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To request a Steam game refund, sign in at help.steampowered.com, open Purchases, select the game, choose the problem, click I’d like to request a refund, complete the form, and choose Steam Wallet or your original payment method when Steam offers that choice.
Valve’s standard test is a request within 14 days of purchase and less than two hours of playtime. Online, offline, and shared-library playtime all count. You can still ask Steam to review a request outside those limits, but approval is discretionary rather than guaranteed.
The standard Steam refund rule
Valve states: “Valve will, upon request via help.steampowered.com, issue a refund for any title that is requested within 14 days of purchase and has been played for less than 2 hours.” The two conditions apply together: being inside 14 days does not overcome two or more hours of play, and having little playtime does not overcome a purchase older than 14 days.
Steam counts the total time recorded for the title, including online sessions, offline sessions, and time played through a shared library. Starting a game briefly to test it therefore uses part of the same two-hour total as a normal play session.
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| Check | Standard requirement | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Time since purchase | Within 14 days | Valve measures from the purchase date shown in your Steam transaction history. |
| Recorded playtime | Less than 2 hours | Online, offline, and shared-library playtime are included in the total. |
| Request channel | Steam Support | Use the purchase-specific form at help.steampowered.com. |
| Refund destination | Steam Wallet or original payment method when offered | The available choice depends on the transaction and payment method. |
If either limit is exceeded, submit the request anyway when the support form allows it and explain the circumstances. Steam says it will take a look at requests outside the published rules, but the normal automatic eligibility promise no longer applies.
Before you submit: gather the details Steam will use
Sign in to the account that made the purchase and identify the exact transaction. Note the purchase date, the title, the recorded playtime, and whether the purchase was a base game, downloadable content, an in-game item, a pre-order, a gift, or Wallet funds. Those details determine which form and rule appear.
If the reason is technical, describe the specific failure and the troubleshooting you attempted. If the request concerns an in-game item, determine whether it was consumed, modified, or transferred. For a gift, determine whether the recipient redeemed it. Having these facts ready makes an exception request easier for Steam to evaluate.
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How to request a Steam game refund
- Go to help.steampowered.com and sign in to the Steam account that made the purchase.
- Select Purchases.
- Find and open the game transaction you want reviewed.
- Choose the problem that best describes what happened.
- Select I’d like to request a refund.
- Complete the request form. If you are outside the usual 14-day or two-hour limits, use the message field to give a concise, specific explanation.
- Choose Steam Wallet or the original payment method if Steam presents both options.
- Submit the request and watch for a confirmation email. A second email is sent when Steam processes the refund.
Use the purchase-specific page rather than a general support message whenever possible. It attaches the request to the correct transaction and exposes the options that apply to that purchase.
If the purchase is not listed
Valve says a purchase that does not appear under Purchases falls too far outside the refund window for that workflow. Check that you are signed in to the account that paid for the transaction. If it is still missing, you can submit a request through Steam Support and explain the circumstances, but the missing purchase indicates that the normal purchase route is unavailable.
What to write in the message box
Keep the explanation tied to the transaction. State the purchase date, current playtime, the problem, and the result you want. For example, explain that a technical issue required repeated troubleshooting, rather than only writing that you changed your mind. For an item purchase, say whether the item was used or transferred and include any response from the game’s support team. A clear account of the relevant facts is more useful than multiple short requests.
Check your eligibility before submitting
Use this checklist to identify which policy applies:
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- Was the game purchased fewer than 14 days ago?
- Does the title show less than two hours of total playtime, including offline and shared-library time?
- Is this a standard game purchase, or is it an in-game purchase, pre-order, gift, or Steam Wallet transaction with separate conditions?
- If it was a gift, has the recipient redeemed it?
- If you are in the EU or United Kingdom, could statutory digital-content rules affect the result?
- For an item inside a game, was it consumed, modified, or transferred?
Meeting the standard test normally gives you the clearest path. Failing it does not prevent a request, but the decision becomes a discretionary review.
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What counts as playtime?
Steam uses the playtime recorded for the title, not only the time you remember playing online. Valve’s guidance includes online, offline, and shared-library playtime. A game left running while you were away can therefore use the allowance, as can a session launched from another account’s shared library.
Before submitting, open the purchase and check the title’s recorded playtime in Steam Support. Do not assume that offline mode or Family Sharing creates a separate two-hour allowance; the time associated with the title is counted for refund purposes. The relevant comparison is the total recorded time, not the number of launches or sessions.
