How to Use a VPN With Steam

Aaron Donald September 15, 2023

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If you’re a gamer, then you’re probably familiar with geo-restrictions. Certain games are restricted by country or region, and some countries have restrictive censorship laws that make Steam inaccessible. If you want to access restricted content on Steam and lock in better pricing while at home or abroad, VPN technology can help change the region of your network so that you can successfully log in and play any title you want.

In this article, we will show you how to use a VPN with Steam so that you can bypass geo-restrictions and access any game on Steam, no matter where you live.

Why Use a VPN With Steam

Steam is a popular digital distribution platform that allows you to buy and play games. It has over 120 million active users, with more than 50,000 titles available on the service. One of its most popular features is playing multiplayer online games with friends or strangers located anywhere in the world. However, some of these games can be restricted by country or region.

Geo-restrictions are frustrating. They can prevent you from playing your favorite game, seeing the latest releases, or even accessing an online service like Steam. For players who wish to access restricted content, using VPN technology to change the region of their network is a viable option.

A virtual private network, or VPN, disguises your IP address and encrypts your data to protect you from surveillance. A VPN masks your online activity by providing an IP address in another country with a more extensive game library, pocket-friendly pricing, or more lenient censorship laws.

The process of using VPN technology to change your region is called “changing the geo-location” or “spoofing your location.”

Although there are several VPN services on the market today, most gamers prefer to use ExpressVPN, and for a good reason.

See Also: The Best VPN for Gaming

Benefits of Using ExpressVPN for Steam

Whether you want to unlock new games or just want to protect your privacy, ExpressVPN is the perfect VPN for you. The service has tons of features that make it safe easy to use.

Unlimited Server Switches

With ExpressVPN, gamers can access 160 servers in over 94 countries. You can switch servers as often as you like without having to worry about the safety and security of your data. For example, if you’re in Chicago, you could connect to a server in East London and enjoy titles only available in the U.K.

With a trusted VPN, you’ll have a better chance of accessing a server located in a country where your favorite game isn’t censored.

Excellent Compatibility With Devices

ExpressVPN can be set up for any device, including Mac, Android, iOS, Windows, and routers. It’s designed with advanced features which give you the freedom to stream in HD or download anything you want with no restriction or retention logs.

Unlimited Bandwidth

Another feature that makes ExpressVPN stand out from competitors is its unlimited bandwidth. There’s no monthly cap or throttling by your internet service provider (ISP). This means you can lock in lightning-fast browsing speeds from the beginning to the end of your subscription cycle.

Split Tunneling

The service comes with an amazing feature called split tunneling, which sends some of your traffic through their encrypted virtual private network (VPN) tunnel but routes the rest through a separate tunnel on the open network.

This means you don’t have to worry about ExpressVPN slowing down your internet connection.

Ease of Use

Setting up ExpressVPN is as easy as installing the app and connecting your device to a secure server; you don’t need tech skills to use it.

How to Use a VPN With Steam

To use a VPN like ExpressVPN on Steam, you have to go through two main steps:

Set Up Your VPN

Setting up a VPN using ExpressVPN is relatively straightforward. If you already have ExpressVPN, you can skip to the next section.

Visit the official website and sign up for an account.
Get a subscription plan that suits your needs. You could go with a monthly plan, semiannual plan, or even an annual plan.
Install the ExpressVPN app on your device. There’s a version for any device, including Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac.
Once the app is installed on your device, launch it and enter your credentials to sign in.
On the app’s home screen, click on the “On” icon to activate the service. At this point, the app will automatically select a Smart Location for you. This is the server location that optimizes your experience in terms of speed, latency, and distance. If you don’t have a specific server location in mind, you may go with the app’s choice. But if you’re keen to tunnel your traffic through a server in a specific location, proceed to step 6.
Tap on the ellipsis (three small dots) on the home page.
Tap on “Recommended” to select one of the servers that see the highest amount of traffic among ExpressVPN users. To see an expanded list of all the servers you could use, tap on “All locations.”
Tap on any country on the list to see the cities that host a VPN server. For example, if you go with the U.K., you could select a server in London.

After choosing your preferred server location, ExpressVPN automatically connects, setting you up nicely for anonymous browsing. You can now participate in multiplayer games posing as a gamer from the country chosen during the setup process.

In addition, you can now browse Steam and other platforms across the internet without worrying too much about exposing your data to hackers and other malicious actors in the digital arena.

Purchase Games From the Store You Want

The cost of a game on Steam often varies depending on where you live. For example, a gamer in Asia won’t pay the same price as another one in the U.S., even if the title in question is the same.

Regional pricing usually reflects issues such as the cost of living and licensing charges imposed by the local content authorities.

With a VPN activated on your device, you can change your Steam store country and purchase games from any other store worldwide.

Here’s how to go about it:

Launch Steam and navigate to the menu.
Click on “Account details.”
Select “Update store country.” At this point, Steam’s algorithms will detect your location automatically (either your ExpressVPN Smart Location or any other location of your choice). You can’t enter a location manually.
Go to the “Store,” select the title you’d like to buy, and add it you your cart.
Click on “Buy for Myself.”
Select a payment method from the pop-up screen.
Follow the on-screen prompts to set up your billing information.
Select your new country to complete the purchase.

As easy as all this sounds, there’s a catch: To purchase in a given store successfully, you must add a payment method that’s registered in that country. For example, if you’re buying a game in the U.K. Steam store using a Visa card, your card must be registered in the U.K.

Unlock Your Favorite Titles

Steam is a fantastic gaming platform with thousands of titles to choose from. Unfortunately, you can only enjoy the approved games in your region, and the company’s regional pricing means you won’t always get the best deal.

The good thing is that a VPN can help you get around these restrictions and buy any game you want from whichever store you want.

ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Steam. It’s fast, reliable, has plenty of servers to choose from, and offers a money-back guarantee so you can try it risk-free. You’ll never have to worry about lag again with ExpressVPN on your side.

Now that you know how to use a VPN with steam and the benefits of doing so, would you give it a try? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.