Steam password reset not working – What to do (Error 29, 31)

In order to use Steam, you must first make an account with them. Making a Steam account requires to input an email, a username, and a password.

Sometimes, you may struggle to remember exactly what your password is. In these cases, you can choose to reset your password. But, unfortunately this reset doesn’t always work as it should.

Steam password reset not working

In most cases, this process usually works in allowing you to change your password without logging in. However, there can be instances where resetting your Steam password fails to work correctly.

Related: Where are Steam screenshots saved?

A common cause for failing to reset a Steam password is doing the process wrong. You may have been completing the steps incorrectly, or misunderstanding certain instructions.

There are some common error codes that occur when using Steam. These are;

  • Steam Error 29 – This indicates the game isn’t linked to your Steam account. Restarting Steam usually fixes the issue. You may also see a “an error occurred trying to handle that request” message.
  • Steam Error 16 – This is a timeout from entering your password. You have no option but to wait a while before re-entering.
  • Steam Error 31 – This is an issue with one of your file extensions. Relaunch Steam, then force verify by using your settings.

Now, we’ll first go through the process by which you can reset your Steam password.

How to reset Steam password

In order to reset your Steam password, you must first navigate to the Steam login page. You can do this via the Steam website, or the Steam app.

For the app, you simply launch the client. If you’re already logged in, you must log out to be able to access the login page. To log out, click your username in the top right. Then, click ‘log out of account’.

log-out-of-account-option

A prompt will then appear asking you to confirm your log out. Click ‘log out’ to finalise the procedure. After you’ve logged out, the application should close.

Launch the application once more to open up the login page. Once on the login page, click the ‘I can’t sign in’ button.

login-page

You should be taken to a Steam Support page. You can also access this page by going to https://store.steampowered.com/login/ and clicking ‘forgot your password?’.

forgot-your-password-option

On the Steam Support page, click ‘I forgot my Steam account name or password’.

steam-support-page

You will now be prompted to enter the email or phone number that’s associated with your Steam account. After inputting your details, complete the captcha and click ‘search’.

If Steam successfully finds your account, click the verification code option to receive a code via email/text. An input box should also appear.

email-or-phone-number-input-box

If you no longer have access to your email, click ‘I no longer have access to this email address’. You will be taken to a login page.

Enter your current password, or click ‘I forgot my password’ if you’ve forgotten your password.

I-forgot-my-password-option-1

You will then be asked to make a ‘Proof of Purchase’. Depending on what payment methods you’ve used on Steam, you will be given different options.

For instance, if you’ve used PayPal to make a Steam purchase on your account – you’ll be shown an option to log into PayPal.

Login or input the relevant payment details. If you no longer have access to those payment methods, click the ‘I no longer have access’ option.

paypal-login-option

You will be taken to a form, where you can fill out details to prove you’re the real owner of the account. Enter your current email, and answer the questions about your account.

Once you’re done, click ‘send’. When Steam has verified the information you entered, you’ll receive an email by them. You should then be able to receive the verification code required to set your password.

form-1

After you’ve received your verification code, go back to Steam. Enter the code in the input box. Click ‘continue’ once you’re done. Then, click ‘change my password’.

Type in your new password and click ‘change password’. Your password should now be reset. Try logging in again using the new password to confirm whether the reset worked.

Check your code input

Make sure that you input your code correctly. If you’re receiving an error when inputting the code, the code may be incorrect.

Check your password input

If you’re failing to login with your new password, you may be inputting the password incorrectly. Likewise, when logging in with the new Steam password, be sure to type it out correctly.

Check that your Caps-lock isn’t on, and check that your email/username is also correct, as using the correct password and right login credentials is necessary.

Check your emails

If you’ve failed to receive your verification code via email, double check your emails. This includes checking junk folder, as emails of this nature can sometimes be classified as junk.

Make sure you’re checking the right email, and try checking your other emails if you still can’t find the code.

Check Steam servers

If you’re failing to complete the password reset, or you’re struggling to login using your new password, it may be due to Steam’s servers experiencing issues.

Make sure that Steam’s servers aren’t down or going through maintenance by going to https://www.issteamdown.com/.

Read More: Steam Maintenance Schedule

steam-server-status

The servers being down is a common reason why users can’t connect to the Steam network. Fortunately, they’re usually back up and running within an hour.

Use another device

Try using another device to either complete the password reset, or login using your new password.

The issue may lie with your current device, so if you’re still failing after several attempts of logging in, it’s worth trying with another device instead.

Use another network

If you’ve logged in unsuccessfully too many times either prior to the reset, or afterwards, you may be locked out of your account. This lock out can last from a few hours to a few days.

The lock out is network-based, so you can bypass the lock out by using another network when logging in.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are a variety of reasons for why your Steam password reset failed to work.

Most of these reasons lie in completing the password reset incorrectly.

Make sure that you’re inputting the correct information when undergoing the process.

If the issue lies with your device, try using another device to complete the process or login. If you suspect you’ve been locked out of your account, try connecting to another network before logging in again.

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Author

Jenny

I love reading, writing, drawing, and other creative pursuits. I wish to travel more and do extreme activities, such as bungee-jumping and skydiving. I'm a casual gamer with an affinity for narrative-driven games and unique art styles. I like watching a variety of different media, but I particularly enjoy animations and musicals. My favourite genre, for both books and visual media, is psychological-thriller.

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