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Most Steam games and software can be refunded when the purchase is recent and has seen little or no use. Valve’s standard test is a purchase made within 14 days with less than two hours of playtime. Submit the request through help.steampowered.com; after approval, Valve says the full amount is issued within one week to the original payment method or, when that method cannot accept the credit, to Steam Wallet.
That rule is only the starting point. Downloadable content, in-game purchases, subscriptions, wallet funds, gifts, bundles, preorders, hardware and purchases made outside Steam each have additional conditions.
The standard Steam refund rule
Valve’s 2024 policy applies the ordinary test to most Steam games and software applications:
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|---|---|
| Time since purchase | The request is made within 14 days of purchase. |
| Playtime | The title has been played for less than two hours in total. |
| Request channel | The request is submitted through help.steampowered.com. |
| Refund amount | Valve describes the approved refund as a full refund. |
| Issuance time | Valve says the refund is issued within one week after approval. |
| Where the money goes | The original payment method is used when it can accept the refund; otherwise Steam Wallet receives the amount. |
Both tests matter. A purchase made 10 days ago can fall outside the standard offer if it has more than two hours of playtime, while a game played for 30 minutes can fall outside it when purchased more than 14 days ago. The policy is a standard eligibility offer, not an automatic guarantee that every request will be accepted.
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How to request a Steam refund
Use Steam Support rather than opening a general customer-service ticket. Have the account that made the purchase available, and identify the exact transaction before starting.
- Open help.steampowered.com and sign in to the Steam account that made the purchase.
- Open the purchases or transaction-history area and select the game, software, downloadable content or other item you want reviewed.
- Choose the option to request a refund for that purchase.
- Select the reason that best describes the problem. If the item is defective, will not run, or was bought accidentally, choose the closest accurate explanation rather than an unrelated category.
- Choose the available refund destination when Steam presents one, then submit the request.
- Keep the confirmation message or email. It identifies the request and lets you check whether Valve approved it.
If the purchase does not appear, confirm that you are signed into the purchasing account. A code or card bought from another seller will not be converted into a Steam purchase simply because it was later used on Steam; those transactions must be addressed to the seller that took payment.
How long a Steam refund takes
Before approval
The first waiting period is Valve’s review of the request. The policy’s one-week statement begins after approval, so submitting a request does not itself start a guaranteed seven-day payment clock.
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After approval
Valve’s published wording is: “You will be issued a full refund of your purchase within a week of approval.” The destination is normally the payment method used for the transaction. If that method cannot receive the credit, Steam Wallet is used instead.
Why the destination matters
A refund sent to Steam Wallet remains tied to the Steam account, whereas a refund sent to the original payment method returns through the payment route used at checkout. The policy does not promise that a user can substitute a different bank card or account after approval.
Rules for DLC, in-game purchases and subscriptions
Downloadable content (DLC)
DLC has a 14-day window, but three conditions apply together:
- The DLC was purchased within the previous 14 days.
- The base game has been played for less than two hours since the DLC was bought.
- The DLC has not been consumed, modified or transferred.
The playtime test is measured from the DLC purchase, not simply from the date the base game was first added to the library. Using a consumable or changing or transferring the DLC removes the ordinary DLC refund route.
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Valve-developed in-game purchases can be refunded within 48 hours when the item was not consumed, modified or transferred. A third-party developer may opt in to the same system, but participation is not universal. Check whether the purchase is handled under that policy before assuming the 48-hour route is available.
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Renewable subscriptions
An unused renewable subscription can be refunded within 48 hours of the initial purchase or an automatic renewal. The current billing cycle must not have been used. Once the cycle has been used, the policy’s 48-hour condition is no longer met.
What “used” means in practice
For DLC, items and subscriptions, keep the distinction between owning content and using it. A purchase that is still present in the account may nevertheless be ineligible if it was consumed, altered, transferred or used during the relevant period.
Preorders, Early Access and Advance Access
Preordered games that are not playable yet
A not-yet-playable preorder can be refunded before release. In that situation, the 14-day period starts when the title is released, not on the date the preorder payment was made.
Playable pre-release titles
When a preorder provides access to a playable build before release, the two-hour playtime limit applies to that access. Early Access and Advance Access minutes count toward the limit, so testing the game before launch can use part or all of the standard allowance.
Planning a preorder refund
If you are undecided about a playable preorder, track the time spent in every pre-release version. Waiting until after launch does not reset the playtime counter.
Bundles and gifts
Bundles
A full bundle refund requires less than two hours of combined use and no transferred items. Steam flags bundles containing nonrefundable items at checkout; read that notice before buying because one component can affect the refundability of the package.
Unredeemed gifts
An unredeemed gift follows the standard 14-day and under-two-hour period. The recipient has not activated the license, so the gift remains within the ordinary unused-gift framework.
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Redeemed gifts
For a redeemed gift, the recipient starts the refund request. If Valve approves it, the money goes to the original purchaser rather than the recipient who initiated the request.
