Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

To keep a Steam game offered as Free to Keep, sign in to the account that should own it and complete the claim on the game’s Steam store page before the displayed offer deadline. Steam describes these promotions as time-limited claims for a permanent license; when the promotion ends, the free package is removed from the store page. A Free Weekend is not a permanent claim, even if the game later appears in your library.

Check what “free” means on the Steam offer

Steam uses different kinds of free access. Before you act, check the offer’s wording and whether it gives you a permanent license or only temporary play access.

Offer type What you get What happens after the offer
Free to Keep A time-limited opportunity to acquire a permanent game license at no cost. You must complete the claim before the promotion ends. Steamworks says the free package is then automatically removed from the store page. Steamworks documentation
Free Weekend Temporary access to the full game. When the event ends, you can see the game in your library but can only uninstall it; continued play requires purchasing the full version. Steamworks documentation
Free to Play A game you can play for free, rather than a limited-time giveaway. There is no promotional claim deadline inherent to this model. Steam says Free to Play games do not require a subscription or credit card; individual games may still have their own limits or optional purchases. Steam Support

How to claim a Free to Keep game

  1. Sign in to the right Steam account. The license will be associated with the account used for the claim, so check the account name before proceeding.
  2. Confirm that the promotion is Free to Keep. Do not treat a Free Weekend or a Free to Play listing as a permanent giveaway. Note the end time shown on the offer; the free package is removed from the store page after the Free to Keep period ends. Steamworks documentation
  3. Complete the store-page claim while the offer is active. Follow the offer’s on-page instructions and finish adding the game to the account. Merely downloading or playing during a Free Weekend does not convert temporary access into a permanent license.
  4. Check the library on that same account. Look for the game in the Steam library after claiming it. If it is not visible, check whether you are signed into another account, whether a library filter is hiding it, or whether the game is hidden. Steam Support lists these as checks for a game that appears to be missing. Steam Support

What if the game is removed from sale later?

A completed Free to Keep promotion grants a permanent license under the promotion’s terms. That is different from a Free Weekend, which provides temporary access and requires purchase for continued play after the event. Steamworks documentation

That distinction does not establish that every delisted game will always remain downloadable or fully playable. Removal from sale alone is not shown here to automatically revoke a completed Free to Keep license, but the documentation cited does not promise that a title’s files, online services, or functionality will remain available forever.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
#1 Best Overall
Visa Virtual eGift Card
  • Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
  • When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
  • This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
  • Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
  • This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.

Steam separately says a redeemed gift can be removed when it is refunded because of fraud or a payment dispute. That specific gift-revocation situation should not be treated as a general rule for ordinary delistings. Steam Support

If the game is missing from your library

  • Confirm you are signed in to the account used to claim it.
  • Clear or adjust library filters that might exclude the title.
  • Check Steam’s hidden-games area in case the game was hidden.

These checks can help you locate an activated game; they do not prove that a claim was completed. If you only joined a Free Weekend, the game’s appearance in your library after the event does not mean you own a permanent license.

Rank #2
Visa Virtual eGift Card
  • Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
  • When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
  • This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
  • Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
  • This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Free offers do not necessarily remove account limits

Playing Free Weekends or Free to Play games does not remove Steam’s limited-user restrictions. Claiming a free promotion should not be taken as a promise that it unlocks Steam Community features. Steam Support

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1
Bestseller No. 2
Bestseller No. 3
Bestseller No. 4
$500 Apple Gift Card—Email Delivery
$500 Apple Gift Card—Email Delivery
The perfect gift to say happy birthday, thank you, congratulations, and more.; Available in $15 - 500, Card delivered via email or SMS
$500.00
Bestseller No. 5
Best Value
Visa Virtual eGift Card
  • Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
  • When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
  • This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
  • Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
  • This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Rank #4
$500 Apple Gift Card—Email Delivery
  • For all things Apple - products, accessories, apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, iCloud+, and more.
  • Perfect for App Store purchases and subscriptions—get apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, and more.
  • The perfect gift to say happy birthday, thank you, congratulations, and more.
  • Available in $15 - 500, Card delivered via email or SMS
  • Use it for purchases at any Apple Store location, on the Apple Store app, apple.com, the App Store, iTunes, Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple News+, Apple Books, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, Fitness+, Apple One, and other Apple properties in US only
Rank #3
Visa Virtual eGift Card
  • Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
  • When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
  • This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
  • Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
  • This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.