Can you get a refund after two hours or after 14 days?
After two hours
Yes, you can still submit a request for review. Steam’s published promise is limited to titles played for less than two hours, so a request at or above two hours is not automatically eligible. Explain the concrete reason for the request, such as a technical problem that required repeated troubleshooting, rather than simply repeating that you want your money back.
After 14 days
You can also submit a request after the 14-day period if Steam’s support flow accepts it. Valve says purchases significantly outside the 14-day window are not eligible under the normal rule, but it still allows customers to send a request for review. Approval in this situation is discretionary.
If the title does not appear under Purchases, Valve says it falls too far outside the refund window for that workflow. You may still try a general request through Steam Support and explain the circumstances, but the missing transaction is a warning that the standard purchase route is no longer available.
Special rules by purchase type
Standard game purchases
The ordinary rule is the combination of fewer than 14 days since purchase and less than two hours played. If both conditions are met, request the refund through the purchase page and select the destination Steam offers.
In-game purchases
Valve-developed in-game purchases can be eligible when requested within 48 hours, provided the item has not been consumed, modified, or transferred. That 48-hour rule is specific to qualifying Valve-developed purchases.
Third-party developers can opt into Steam’s in-game purchase refund system. Steam tells you at the time of purchase whether the item is refundable under that arrangement. If an in-game purchase is missing or the support form does not resolve it, Steam advises contacting the game’s support team first and attaching that correspondence to your Steam request.
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Pre-orders and Advanced Access
A pre-ordered game can be refunded at any time before its release. Once the game has released, the request generally must be made within two weeks of release and the playtime must remain under two hours.
An Advanced Access purchase has an additional boundary: a pre-purchased Advanced Access version can be refunded before Advanced Access begins. After the game releases, the standard 14-day rule applies from the release date, together with the less-than-two-hour playtime condition.
Gifts
An unredeemed gift can be refunded by the person who purchased it through the purchaser’s Purchases page.
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Steam Wallet funds
Steam Wallet funds purchased directly on Steam can be refunded within 14 days if none of those funds have been used. Once any portion of the purchased balance has been spent, this unused-funds condition is no longer met.
EU and United Kingdom customers
Valve explains that statutory digital-content withdrawal generally ends 14 days after purchase or when downloading starts, whichever happens sooner. Steam’s voluntary game-refund policy may still provide the more generous 14-day-and-under-two-hour route, so customers in the EU or UK should check both the statutory position and the Steam policy shown for their transaction.
Comparing the rules at a glance
| Purchase type | Key deadline or test | Use or consent condition | Who acts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard game | Within 14 days and under two hours | Online, offline, and shared-library time counts | Purchaser |
| Valve in-game item | Within 48 hours | Must not be consumed, modified, or transferred | Purchaser |
| Third-party in-game item | Only where the developer opted in | Refundability is shown at purchase; contact game support if needed | Purchaser, sometimes with developer correspondence |
| Pre-order | Any time before release; after release, two weeks from release and under two hours | Post-release requests use the standard playtime test | Purchaser |
| Advanced Access pre-purchase | Before Advanced Access starts; after release, standard rule | Release timing changes which deadline applies | Purchaser |
| Gift | Depends on whether it was redeemed | Redeemed gifts require recipient approval for removal | Purchaser, plus recipient when redeemed |
| Steam Wallet funds | Within 14 days | None of the purchased funds may have been used | Purchaser |
Choosing where the money goes
Steam may offer a refund to your Steam Wallet or back to the original payment method. Select the destination you prefer when the form displays the choice. Not every payment method supports both destinations, so the absence of an option is transaction-specific rather than a sign that the request failed.
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Wallet credit is usually the faster visible balance change. A refund to a card, bank, or other international payment method may take longer because the payment provider must post it after Steam approves the request. The destination is selected during the request, not after an approval email, so review the available choices before submitting.
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How long a Steam refund takes
After approval, Steam says a refund can take up to seven days to appear. Approved Steam Wallet refunds may show within 24–48 hours. International payment methods can take longer than those general estimates.
When Steam approves a refund within 24 hours of the original purchase, the transaction may be cancelled instead of appearing as a separate credit. Your bank can then take up to 30 days to confirm the cancellation and release any temporary authorization hold. During that period, the transaction may look like a pending charge rather than a new refund line.
Keep the approval email until the money or Wallet balance appears. If the stated period has passed, check the original payment account and any pending authorizations before contacting Steam or your bank. Steam does not publish one universal average processing time, so the payment method and whether the transaction was cancelled affect what you see.
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A decline means the request did not qualify under Steam’s handling of that transaction; it does not necessarily mean the form malfunctioned. Steam says purchases significantly outside the 14-day window are not eligible under the normal rules. If you believe the decision or the transaction details were handled in error, submit another request with a detailed message explaining the relevant dates, playtime, purchase type, and any technical problem.
Do not create multiple vague requests. A clear explanation tied to the actual purchase gives support the information needed to reassess the case, especially when the request is outside the standard limits or involves an in-game item or gift. Include supporting correspondence from the game’s support team when the issue involves a third-party in-game purchase.
What a refund changes—and what it does not
A processed refund reverses the purchase through the selected destination, but Steam says it does not remove the title’s playtime or achievements from your Steam Community Profile. Those profile records can therefore remain visible after the game license and payment have been refunded.
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| Your situation | Best next action | Important condition |
|---|---|---|
| Game bought within 14 days and under two hours played | Use the purchase refund form | This is the standard eligibility path. |
| Two hours or more played | Submit a review request if available | Approval is discretionary. |
| More than 14 days since purchase | Submit a review request and explain the circumstances | The standard refund promise does not apply. |
| Unredeemed gift | Purchaser requests the refund | Use the purchaser’s Purchases page. |
| Redeemed gift | Recipient approves removal, then purchaser requests refund | Both account holders must complete their part. |
| Valve-developed in-game item | Request within 48 hours | Item must not be consumed, modified, or transferred. |
| Pre-order before release | Request before release | No two-hour test is required before release under this rule. |
| Steam Wallet funds | Request within 14 days | None of the purchased funds may have been used. |
Information to include in an exception request
When your request falls outside the normal test, make the explanation easy to verify. Include the purchase date, the title, the recorded playtime, the specific problem, and what you tried to do about it. For an in-game purchase, state whether the item was consumed, modified, or transferred and attach any response from the game’s support team. For a gift, identify whether it was redeemed and confirm which account is taking each step.
Steam does not publish an official approval rate or one average processing time. The reliable timing guidance is the stated maximum of up to seven days after approval, the 24–48-hour expectation for many Steam Wallet credits, and the possibility of longer posting times for international payment methods.
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Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I refund a Steam game?
Sign in at help.steampowered.com, choose Purchases, open the game transaction, select the problem, choose “I’d like to request a refund,” complete the form, select Steam Wallet or the original payment method when offered, and submit it.
Can I get a Steam refund after two hours?
You can submit a request for review, but Valve’s standard promise applies only to games played for less than two hours. Explain the specific circumstances, especially if a technical problem caused the extra playtime; approval is discretionary.
Can I refund a Steam game after 14 days?
You can ask Steam to review a late request. Purchases significantly outside 14 days are not eligible under the normal rule, so there is no guaranteed approval.
Does offline or Family Sharing playtime count?
Yes. Steam counts online, offline, and shared-library playtime toward the title’s total for refund purposes.
How long do Steam refunds take?
After approval, a refund can take up to seven days to appear. Steam Wallet credit may appear in 24–48 hours, while international payment methods can take longer. A purchase approved within 24 hours may be cancelled instead, and a bank can take up to 30 days to release a temporary authorization hold.
How do I refund a gifted Steam game?
The purchaser requests a refund for an unredeemed gift. If the gift was redeemed, the recipient must select it in Steam Support and approve removal first; the purchaser then submits the refund request.
Can I refund a Steam pre-order?
A pre-order can be refunded at any time before release. After release, the request generally must be made within two weeks of release and the game must have less than two hours of playtime.
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Steam Wallet funds purchased on Steam can be refunded within 14 days only if none of those purchased funds have been used.
What if my in-game purchase is missing from Steam Support?
For a missing in-game purchase, Steam advises contacting the game’s support team first. Attach that correspondence to your Steam request if further review is needed.
Will a refund erase my Steam achievements and playtime?
No. Steam says a refund does not remove the title’s recorded playtime or achievements from your Steam Community Profile.
The Bottom Line
For the clearest approval path, request the refund within 14 days and before two hours of recorded online, offline, or shared-library playtime. Use Steam Support’s purchase-specific form, check the separate rule for your purchase type, and remember that requests outside the limits can still be reviewed but are not guaranteed.
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