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Steam Wallet funds, cards and purchases outside Steam
Steam Wallet funds bought on Steam
Unused Steam Wallet funds purchased directly on Steam can be refunded within 14 days. They must remain completely unused; spending any portion means the funds no longer meet that unused-funds condition.
Wallet cards and codes bought elsewhere
Valve cannot refund Steam Wallet cards or CD keys purchased from third parties. The retailer, marketplace or person that sold the code is the party to contact. Steam Support can review account activity, but it cannot turn an outside transaction into a Steam-issued refund.
Why the purchase channel is decisive
Keep proof of purchase for an outside transaction and use the seller’s stated return process. The Steam refund form is designed for transactions recorded as Steam purchases, not for every product that can eventually be redeemed on Steam.
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A Valve Anti-Cheat (VAC) ban removes the right to refund the game associated with that ban. This is a specific policy exclusion, so meeting the normal purchase-age and playtime tests does not restore eligibility.
Video content and hardware
Movies, shorts, series, episodes and tutorials
Steam generally does not refund standalone video content, including movies, shorts, series, episodes or tutorials. The exception described by Valve is video bundled with other refundable content; the bundle’s own conditions still apply.
Steam hardware and accessories
Hardware and accessories use a separate hardware refund policy and process. Do not rely on the game-and-software form as the complete procedure for a physical Steam product; follow the hardware-specific instructions shown by Steam Support.
Requests outside the normal limits
Valve says users may still ask for a review when a request falls outside the 14-day or two-hour standard. An exception request is a request for consideration, not an entitlement. Explain the relevant facts plainly: the purchase date, actual playtime, what failed, and whether any DLC or item was consumed or transferred.
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Consumer rights and regional differences
Valve notes that some jurisdictions provide additional consumer rights when a game is faulty. Those rights can exist alongside Steam’s standard policy, and the applicable rules depend on the customer’s location and the nature of the defect. If the product is defective, preserve error messages, dates and support correspondence so you can explain the problem accurately.
The 14-day and two-hour offer is therefore a baseline for the Steam service, not a statement that every country has identical legal remedies. A local consumer-protection authority or qualified adviser can explain rights that apply in your jurisdiction.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why a request can fail and what to check
The purchase is too old
Check the transaction date, not the date you installed the game or first launched it. A request outside the standard period can still be submitted for review, but it is outside the automatic offer.
Playtime is over two hours
Include all relevant access when explaining the request, including Early Access or Advance Access. A pre-release session is still playtime for the limit.
The content was consumed or transferred
DLC, in-game items and subscription cycles have additional use restrictions. State whether the item was consumed, changed or transferred before requesting an exception.
The transaction was not made through Steam
CD keys and Wallet cards bought from another seller must be handled by that seller. Locate the external receipt and use the merchant’s return process.
The item is excluded by category
Standalone video, VAC-banned games and hardware handled under a separate policy do not use the same route as ordinary game refunds. Select the category that matches the transaction so Steam can direct the request correctly.
A gift was redeemed
The recipient must initiate the request, but an approved refund returns to the original purchaser. Confirm that the recipient and purchaser understand this before submitting.
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A practical eligibility checklist
Before opening Steam Support, gather the facts that determine which policy applies:
- What was purchased: a game, software application, DLC, in-game item, subscription, bundle, gift, Wallet funds, video or hardware.
- The exact purchase date and, for a renewal, the date of the current billing event.
- Total playtime, including any Early Access or Advance Access sessions.
- Whether the content was consumed, modified, transferred or otherwise used.
- Whether the payment was made directly through Steam or through another seller.
- Whether a gift was redeemed and who originally paid.
- Whether a VAC ban or another category-specific exclusion applies.
- Which refund destination Steam offers for the transaction.
Matching these facts to the correct category prevents a common mistake: applying the ordinary game rule to a purchase that has a shorter window or a separate process.
Examples of how the rules work
A new game played for 90 minutes
If the purchase is 10 days old and total playtime is 90 minutes, it fits both parts of the standard test. Submit through Steam Support and wait for Valve’s decision; an approval then follows the stated one-week issuance timeframe.
A preorder tested before launch
If the preorder supplied a playable build, those sessions count toward the two-hour limit. A buyer who used 90 minutes before release has only the remaining portion of the standard allowance, rather than a fresh allowance after launch.
An unused Wallet balance bought directly from Steam
If the funds were purchased on Steam, remain unused and are within 14 days, they fit the Wallet-funds conditions. A card purchased from an outside retailer does not fit that route.
A redeemed gift
The recipient submits the request, but an approved refund is paid to the purchaser who bought the gift. Agree on that outcome before starting the request.
Using the policy without risking an account restriction
Valve describes refunds as a way to remove purchase risk, not as a method for obtaining free games. The company says it may restrict refunds when it sees apparent abuse. Request refunds for genuine purchases and accurately report playtime and use; repeatedly buying, extensively playing and refunding titles can put future refund access at risk.
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Keep refund requests tied to the actual problem with the purchase. A clear explanation and accurate transaction details give Support the information needed to apply the correct rule without creating a misleading record.
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