Steam doesn’t work with VPN? Here’s what to do
- The Steam Subscriber Agreement prohibits gamers from using VPN and proxy services, but that doesn't stop them anyway. Learn how to do it the right way.
- If your VPN service isn't working on Steam, check out our quick-fix guide below to stay safe, remain anonymous, and encrypt your traffic while gaming.
- For more guides related to this gaming platform, visit our Steam section.
- Join our VPN Hub to find out everything about using a VPN.
Steam has some strict rules against using a VPN, but that doesn’t stop users from trying anyway. It’s only problematic when you get banned or when Steam doesn’t work with your VPN, no matter what you try.
Don’t worry since we’re here to point on the right path. But first, let’s clear the air on Steam’s policy against VPN and proxy usage.
Can you get banned for using a VPN on Steam?
Yes, under certain conditions.
Let’s take a closer look:
”You agree that you will not use IP proxying or other methods to disguise the place of your residence, whether to circumvent geographical restrictions on game content, to purchase at pricing not applicable to your geography, or for any other purpose. If you do this, Valve may terminate your access to your Account.”
What we can draw from this is that:
- You can’t use a VPN on Steam to bypass geoblocks and access games early
- Similarly, you can’t use a VPN to buy games cheaper
The third part mentions that you can’t use a VPN for any other purpose. However, when a Reddit user contacted Steam support to ask for clarification on this issue, they got the following message:
Playing games or operating Steam while using a VPN is not strictly prohibited.
However, it may affect gameplay and the Steam client itself.
A Steam account will only be restricted for actions that violate the Steam Subscriber Agreement or Steam Online Conduct Rules, so please keep in mind that purchasing games while your VPN is active is a violation of our Terms of Service.
posted by u/hunting_n_fishing on Reddit
This should tell you that it’s OK to use a VPN to stay secure and protect your privacy when using a VPN.
How do I fix VPN not working on Steam?
Change your Steam store country
- Connect to a VPN server in the country you wish to reach on Steam
- Launch Steam, click your account, and click Account details
- Click Update store country
- Set the new country
Some users have reported that Steam doesn’t work with their VPN when trying to connect to another country.
However, the problem isn’t caused by the VPN.
It’s still necessary to manually update your store location in Steam, even after already connecting to a VPN server from another region.
Avoid using free VPN
Although it’s incredibly tempting, you can’t really trust a free VPN to keep you safe online. They have few VPN servers and rarely work properly. Plus, most free VPNs log your VPN traffic.
It’s essential to turn to a premium VPN service that’s continuously maintained by a team of professionals. An excellent example is Private Internet Access, which has more than 3,300 VPN servers in 48 countries.
PIA supports modern and secure VPN protocols: OpenVPN and WireGuard. It’s one of the best VPNs for reducing ping.
And, if you encounter any connectivity issues with Steam, you can get in touch with the PIA support team using 24/7 live chat.
Private Internet Access
Use a reliable VPN like PIA to avoid connectivity issues when using Steam.
Allow Steam traffic on your VPN
Some VPN services can negatively affect Steam’s performance. But it’s possible that your VPN isn’t wired to work on Steam.
For example, if you have VPN split tunneling enabled on your PC, make sure that you haven’t accidentally excluded Steam from the secure tunnel.
Conclusion
To summarize, if your VPN isn’t working on Steam, you can fix this problem by changing your store location and allowing Steam traffic on the secure tunnel.
But we also recommend avoiding free VPNs and resorting to a premium VPN service instead, such as Private Internet Access (buy here).
