Steam Friend Status

Keep your Steam friends within reach on your Stream Deck. A plugin by Dloper.

1. Install and get started

Visit the Steam Friend Status download page and follow its link to Elgato Marketplace.
Choose Open in Stream Deck on the Marketplace page and complete installation in Stream Deck.
Find Steam Friend Status in the action list and drag Friend Status onto a key.
Select that key and enter your own Steam API Key. Click Save API key. This setting is shared by all Steam Friend Status keys.
Enter your friend's Steam ID (64-bit) for this key and click Save friend. Add another Friend Status key for each additional friend.

Requires macOS 13 or later or Windows 10/11 (x64), Stream Deck 6.9 or later, an internet connection and your own Steam Web API key. Install and sign in to the Steam desktop client to use the key's chat shortcut. This action uses keypad buttons, including the keys on Stream Deck +.

2. Get your API key and friend's Steam ID

Sign in to the Steam Web API key page using your own Steam account and follow Steam's registration instructions. Account eligibility and registration are managed by Steam. Never enter your Steam password into this plugin.

Use the friend's 17-digit Steam ID, not a display name, friend code or custom profile name. A numeric Steam profile address ends with /profiles/ followed by this ID. If your friend uses a custom profile address, the plugin includes a link to the SteamDB ID Finder where you can look up any Steam ID.

The API key is saved in Stream Deck's global plugin settings; it is not an operating-system password-vault credential. Keep it private. Replacing it or clicking Remove affects every key configured for this plugin.

3. Read the key

Display	Meaning
Dim avatar	Steam reports the friend as offline. Invisible mode and privacy settings can affect what Steam reports.
Bright avatar and green dot	Steam reports the friend as online.
Blue border and Playing: [game]	Steam supplies a current game name. Long names may be shortened to fit the key.
Setup or connection message	The plugin needs configuration or cannot obtain current status. Check the settings and support guide.

4. Press the key

Press a configured key to request a Steam conversation with that friend. The plugin uses Steam's message link (steam://friends/message/). This does not send a message automatically. Steam controls whether the conversation opens and whether the friend is available.

5. Support & Troubleshooting

Missing or rejected API key: Check that the complete current key was entered without spaces. If you revoked or replaced it on Steam, update it in the plugin too.
Friend not found or invalid ID: Use a 17-digit Steam ID64. Display names, friend codes and custom profile names are different identifiers.
Friend appears offline or their game is missing: Steam controls which fields its API returns. Offline or invisible presence, profile privacy and game-details privacy can prevent status or game information from being available.
Status is delayed or temporarily unavailable: The plugin checks visible keys at your configured refresh rate. Wait for the next refresh after a friend changes status.
Avatar is missing: The avatar is downloaded separately from a Steam image server. Check network filtering if Steam images are consistently unavailable.
Pressing the key does not open Steam: Install the Steam desktop client, sign in and confirm that Steam links open on your computer.