Can You Merge Two Steam Accounts or Move Games Between Them?
October 26, 2026 · Updated November 2, 2026
Steam can't merge two accounts, and it can't move games, activated keys or Steam Wallet money from one account to another. Steam Support's own page says "Steam account ownership cannot be transferred", and the Steam Subscriber Agreement calls your account "strictly personal". Steam Families lets you share most games between your accounts instead.
Key facts
- Each Steam game is a licence tied to the account that bought it, and the Subscriber Agreement says you may not sell or transfer your account or subscriptions.
- Steam Support won't merge accounts, even when both belong to you.
- Steam Families lets up to six accounts in one household share their games, with ownership staying with the purchaser.
- Achievements, playtime and Steam Points stay with the account that earned them.
- Tradable items like skins and trading cards can be traded between accounts.
- Deleting an account is permanent: Valve says its games, wallet funds and inventory are gone, and its CD keys can't be reused.
People usually ask this after finding an old childhood account full of games, or after making a second account by accident. Here's how to make the best of it.
Why Steam doesn't merge accounts
When you buy a game on Steam, you're buying a licence tied to that account, not a copy you can move. The Steam Subscriber Agreement says your account and everything attached to it "is strictly personal", and that you may not "sell, charge others for the right to use, or transfer" your account or your subscriptions. That's the same reason you can't sell a Steam game second-hand, and why Steam doesn't accept "move my games to my new account" support requests.
Steam Support's page on contested accounts adds that "buying, selling, trading, or gifting a Steam account is a violation" of the agreement. So a merge isn't a matter of proving you own both. The system simply doesn't do it, and asking Support to treat one account's purchases as another's is asking for a transfer the rules forbid.
The best workaround: Steam Families
Steam Families (the replacement for both Family Sharing and Family View) lets up to six accounts in one household share their libraries. Valve's FAQ sets out what you get if you add both of your accounts to the same family:
- Access to all games owned by family members, in a Steam Family library that appears in your games list.
- Ownership stays with the purchaser, and new purchases appear in the buyer's own collection.
- Each account keeps its own saves, achievements and Workshop access for shared games.
- You can play a family member's game at the same time as they play a different game.
- Some games aren't shareable, usually ones that need a third-party account or subscription.
There are limits. Valve says Steam Families is "intended for a household of up to 6 close family members", that an adult who leaves must wait one year before creating or joining another family, and that each family slot has a one-year cooldown before a new member can fill it. So set it up once, with the accounts you'll keep. Our Steam Families guide covers the details before you set it up.
Choosing which account to keep as your main
Use the account with the most games you care about and the best security as your main. Then move anything you can across:
- Spend the other account's wallet on games you'll play there, or on gifts for your main account. Wallet money can't be moved directly; Valve's Wallet FAQ says funds "cannot be moved or gifted to another Steam account". Can you transfer Steam wallet money? explains the options.
- Trade tradable items (skins, trading cards) to your main. Trade holds and Market rules apply. See Steam trade holds explained.
- Use the other account's Steam Points before you forget it. Points can't be moved either. Here's what Steam Points can buy.
- Copy installed game files between the two accounts' libraries on the same PC to save downloading again. The licence check still happens per account, so this only helps for games the signed-in account owns or can share.
What about deleting the second account?
Don't rush it. Valve's account deletion FAQ says deletion is permanent and that "game licenses, community profile, gifts, inventory items, wallet funds, and other associated information will be deleted permanently". Two details matter if you were hoping deletion would free something up: CD keys registered on the deleted account can't be used again on another account, and the account name can never be reused. The account is restricted for 30 days before deletion, and you can cancel in that window. Unless you need it gone for privacy, keeping it in your Steam Family costs nothing and keeps those games playable. What happens to your Steam wallet if you delete your account explains the 30-day process.
Avoid "account merge" services
Any website or person offering to merge Steam accounts or "move your library" is a scam. They usually ask for both logins, then take both accounts. Valve doesn't offer this, so nobody else can, and Steam Support's prevention list for contested accounts includes "do not use account creation services" and never letting anyone log in to your account. Steam account scams shows the common tricks.
Frequently asked questions
Can Steam Support merge two of my accounts?
No. Steam Support says account ownership can't be transferred, and game licences can't be moved between accounts, even when you own both.
Can I move games from my old Steam account to my new one?
No. Each game is licensed to the account that bought it. You can play them from your new account by adding both accounts to the same Steam Family.
Can I transfer Steam Wallet money between accounts?
Not directly. You can spend it on a game and gift it to the other account, or trade tradable items you buy with it.
Do achievements and playtime carry over between accounts?
No. Achievements, playtime and stats belong to the account that earned them. Steam Families gives each account its own saves and achievements for shared games.
How can I build up one main account's library?
Put new purchases on your main account. Earned gift cards help: on XPReward, 3,600 points buys a $25 Steam card to redeem on whichever account you choose. Sign up free.
Sources
Account merging facts checked on 3 November 2026 against: