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How to set up a proxy in Steam to change currency and region

27.06.2022; 13:34

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How to set up a proxy in Steam to change currency and region

Steam is one of the largest distributors of computer games, where users can purchase games and their DLCs, receive updates, and stay informed about the latest in the gaming world. However, the service may impose regional blocks on users from certain countries, limiting or completely restricting access. Additionally, the prices for games vary across different regions, making some products unaffordable for certain users. A solution to these issues is the use of proxies on Steam. Next, we’ll explore how to set up a proxy in Steam to use the service without restrictions.

Video tutorial for proxy configuration in Steam

What are the benefits of using a proxy with Steam

Using a proxy with Steam allows you to change the region of your account, which provides several benefits:

Obtaining early access to games: by using a proxy from a region where a game is released earlier, users can access it before it becomes available in their own country;
Profitable purchase of games: as game prices vary by country, a proxy can enable users to purchase games at lower costs;
Unblocking inaccessible content: some games are not available in all countries. A proxy can help bypass these geographical restrictions;
Participation in tournaments: changing the Steam region via proxy can grant access to competitions that are not available in the user’s actual location, allowing them to compete and win prizes.

Proxies have long been used for these purposes, but Steam has measures to limit the use of anonymizers, which can detect and block attempts to circumvent regional restrictions. For instance, users frequently changed their region to Argentina or Turkey on Steam to benefit from lower prices in these countries. However, Steam later adjusted the pricing policy in these regions to the dollar, reducing the financial advantage of such changes. Despite this, the option to change the currency on Steam remains possible, and we will explore how to do this next.

Setting up a proxy to change region in the Steam store

It's advisable to set up a proxy through the web version of Steam rather than the desktop client. First, configure a proxy in your browser, which can be done in several ways: using an extension, the Proxifier program, or through the built-in settings if you're using Firefox. The simplest method is to use an extension. Here’s how to set up a proxy for Steam using the “Proxy Helper” extension:

Open the extension and in the “General” tab, enter the IP address and port of the proxy for the corresponding protocol.
In the “Authentication” section below, enter your username and password if you are using a private proxy.
Click on the extension icon and select “HTTP Proxy”.
Log into your Steam account via the web version. In the store, select the game you're interested in and add it to your cart.
In your cart, at the payment transition window, click on your country's name. A drop-down list will appear with the country corresponding to the proxy you've set up. Select it.
Confirm the change of your country of residence in the new window that appears.
The change of region in the Steam Store will then happen automatically, allowing you to purchase the game at a reduced price.

Please note that before changing the region of your Steam account, you should have a payment method registered in the proxy's country and use it for transactions. This allows users to switch regions when needed or consistently use another region. When you log into the Steam client, all settings will be synchronized.

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