One person displays their QR code.
  3. The other person scans it with the Steam mobile app camera.
  4. The scanned profile opens, ready to send a friend request.

This is the fastest route at a LAN, meetup, or when two people are in the same room, because nobody has to read out a code or spell a username.

Quick-invite link

A quick-invite link is a shareable URL that lets someone add you without you approving each request individually.

  1. Open Friends & Chat, then Add a Friend.
  2. Choose the option to create a quick-invite link (sometimes shown as an invite link with a set number of uses or an expiry).
  3. Send that link to a friend by any chat app.
  4. When they open it, they can add you directly.

These links can be set to expire or to work a limited number of times, which makes them handy for a group without exposing your profile to everyone forever. You can revoke a link at any time.

Nearby and Add a Friend search

If you do not have a code or link, you can still search.

  • Add a Friend search box. On the Add a Friend page, you can type a code, URL, or ID. It is built for exact identifiers rather than fuzzy name searches, so a Friend Code or profile link works far better than guessing a display name.
  • Community search. The Steam Community site has a general user search, but common display names return many results, which is why codes and links are more reliable.

Community threads are full of people confused because they tried to search a plain username and got the wrong person or no result. The fix is almost always to use a Friend Code, a profile URL, or a SteamID instead, since those point at exactly one account.

Adding friends on mobile

The Steam mobile app supports the same methods.

  1. Open the Steam app and go to the Friends area.
  2. Tap Add Friend.
  3. Choose to enter a Friend Code, paste a profile link, scan a QR code, or open a quick-invite link.
  4. Confirm and send the request.

Scanning a QR code is where the mobile app shines, since the phone camera does the work. For everything else, the flow mirrors the desktop client.

FAQ

What is a Steam Friend Code? It is a short numeric code tied to your account that you can share so people can add you quickly. It is different from your long 17-digit SteamID and is designed to be easy to read out or paste.

Why can't I find my friend by searching their name? Steam's search is built around exact identifiers, and common display names return many accounts. Use their Friend Code, profile URL, or SteamID instead to land on the exact right person.

How do I add someone with a QR code? Open the Add a Friend page, have one person show their QR code, and scan it with the Steam mobile app. The scanned profile opens ready for a friend request. It is the easiest way to add someone in person.

What is a quick-invite link? A shareable link that lets people add you without you approving each request one by one. You can set it to expire or limit its uses, and you can revoke it whenever you want.

Do both people need to accept? For standard friend requests, yes, the other person accepts the request. Quick-invite links are the exception, since opening the link adds you without a separate approval step.

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