Steam offers a straightforward refund system for almost any purchase, no questions asked. Whether your computer can’t handle the graphics, you accidentally bought the wrong game, or simply didn’t enjoy it after playing for a bit, getting your money back is simpler than you might think. Valve understands that sometimes a game just isn’t for you, and their refund policy is designed with that in mind. You can request a refund through help.steampowered.com for virtually any reason, provided you meet a couple of key conditions: the request must be within a certain timeframe from the purchase, and for games, your playtime needs to be under two hours.
Even if you don’t strictly meet these criteria, it’s always worth asking for a refund. Steam’s customer support will review your request. It’s also important to know that in some regions, consumer laws might grant you additional refund rights, especially if a game is faulty.
Once approved, you’ll get a complete refund processed within a week. The refund will be credited back to your Steam Wallet or to your original payment method. If, for technical reasons, the refund can’t be processed back to your initial payment method, the full amount will be added to your Steam Wallet. (Note that some payment methods available on Steam in certain countries might not support refunds back to the original source. Click here for a detailed list.)
Understanding Steam Refunds: What You Can Refund
Steam’s generous refund policy, which includes refunds within two weeks of purchase and with less than two hours of gameplay, primarily applies to games and software available on the Steam store. Let’s break down how refunds work for different types of Steam purchases.
Downloadable Content (DLC) Refunds
Downloadable content, or DLC, which enhances games or software on Steam, is also refundable. The rules are similar to games: you can request a refund within fourteen days of purchasing the DLC, and only if the base game associated with the DLC has been played for less than two hours since the DLC purchase. Crucially, the DLC must not have been used, modified, or transferred. Keep in mind that there are exceptions. For certain third-party DLC, refunds might not be possible, particularly if the DLC permanently boosts a character’s level, for example. These non-refundable DLCs will always be clearly marked on the store page before you buy them.
In-Game Purchase Refunds
Steam provides refunds for in-game purchases within games developed by Valve, provided the request is made within 48 hours of the purchase. Similar to DLC, the in-game item must not have been used, modified, or transferred. Third-party game developers have the option to enable refunds for in-game items under these same terms. Steam will notify you at the time of purchase if a developer has chosen to offer refunds on a specific in-game item. Otherwise, in-game purchases in games not developed by Valve are generally not refundable directly through Steam.
Refunds for Pre-Purchased Titles
When you pre-order a game on Steam before its release, you’re still protected by the refund policy. The two-hour playtime limit still applies (excluding any beta testing), but the 14-day refund window doesn’t begin until the game officially launches. For instance, if you buy a game in Early Access or Advanced Access, any playtime before the official release counts towards the two-hour limit. If you pre-purchase a game that isn’t playable before its release date, you can request a refund at any point before the game is released. Once the game is live, the standard 14-day/two-hour refund period applies.
Steam Wallet Refunds
You can also get a refund for Steam Wallet funds within 14 days of purchase, but only if those funds were bought directly on Steam and remain unused. If you’ve used any portion of the Steam Wallet funds, they are no longer refundable.
Renewable Subscription Refunds
Steam offers subscriptions for some content and services, billed regularly (monthly, yearly, etc.). If you haven’t used a renewable subscription during the current billing cycle, you can request a refund within 48 hours of the initial purchase or within 48 hours of any automatic renewal payment. “Used” is defined as playing any games included in the subscription during the current billing cycle or using any benefits or discounts associated with the subscription in any way (consumed, modified, or transferred).
Remember, you can cancel a subscription at any time by accessing your account details. Canceling stops future automatic renewals, but you’ll still have access to the subscription content and benefits until the end of your current billing cycle.
Steam Hardware Refunds
Steam hardware and accessories, such as the Steam Deck or Valve Index, purchased through Steam are also eligible for refunds. These refunds are subject to a separate Hardware Refund Policy, which specifies the applicable timeframes and procedures. Refer to this policy for details on refunding Steam hardware.
Bundle Refunds
Steam offers refunds on bundles purchased from the Steam Store, as long as none of the items within the bundle have been transferred, and the total playtime for all games in the bundle is less than two hours. If a bundle contains a non-refundable in-game item or DLC, Steam will clearly indicate if the entire bundle is non-refundable during the checkout process.
Purchases Outside of Steam
It’s important to note that Valve cannot issue refunds for purchases made outside of the Steam platform. This includes CD keys or Steam Wallet cards bought from third-party retailers. Refunds are only applicable to purchases made directly through the Steam Store.
VAC Bans and Refunds
If you receive a VAC (Valve Anti-Cheat system) ban in a game, you automatically lose your right to refund that specific game. VAC bans are issued for cheating, and this invalidates refund eligibility.
Video Content Refunds
Unfortunately, video content on Steam, such as movies, short films, series, episodes, and tutorials, is generally non-refundable. The exception is if the video is part of a bundle that includes other refundable (non-video) content. In such cases, the bundle refund policy would apply, but direct refunds for video content are not offered.
Gift Refunds
Unredeemed gifts can be refunded within the standard 14-day/two-hour refund period. Even gifts that have been redeemed can be refunded under the same conditions if the recipient of the gift initiates the refund process. In the case of redeemed gifts, the refund will be returned to the original purchaser, not the gift recipient.
EU Right of Withdrawal
For customers in the European Union, the EU right of withdrawal applies to Steam purchases. You can find a detailed explanation of how this right works for Steam users by clicking here. This provides additional consumer protection for EU Steam customers.
Refund Abuse
Steam’s refund system is designed to make purchasing games on Steam risk-free, not as a way to play games for free. If Steam detects what they consider to be refund abuse, they may stop offering refunds to your account. However, it’s explicitly stated that requesting a refund for a game purchased just before a sale and then immediately repurchasing it at the sale price is not considered abuse. The system is in place to ensure customer satisfaction and fair purchasing practices.
Step-by-Step: How to Request a Steam Refund
Ready to get a refund? The process is simple. Just head to help.steampowered.com to request your refund or get assistance with any Steam purchase issues. The Steam support site is your central hub for all refund requests and related help.
Last updated April 23, 2024
