You may be trying to change the name friends see in Steam, or you may be trying to rename the private account name you use to sign in. Steam treats those as two different things. You can change your public profile name, but Steam does not let you change the Steam Account Name on an existing account.
Start with the profile name fix below, because that is what most people mean when they search for how to change Steam account name.
Change the name other players see
This fixes the public Steam name shown on your Community profile and in player-facing areas. Sign in at steamcommunity.com/my/edit/info, or open your Steam Community Profile. Choose Edit Profile, then open General.
Select Profile Name. Enter the new name you want to use, then choose Save.
Know what cannot be renamed
The most common cause of confusion is that Steam uses a public profile name and a private Steam Account Name.
Your Steam Account Name is the login name tied to the account. Steam says your SteamID and Steam Account Name cannot be changed, even by Steam Support staff.
Your Profile Name is different. You can change Profile Name from your profile settings, and that is the name other players normally see.
Update from the Steam desktop client
Open the Steam desktop client on Windows, macOS, or Linux. Click your profile picture or name menu, then choose View my profile. Select Edit Profile.
Open General. Click Profile Name, enter the new name, and choose Save. This changes your public player name, not the private login name for the account.
Edit from the Steam Mobile app
The Steam Mobile app supports Community profile features, so your phone can update the public name too.
Open Steam Mobile, tap your profile picture, then choose View Profile. Tap Edit Profile, open General, and use Profile Name for the new name.
Choose Save when you are done. The change applies to your public profile name, not your Steam Account Name.
Clear old profile name aliases
This removes the visible history of previous public profile names from your Steam profile. Log in to your Steam account, then go to your profile.
Click the drop-down arrow next to your current persona name, then choose the option to clear previous aliases. Steam removes the displayed history of the previous 10 profile names, but your Steam Account Name and SteamID stay the same.
Adjust your Steam Community URL
Some people mistake the Steam Community custom URL for the account name. It is only the profile URL slug under steamcommunity.com/id/.
Open your Steam Community Profile, choose Edit Profile, and use the Custom URL box to enter or remove the custom URL text.
Choose Save to apply it. If this does not change the name you meant to change, update Profile Name instead or create a new Steam account for a different login name.
Create a new account for a different login name
Go to store.steampowered.com/join and choose Create Your Account. Enter your Email Address, then confirm your Email Address. Select your Country of Residence.
Complete the captcha if Steam shows one. Check the box confirming you are 13 years of age or older and agree to the Steam Subscriber Agreement and Valve Privacy Policy. Choose Continue.
Verify your email, then finish account creation with the account name you want when Steam prompts you. This creates a separate account, so your existing games, subscriptions, and CD keys stay with the old account.
Delete the old account only when you are done
This removes an account; it does not rename it. Open Steam Support, choose My Account, and open Manage Account Details.
Select Delete my Steam account, or go directly to help.steampowered.com/en/wizard/HelpDeleteAccount. Provide the requested Proof of Ownership, then submit the deletion request.
Steam Support verifies that you own the account, then restricts it from purchases and Community features for 30 days while it is queued for deletion. You can cancel during that window by signing in to the account, opening the red notification at the top of the page, and choosing Cancel. Once Steam Support completes the deletion it is permanent, and it will not move your games, subscriptions, or CD keys to another Steam account.
Skip support and transfer workarounds
Older forum posts sometimes point people toward Steam Support for a login-name change. Steam's current rule is clear: your SteamID and Steam Account Name cannot be changed, even by Steam Support staff.
Making a new account and transferring games over is not a supported workaround either. Steam accounts cannot be merged, and Steam game subscriptions or CD keys are nontransferable between accounts.
Your real choices are to change Profile Name, adjust Custom URL, clear previous aliases, or create a separate new account with the login name you want.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the Steam name I use to sign in?
No. Steam says the Steam Account Name and SteamID cannot be changed on an existing account, even by Steam Support staff.
Will changing my Profile Name change my Steam Account Name?
No. Profile Name is public-facing. The private Steam Account Name used for signing in stays the same.
Can I move my Steam games to a new account with a better name?
No. Steam accounts cannot be merged, and Steam game subscriptions or CD keys cannot be moved between accounts.
Can other people see my old Steam profile names?
Steam profiles can show previous aliases. You can clear the displayed history of the previous 10 profile names from your profile menu.