PSA: Downgrading (Obsolete!)

[lightwo]

No longer works

The old app versions cannot authenticate to Steam any longer. So long.

However, read along and you will find potential solutions under the I don't want to use a mobile app section. It is possible that the desktop utilities no longer work, but feel free to test.

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This post is mirrored from here.

Attention!

Please avoid relying on the recovery code the newer app versions provide, it may be incorrect due to a bug! This can be identified if the code is of a different length than R##### (R-5 digits). If you wrote down your code before the app update, it shouldn't be an issue.

Also note that legacy chat the entire app has become unusable.

Android

1. Disable automatic updates for Steam app in Google Play or Aurora Store (i.e. add to blacklist), depending on what you use
   
2. If you want to keep using mobile Steam Guard and still use the phone number, skip this step. If you have it enabled but no longer want to use it, disable it now (note: disabling in any case causes a 15-day Community Market cooldown; transferring may not take as long, reportedly only 2 days)
   
3. Uninstall the app; while it wipes the data, including Steam Guard information, transferring authenticator to another device doesn't require the original to be intact
   
4. Obtain the old version
   
   • Universal: Download old version of the app directly from Steam here (archived[web.archive.org]) (2.3.12), or from APKMirror here[www.apkmirror.com] (2.3.13).
     
   • Aurora Store: Enter the Steam app page, under the [...] menu press Manual download, enter 6549178 (2.3.13) and press Check.
     
5. Install the app (in the case of Aurora Store, it should be installed automatically)
   
6. If you had mobile Steam Guard enabled previously, enter your credentials, hit "I no longer have access to my authenticator." instead of entering the code, follow the steps (typically involving a confirmation SMS) and you're done! However, don't forget about the 2 day cooldown outlined previously

iOS

WIP; I have no iOS device to test on, it probably involves jailbreaking. Anyone willing to help, please comment.

I don't want to use a mobile app

Either:

• Disable Steam Guard entirely (not recommended) or enable Steam Guard over email on this page. Note that neither of these are as secure, and in the case of email-based authentication, trade and Market holds will be introduced
  
• Use a desktop utility
  
  • Windows: Steam Desktop Authenticator[github.com]
    
  • Linux: steamguard-cli[github.com]
    

[Jayden]

Автор сообщения: Auftragsmoerder

I can now use the authenticator without logging in? Sounds like all i wanted :D

The rest sounds like a mess tho, i think i wait and hope all the newest problems get flattened out first. Thanks for keeping us updated

if you are only talking about steam guard code this feature always existed...

[Auftragsmoerder]

Автор сообщения: lightwo

TOTP codes

The what?

Автор сообщения: lightwo

huge risk if you have no access to Confirmations since changing the password won't be possible

Ok this sounds worse than expected. Why are there only ♥♥♥♥♥♥ updates nowadays, no one quality testing anymore?

[Jayden]

Автор сообщения: lightwo

Автор сообщения: Auftragsmoerder

Apparently. I was just happy that something is happening, hopefully leading to the app being fixed soon

I was not happy about WHAT was happening, as it sounds like breaking the app for most - as it was broken for me the update before...

No, the TOTP codes were always available as long as you had at least one active instance of Mobile Authenticator regardless of whether an account was logged in.

Valve isn't fixing the old versions, they are getting rid of all the legacy backend services that powered them, which means the app is now as useful as a brick.

Sure, you could keep using it just to generate codes, but this is a huge risk if you have no access to Confirmations since changing the password won't be possible as long as you keep the Mobile Authenticator intact.

i believe that while valve tried to brick the legacy version of the app by removing notifications, they also accidentally removed notifications for their new and updated steam chat app.

it is very saddening.

[lightwo]

Автор сообщения: Auftragsmoerder

Автор сообщения: lightwo

TOTP codes

The what?

Автор сообщения: lightwo

huge risk if you have no access to Confirmations since changing the password won't be possible

Ok this sounds worse than expected. Why are there only ♥♥♥♥♥♥ updates nowadays, no one quality testing anymore?

TOTP codes — one-time codes you enter to log in.

As for the latest updates, yes, this is Valve we're talking. They are notorious for letting things rot, or, lately, providing a totally broken product on release.

[Jayden]

Автор сообщения: lightwo

Автор сообщения: Jayden

is there common knowledge on the specific file that steam mobile app stores their chats on?

i may just store the file where my steam chats are stored and update the app

however it is most likely encrypted or unreadable so all i can do is pray that somebody makes a reader at this point :/

Steam app stores an SQLite database that contains chat messages among many other things.

/data/data/com.valvesoftware.android.steam.community/databases/SteamLocal.db

An SQLite reader is enough to go through the data.

apologies, ive been having trouble trying to locate this file

can i find it using a standard file browser or do i need adb?

