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Most Steam games and software qualify for a refund when you request it within 14 days of purchase and have less than two hours of playtime. That two-hour total includes online, offline, and shared-library use. Other purchases follow different rules: pre-orders can be refunded before release, eligible in-game items may have a 48-hour window, and hardware uses a separate policy. Start every request in Steam Support, where you select the transaction, explain the problem, and choose Steam Wallet credit or the original payment method when Steam offers that choice. Approved refunds generally appear within seven days; Wallet credit can arrive in 24–48 hours.
What is Steam’s standard refund rule?
For a game or software application bought through Steam, the automatic eligibility test is two parts: the request must be made within 14 days of purchase, and total playtime must be below two hours. Steam counts online, offline, and shared-library playtime, so switching modes or computers does not reset the clock.
Valve can review a request that misses one or both conditions, but the standard guarantee no longer applies. Steam Support says you may still submit the request for consideration; approval outside the normal window is discretionary, not an entitlement.
A refund removes the purchase from your library after processing. Steam’s policy does not promise that a particular reason will be accepted inside the window, so describe the actual problem clearly rather than trying to match a preferred category.
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How do I request a Steam refund?
Use Steam’s official support flow rather than starting a bank dispute for a recognized purchase. The form records the transaction and presents the refund destination available for that payment.
- Sign in to Steam Support with the account that made the purchase.
- Open Purchases.
- Select the game, application, DLC, subscription, bundle, or other transaction.
- Choose the problem that best describes what happened.
- Select I’d like to request a refund.
- Complete the form, including any explanation Steam requests.
- When Steam presents the choice, select Steam Wallet or the original payment method.
- Submit the request and keep the confirmation email. Steam sends another message when the refund is processed.
If the transaction is missing from Purchases, it may be too far outside the ordinary refund window for the normal workflow. You can still submit a separate support request when you have a legitimate explanation, but a missing transaction is not evidence that the request is automatically eligible.
Which Steam purchases can be refunded?
Purchase type changes the deadline, usage test, and person who must submit the request. Use this decision table before opening Support.
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| Purchase type | Deadline | Usage condition | Who acts | Destination | Main exclusion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game or software | 14 days from purchase | Less than two hours of total playtime | Account holder | Original payment method or Steam Wallet | VAC ban or suspected refund abuse can remove eligibility |
| Steam Store DLC | 14 days | Underlying game played less than two hours since DLC purchase; DLC not consumed, modified, or transferred | Account holder | Original payment method or Steam Wallet | Some third-party DLC is marked nonrefundable |
| Eligible in-game purchase | 48 hours | Item not consumed, modified, or transferred | Account holder | Original payment method or Steam Wallet | Only Valve titles and participating third-party games qualify |
| Pre-order | Any time before release; after release, two weeks from release | After release, less than two hours of playtime; Advanced Access time counts | Purchaser | Original payment method or Steam Wallet | Post-release requests use the normal two-week/two-hour test |
| Gift | Purchaser’s standard 14-day/under-two-hour conditions | Unredeemed gift must meet the standard test; redeemed gift requires recipient approval | Purchaser; recipient approves removal if redeemed | Original purchaser | Recipient cannot unilaterally return a redeemed gift |
| Steam Wallet funds bought on Steam | 14 days | None of the funds used | Account holder | Original payment method or Wallet handling offered by Steam | Wallet cards bought from another seller are outside Steam’s service |
| Renewable subscription | 48 hours after initial purchase or automatic renewal | No use during the current billing cycle | Account holder | Original payment method or Steam Wallet | Playing included games or using benefits counts as use |
| Bundle | Usually the standard game window | No item transferred; combined use of all items below two hours | Account holder | Original payment method or Steam Wallet | Checkout identifies bundles containing nonrefundable content |
| Video content | Generally not refundable | Exception only when bundled with other refundable, non-video content | Account holder | If eligible, normal Steam destination | Movies, shorts, series, episodes, and tutorials normally excluded |
| Steam hardware | Separate hardware policy | Use the hardware policy’s conditions | Purchaser | As specified by that policy | The game two-hour rule does not automatically apply |
Can I refund a Steam game after two hours?
You can ask, but you no longer have the standard guaranteed refund once playtime reaches two hours or more. Steam Support may examine the circumstances individually, so submit the request promptly and explain a technical problem, mistaken purchase, or other relevant fact without claiming automatic eligibility.
Playtime includes shared-library sessions, not just time launched by the account that bought the game. A family member’s use can therefore push the total beyond the standard limit.
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Can I refund a pre-order or an Advanced Access purchase?
A pre-order can be refunded at any time before the game’s release. Steam’s stated policy is: “Per Steam’s standard refund policy, you may refund your pre-order any time prior to the release of the game.”
