How to remain "Invisible" on Steam on a new device?

[sad dolphin]

OK so i've been invisible on steam for quite some time and i would like to stay that way, i don't wanna appear online at all...

but i gonna reinstall windows on my PC tomorrow and i know for the fact once i'll be logging into steam on my reinstalled windows, i am most certainly going to appear as "online" because afaik it's local settings, not synced with the servers or whatever

do you have any idea how could i avoid appearing as online when logging in with a new PC? thnx.

[Maria]

Not 100% sure of this method, but I couldn't find any other way:

1. Make sure you check the 'Remember Me' before logging in.
2. Back up Steam into another drive, then restore them later after you reinstall Windows. All the local config including Online state should be copied (hopefully).

I was going to recommend editing the localconfig.vdf, but you need to log in first in order for the file to appear so it won't work for this case where you never logged in.

Edit:
I just tried closing Steam whilst keeping myself online and when I opened it again, Steam didn't just automatically make me appear online, see the pic below: https://imgur.com/a/fKqeN9V

If you wanna gamble, you can skip the backup part and just YOLO

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

I find it funny people are always reinstalling Windows.

[sad dolphin]

Originally posted by Wynters:

I find it funny people are always reinstalling Windows.

tell me, what is so funny about reinstalling Windows?

my gpu drivers are broken, i've got several more issues with my windows, it's been running since early 2021. "always" make no sense lol

[sad dolphin]

Originally posted by Maria:

Not 100% sure of this method, but I couldn't find any other way:
1. Make sure you check the 'Remember Me' before logging in.
2. Back up Steam into another drive, then restore them later after you reinstall Windows. All the local config including Online state should be copied (hopefully).

I was going to recommend editing the localconfig.vdf, but you need to log in first in order for the file to appear so it won't work for this case where you never logged in.

thank you for an advice, i've never thought about these before

[sad dolphin]

Originally posted by Maria:

Not 100% sure of this method, but I couldn't find any other way:

1. Make sure you check the 'Remember Me' before logging in.
2. Back up Steam into another drive, then restore them later after you reinstall Windows. All the local config including Online state should be copied (hopefully).

I was going to recommend editing the localconfig.vdf, but you need to log in first in order for the file to appear so it won't work for this case where you never logged in.

Edit:
I just tried closing Steam whilst keeping myself online and when I opened it again, Steam didn't just automatically make me appear online, see the pic below: https://imgur.com/a/fKqeN9V

If you wanna gamble, you can skip the backup part and just YOLO :SakuraiEmi_ordinary:

replying on edit:
well tbh i don't wanna do yolo because it took me a long time to build up "last online 150 days ago" XD and i wanna keep that long streak
that's why i'm asking cuz i wanna exclusively avoid getting back online after i reinstall my windows

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

Your status is dictated by what you set it to in your friends list.

As long as you set your status to Invisible in your friends list, your last online status should not update.

[sad dolphin]

Originally posted by cSg|mc-Hotsauce:

Your status is dictated by what you set it to in your friends list.

As long as you set your status to Invisible in your friends list, your last online status should not update.

:qr:

yes, exactly, but i remember last year i've been invisible for a few weeks and then a friend of mine came over with his laptop, i decided to log into my steam account on his laptop and download csgo, but guess what happened - my status got automatically restored to "online" as soon as i had logged into my account via a new device.

perhaps it's been adjusted by now, i don't know... that's why i'm asking