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Dota 2 Checker: The Public Match Data Checker Tool for Dota 2

The Public Match Data Checker Tool tells you if your Dota 2 match data is public for Dotabuff, OpenDota and Stratz, and how to turn on Expose Public Match Data.

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Public Match Data Checker

Where to find it: Dota 2 shows your Friend ID on your profile. Or copy the link of your Steam profile.

Is your match data public?Dotabuff, OpenDota and Stratz only see your games if it is. Paste your ID, Axe checks.

The check asks Valve (and OpenDota as a backup). Custom Steam URLs are looked up on Steam. Nothing is stored.

How to turn on Expose Public Match Data

  1. Dota 2: click the gear icon
  2. Open Social in the left menu
  3. Under Options, tick Expose Public Match Data
  4. Play one match, then check again

This tool is created with love for Dota 2 and for helping you to play better every day and rank up! Have Fun and Enjoy!

By “Kevin10k”·Dota 2 Expert · Mid & Offlane PlayerArticle updated

Axe checking a Dota 2 match board with a magnifying glass, title image of the Public Match Data Checker Tool

The Public Match Data Checker Tool

The Public Match Data Checker Tool tells you in one click if your Dota 2 match data is public. If it is, Dotabuff, OpenDota and Stratz show your games. If not, you are “Anonymous” everywhere and the tool shows you how to fix it. Axe hid his matches once. Nobody saw his 0/11 game. Then nobody saw his 20/0 game either.

  1. Paste your ID: your Steam profile link, the Friend ID from your Dota 2 profile, or your SteamID64. Custom Steam URLs work too.
  2. Check: the tool asks Valve directly if your account shares its match data. That is the same check the stats sites use.
  3. Public? You see your last public match and links to your profiles. Hidden? You get the three clicks to turn it on.

Axe explains

Public match data in 10 seconds

  1. 1checkbox decides it: Expose Public Match Data.
  2. 3sites need it: Dotabuff, OpenDota, Stratz.
  3. ~500old matches the sites can recover.
  4. 0effect of Steam profile privacy on it.

Tick the box. Play one game. Done.

What “Expose Public Match Data” does in Dota 2

The setting’s own tooltip says it best: “Allow third-party services to access your match data.” Third-party services are Dotabuff, OpenDota, Stratz and every other stats site. They all get their data from Valve, and Valve only hands out your matches if this box is ticked.

  • Box on: your matches carry your account. Stats sites show your games, heroes, win rate and history.
  • Box off: Valve replaces you with an anonymous placeholder. The matches still exist, but you show up as Anonymous, and your profile on the sites stays empty.

The setting is saved on Valve’s servers, not on your PC. Change it once and it counts on every computer you play on.

Match data public now? The Hours Played Calculator adds up the time you spent in those matches.

Somebody in your match is Anonymous? The Match ID Lookup shows every match, hidden players included.

How to turn on Expose Public Match Data

  1. Start Dota 2 and click the gear icon for the settings.
  2. Open Social in the left menu.
  3. In the Options block, tick Expose Public Match Data.
  4. Play one match. OpenDota usually shows it within minutes. On Dotabuff, press “Update Match History”.

Older guides send you to “Options → Advanced Options”. That was the old settings menu. Also do not mix it up with Hide Dota and Steam Profile or Anonymous Mode in the same block: those do something else and do not control what stats sites see.

Axe ticked the box and checked Dotabuff right away. Nothing. Axe forgot to play a match. Play a match.

Need your Friend ID for the tool? The Steam ID to Dota ID Converter finds it from any Steam link.

Do old matches show up after you turn it on?

Partly. Every new match shows up once you play it. Games you played while the box was off stay Anonymous until a site re-reads your history:

  • OpenDota: the Refresh button on your profile looks for missing matches. It can fetch about your last 500 matches.
  • Dotabuff: “Update Match History” recovers recent games, about 500. It can take up to an hour.
  • Stratz: picks your games up after you play a normal match with the box on.

Anything older than that stays Anonymous. So tick the box early. Axe learned that the hard way. Axe has 3,000 anonymous games. Probably all wins.

Steam profile privacy vs Dota 2 match data

Two different switches. Steam profile privacy (public, friends only, private) decides who sees your Steam profile. Expose Public Match Data decides what stats sites see of your Dota games. A public Steam profile can still have hidden match data, and the other way round. Your name and avatar stay visible on the sites either way.

Free guide · Dota2FreaksRank Up Guide: find the one thing holding you backYour matches are public, the stats are there. Five quick questions tell you which habit to fix first.

Dotabuff not updating, OpenDota shows no matches?

  • The box is off. The most common reason. Check it with the tool above.
  • You just turned it on. Play one match first, then update your profile on the site.
  • You just turned it off. Sites can keep showing you as public until they check again.
  • Immortal Draft. These games are not in Valve’s public data at all. No site has them.
  • The site is behind. When Steam or a site has problems, new matches arrive late.
Free tool · Dota2FreaksMMR Calculator: how far is your rank goal?Stats are back. Set a rank goal and see how many wins it takes to get there.

FAQ: Axe answers questions

How do I turn on Expose Public Match Data in Dota 2?

Click the gear icon in Dota 2, open Social in the left menu and tick “Expose Public Match Data” under Options. Then play one match so the stats sites pick it up.

Why is Dotabuff not updating my matches?

Most of the time “Expose Public Match Data” is off. Turn it on, play one match, then press “Update Match History” on Dotabuff. It can take up to an hour.

Do my old matches show up after I turn it on?

Partly. New matches show up once you play them. For older games, the Refresh button on OpenDota and “Update Match History” on Dotabuff recover about your last 500 matches.

Does a private Steam profile hide my Dota 2 stats?

No. Steam profile privacy and the Dota 2 setting are separate. What Dotabuff, OpenDota and Stratz can see depends on “Expose Public Match Data” only.

How do I hide my Dota 2 match history?

Untick “Expose Public Match Data” under Settings → Social → Options. Your future matches then show you as Anonymous on stats sites.

Data: Valve's official Dota 2 datafeed · updated