After release, the request is measured from the release date: two weeks from release and less than two hours of playtime. Advanced Access and Early Access time counts toward the two-hour limit, so playing before launch can affect the later refund decision.
How do Steam DLC and in-game-item refunds differ?
DLC
Steam Store DLC is generally refundable within 14 days when the underlying game has been played for less than two hours since the DLC was bought. The DLC must not have been consumed, modified, or transferred. Steam marks certain third-party DLC as irreversible before purchase; that warning means the normal refund route does not apply.
In-game purchases
Valve-developed games may allow a refund within 48 hours if the item remains unused and unaltered. A third-party developer can opt into the same terms, and Steam identifies eligibility at the time of purchase. If the developer has not opted in, Steam does not refund that in-game purchase.
How do refunds for gifted games work?
An unredeemed gift follows the purchaser’s standard conditions. The purchaser opens the transaction in Support and requests the refund.
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When the recipient has redeemed the gift, the recipient must first approve both the refund and removal from the recipient’s account. The purchaser then submits the request, and any approved money returns to the original purchaser rather than the recipient.
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Wallet funds
Wallet funds purchased directly on Steam can be refunded within 14 days only if none of those funds have been used. A Steam Wallet card bought from a shop or another third-party seller was not purchased from Valve, so Steam Support cannot reverse that transaction; contact the seller instead.
Renewable subscriptions
Steam allows a refund within 48 hours of the initial subscription purchase or an automatic renewal when the subscription has not been used during that billing cycle. Use includes playing games supplied through the subscription and using, consuming, modifying, or transferring included benefits or discounts. Cancelling stops the next renewal but does not end access before the current billing cycle finishes.
What special exclusions can block a refund?
- VAC bans: Steam’s policy removes the right to refund the affected game after a Valve Anti-Cheat ban.
- Refund abuse: Valve may stop offering refunds if it believes an account is abusing the feature.
- External purchases: Third-party CD keys and Wallet cards were not sold through Steam, so the seller or retailer must handle the refund.
- Consumed or transferred content: This condition commonly blocks DLC, in-game items, subscriptions, and gifts.
- Nonrefundable media: Video products normally fall outside the refund policy.
- Hardware: Steam hardware and accessories use their own policy; do not apply the game playtime test to a hardware order.
Steam explicitly says it does not treat a game bought immediately before a sale as abuse when the customer refunds the eligible purchase and buys it again at the sale price. The ordinary deadline and usage conditions still apply.
Where does an approved Steam refund go?
Steam normally sends the money to the original payment method. When that method cannot receive the refund, Steam uses Steam Wallet credit instead. The destination shown in the support form is the one that applies to your transaction.
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Steam says an approved refund can take up to seven days to appear. Approved Wallet credit may arrive in 24–48 hours. International payment methods or a bank’s own processing can take longer.
If the transaction was cancelled within 24 hours, you may not see a separate credit. The original authorization hold can simply disappear after the bank releases it.
What should I do if the refund has not arrived?
- Check the purchase history and confirm that Steam marked the request as processed.
- Check the selected destination: the original payment account and your Steam Wallet are separate places.
- Review account history for another purchase that used the Wallet balance after the refund was issued.
- If seven days have passed, ask your bank about a pending refund or released authorization hold.
- Contact Steam Support again with the confirmation email if the bank cannot locate the transaction.
Steam’s stated seven-day figure describes when an approved refund should appear, not a promise that every bank posts it on the same day.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Should I use a chargeback instead of Steam Support?
For a purchase you recognize, use Steam’s refund process first. A chargeback is a separate dispute with the payment provider, not a faster version of the Steam form, and it can lead to restrictions on the Steam account.
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What remains after a refund?
Steam keeps playtime and achievements on the Steam Community Profile after the purchase is refunded. The refund changes ownership and access to the product; it does not rewrite that historical profile data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Steam erase my playtime when a refund is approved?
No. Steam says playtime and achievements remain visible on the Steam Community Profile after a refund. The product is removed from your library, but the profile history is not reset.
Can I refund a game bought immediately before a sale?
Steam says that is not considered refund abuse when the purchase otherwise qualifies. Request the refund under the normal deadline and playtime conditions, then buy the game again at the sale price if you choose.
Why has my bank not shown a separate refund transaction?
A payment cancelled within 24 hours may appear as the disappearance of the original authorization hold rather than a new credit. For an approved refund that remains missing after seven days, ask the bank to trace a pending refund and check Steam’s purchase history.
What if I spent my Steam Wallet balance after requesting a refund?
Review account history before assuming the credit is missing. Steam notes that Wallet funds may have been used on another purchase, which changes the visible balance even though the refund was issued.
Does Advanced Access time count if I refund after launch?
Yes. Steam counts Advanced Access and Early Access playtime toward the two-hour post-release limit. Starting the game before its official release can therefore reduce the time available under the standard rule.
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