How to swap heroes in Dota 2

Drafting in Dota 2 isn't easy. Sometimes you'll misclick and select the wrong hero, or you're completing a battle pass objective like Crownfall and you'll pick the wrong hero. Even worse, you may opt to random and get Meepo! That's where hero swapping comes in.

Thankfully, there's a way out of playing a hero you didn't mean to pick. You can change heroes in Dota 2, but only for a certain time and definitely not mid-match. Here's how to swap heroes in Dota 2.

You can only swap heroes at the beginning of a Dota 2 game. To swap heroes, right-click on your teammates' hero portrait at the top of the screen during strategy time or on the scoreboard before the creeps spawn and select Swap Hero. They'll receive a prompt to confirm the swap which they must accept.

If you spend any gold during strategy time or level a skill before the horn, you won't be able to swap heroes. Also, if it wasn't obvious yet, you can't swap heroes with an opponent.

You will be able to swap heroes in the following game modes:

Keep in mind the restrictions above regarding when you can make a swap. You can not swap heroes in Single Draft, so if you're in low priority you'll need to battle your way out with the heroes you're offered!

There's also a strategy element to making a hero swap in Dota 2. For one, you may want to mislead an opponent into thinking you're playing the hero in a particular role like support when you, in fact, plan on carrying.

For the most part though, unless you're playing with someone you know, you're better off picking for yourself and playing.

Stay tuned for more Dota 2 news and guides on esports.gg!