Is Steam idling safe?

HourIdler reports game activity through hosted Steam sessions; it does not launch game executables, inject code or join VAC-secured game servers. Valve’s VAC documentation concerns detected cheats. That is not an endorsement of HourIdler or a guarantee against all account restrictions. Valve controls its rules and enforcement.

QR approval gives HourIdler a Steam session token without sending us your Steam password. With password login, the password is encrypted at rest and can be decrypted by the service to authenticate when needed. Tokens and Steam Guard secrets are also encrypted at rest. Hosting requires trusting HourIdler with session access; encryption is not a claim that the operator can never access login material. See our privacy policy.

After a successful deletion request from Profile → Account settings, idling stops and sessions are revoked. There is a three-day email recovery window before scheduled permanent deletion of the account and associated HourIdler database rows. Removing one Steam account deletes its stored login material. Security audit records are cleaned up after 365 days. See retention details.

A conflicting Steam play session can interrupt hosted idling. With Auto-Restart enabled, HourIdler pauses and attempts to resume when you finish. Steam may still require a fresh sign-in or Steam Guard approval. You can stop hosted idling manually before playing.

Confirm the account is idling rather than only online, select an owned or eligible free game, check schedules and hour goals, and close conflicting play sessions. A custom status title alone does not record game hours. Steam profile totals can update later than the dashboard. Use the hours troubleshooting checklist before repeatedly reconnecting.

Steam does not promise a fixed drop interval. Check the game’s Badges page for remaining drops and eligibility. Most ordinary games provide roughly half a set; crafting a badge does not replenish exhausted ordinary playtime drops. Booster packs are a separate eligibility system. See Valve’s trading-card FAQ and our AFK farming guide.

For participating free-to-play games, Steam bases card eligibility on qualifying in-game purchases. Simply adding or idling a free game does not create drops. Limited accounts and some free promotional licenses are also ineligible; verify the game’s Badges page and ASF’s eligibility notes.

There is no verified typical earnings figure or guaranteed return. Results depend on eligible drops remaining, Steam availability, actual market buy orders and fees. Market sale proceeds are Steam Wallet funds. Card Farmer on paid plans scans eligible games, ranks estimated card value and rotates farming; it cannot create new drop eligibility.

Starter and Pro can be bought as prepaid access, or as recurring Stripe subscriptions if you enable Auto-renew at checkout. Prepaid access expires unless you buy more time. Cancel recurring renewal from dashboard Billing or Stripe’s portal; access continues to the paid period end. Lifetime is a one-time purchase. The checkout shows the duration, total and renewal choice before payment.

The published terms allow refund requests within 7 days of purchase, subject to review and the conditions there. Use the refund request in dashboard Billing or contact support. Sending a request does not automatically issue a refund; Stripe’s billing portal is not an automatic refund tool.

Lifetime is a one-time plan with no scheduled renewal charge. It depends on the continued operation of HourIdler; it is not a promise that the service will exist indefinitely. Review the terms before purchasing.

Use the support center or Discord. Include your HourIdler username, the account status and the approximate time of the problem. Never include Steam passwords, Steam Guard codes or session tokens in a support message.