[lightwo]

Автор сообщения: Jayden

Автор сообщения: lightwo

Steam app stores an SQLite database that contains chat messages among many other things.

/data/data/com.valvesoftware.android.steam.community/databases/SteamLocal.db

An SQLite reader is enough to go through the data.

apologies, ive been having trouble trying to locate this file

can i find it using a standard file browser or do i need adb?

You need a rooted device, or access via ADB if it allows for root access.

[Jayden]

Автор сообщения: lightwo

Автор сообщения: Jayden

apologies, ive been having trouble trying to locate this file

can i find it using a standard file browser or do i need adb?

You need a rooted device, or access via ADB if it allows for root access.

that sucks because my device is not rooted.

im sure i will find a way, thanks!

[Jayden]

Автор сообщения: lightwo

Автор сообщения: Jayden

apologies, ive been having trouble trying to locate this file

can i find it using a standard file browser or do i need adb?

You need a rooted device, or access via ADB if it allows for root access.

enjoy award

[Auftragsmoerder]

Автор сообщения: lightwo

this is Valve we're talking

No it's not Valve - while i am incredibly saddened that Valve seemingly joined em - it feels like most developers out there seem not to be interested in delivering solid, tested products anymore...

[[dustbowl.tf] jh34ghu43gu]

Hello, for anyone who hasn't updated yet I have found a method to, at the very least, recover your chat logs without root on android (Using samsung A50 android 11, should work on other androids I imagine). This is for a windows PC but it should be similar for linux.

1) Install android debug bridge (adb) ( https://developer.android.com/tools/releases/platform-tools )

2) Enable developer mode on phone by going to settings > about phone > software information > tap the build number 7 times

3) Setup a "Desktop backup password" in developer options. Due to a bug it will create empty backups on some android versions if the password isn't set.

4) Download steam 2.1.4 ( https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/valve-corporation/steam/steam-2-1-4-release/ ) and place it in the same folder as where you installed the adb/platform tools. Rename it to something shorter like steam-2-1-4.apk (in the following commands I will be using this name, replace it with your name if you chose something else).

5) Connect your phone to your computer (phone should be unlocked).

6) Open command prompt and cd to the platform tools folder. Since I installed mine on the E: drive I had to do

E:

first and then

cd E:\Program Files\platform-tools_r34.0.3-windows\platform-tools

You can get the location easily by right clicking the address in file explorer and copy as text.

7) Type

adb devices

This should prompt your phone to allow debug access, obviously allow. Type the command again and it should list your phone.

8) Type

adb push steam-2-1-4.apk /data/local/tmp

This will move the old app onto the phone.

9) Type

adb uninstall -k com.valvesoftware.android.steam.community

This will prompt you with an "are you sure" message about how you cannot delete the remaining data unless you reinstall the app. This is what we want! Confirm the uninstall with

adb shell cmd package uninstall -k com.valvesoftware.android.steam.community

Note: We have to uninstall before downgrading due to permission differences. -k option keeps our data.

10) Install the old version by using

adb shell pm install -r -d /data/local/tmp/steam-2-1-4.apk

11) We can now backup the app with

adb backup -noapk com.valvesoftware.android.steam.community -f steam.ab

This will prompt you on your phone to enter the backup password from step 3 and will save the backup to steam.ab in the platform tools folder. Note: We could not perform a backup with any version after 2.1.4 because valve disabled non-root backups after that point. Trying to create a backup without downgrading simply creates an empty file.

12) Almost there! To unpack the backup we need the android backup toolkit to convert it into a .tar https://sourceforge.net/projects/android-backup-toolkit/ After downloading, extract the contents of the zip and find the adp.jar file, move it to the platform tools folder.

13) You will need java installed to use the adp.jar Back in command prompt type

java -jar adp.jar unpack steam.ab steam.tar <password>

Replace <password> with the password you used in step 3 or the custom one you used in step 11 (if applicable).

14) You now have a .tar of your steam data which can be opened with something like 7zip! The chat database is in the /db/ folder.


Person who asked about this quote section:

Автор сообщения: Jayden

that sucks because my device is not rooted.

im sure i will find a way, thanks!

[Schlafentzug]

I can't believe how utterly unqualified and uncapable someone has to be at their job to develop such a steaming pile of garbage and call it an "update"

The old app was a godsend compared to whatever we got.

[n1c3]

try again

[Alex Row]

After a few months without logging into the app, I tried to log in and it kept loading forever in the login window, and I have see the message of the 1st post that old app no longer works :(

Still new app doesn't let you log out?

[卍解・天鎖斬月]

yes thank you, it will be a 15 days cooldown but it's worth it

[lightwo]

Автор сообщения: Amiralinrc

yes thank you, it will be a 15 days cooldown but it's worth it

The old version does not work at all any more, don't bother.