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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesYes, but the answer depends on what you bought and what happened after checkout. Steam’s standard rule is a refund request within 14 days of purchase with less than two hours of counted playtime. DLC, bundles, pre-release and Early Access games, gifts, in-game purchases, Wallet funds and purchases made outside Steam each have additional conditions. Valve can review requests outside the standard limits, but approval is discretionary.
The Steam Refunds policy page was last updated April 23, 2024. Rules, payment options and regional consumer rights can change, so check the live policy and support form when you submit a request.
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The refund rules at a glance
This table separates the conditions that matter most: the deadline, which usage counts, whether the content must remain untouched, gift approval, and where an approved refund goes.
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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →| Purchase type | Refund window | Playtime or usage counted | Content condition | Extra approval | Where the money goes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game or software | Within 14 days of purchase | Less than two hours played | Standard policy applies | None for the purchaser | Steam Wallet or original payment method when Steam offers the choice |
| Steam DLC | Within 14 days of purchase | Less than two hours in the underlying title since the DLC was purchased | DLC must not have been consumed, modified or transferred; some third-party DLC is marked nonrefundable before purchase | None for the purchaser | Steam Wallet or original payment method when offered |
| Bundle | Within the applicable standard period | Less than two combined hours across all bundle items | No item in the bundle may have been transferred; checkout indicates whether a bundle containing nonrefundable DLC or in-game content is refundable | None for the purchaser | Steam Wallet or original payment method when offered |
| Early Access game | Standard 14-day period | Less than two hours | Normal game-refund conditions | None for the purchaser | Steam Wallet or original payment method when offered |
| Pre-release purchase | 14 days from the game’s release | Pre-release playtime counts toward the two-hour limit | Normal game-refund conditions | None for the purchaser | Steam Wallet or original payment method when offered |
| Unredeemed gift | Standard 14-day/two-hour period | Recipient has not played for two hours or more | Gift has not been redeemed | Recipient has not accepted it | Original purchaser receives the funds |
| Redeemed gift | Standard 14-day/two-hour period when the other conditions are met | Recipient’s playtime counts | Recipient must authorize removal and refund | Recipient approval is required before the purchaser’s request | Original purchaser receives the funds |
| Eligible Valve in-game purchase | Within 48 hours | Usage is assessed under the in-game-purchase rule | Item must not have been consumed, modified or transferred | None stated | Steam Wallet or original payment method when offered |
| Steam Wallet funds | Within 14 days | Funds must be unused | Wallet balance must not have been spent | None stated | Method offered by Steam |
The table describes Valve’s stated policy, not a guarantee that every request will be approved. A purchase made outside Steam, such as a third-party CD key or a Steam Wallet card, must be taken back to the seller that charged you; Valve cannot refund it.
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Can you refund Steam DLC?
Steam DLC is normally refundable if all of the DLC-specific tests are met. Valve says DLC bought from the Steam store can be refunded within 14 days of purchase when the underlying game has been played for less than two hours since the DLC was purchased. The DLC itself must not have been consumed, modified or transferred. That is the controlling rule for a typical add-on, expansion or downloadable content purchase.
What counts as playtime for DLC
Steam looks at playtime in the underlying title after the DLC transaction. If you played the base game for several hours before buying the add-on, that earlier time is not the DLC-specific clock described by Valve; playtime after the DLC purchase is the relevant period. Starting the game to test the add-on can therefore reduce the remaining eligibility window.
Consumed, modified or transferred DLC
A consumable that has been used, an item changed in a way that cannot be reversed, or content moved to another account does not meet the stated DLC condition. Do not activate, spend or transfer questionable content while deciding whether to keep it.
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Some DLC supplied by a third party is labeled nonrefundable before checkout. Treat that label as a purchase-time restriction rather than assuming every item in the store follows the ordinary DLC rule. Read the purchase screen before paying.
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Can you refund a Steam bundle?
A full bundle refund is possible when none of the bundle’s items has been transferred and your combined usage of all items is under two hours. Steam adds the playtime together; it does not give each game in the bundle a separate two-hour allowance.
How bundle playtime is calculated
Suppose a bundle contains three games and you launch one for 70 minutes and another for 40 minutes. The combined 110 minutes is the figure that matters. Any usage across the included items contributes to the total, so check your library activity before submitting.
Nonrefundable content inside a bundle
Checkout identifies whether a bundle containing nonrefundable DLC or in-game content is refundable. If Steam marks the package as nonrefundable, the label controls even if the bundle also contains ordinary games. Save a copy of the checkout description if the eligibility wording is important to your decision.
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Does Steam refund Early Access games?
Yes. Valve states that Early Access games qualify under the same refund policy as other purchases: both the purchase date and playtime are considered. An Early Access label does not create a longer trial period or a separate refund category.
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Early Access purchases
For a game bought after entering Early Access, use the standard 14-day and under-two-hour thresholds. Time spent in the unfinished build is still playtime for refund purposes. If the request is outside those limits, you can submit it for Valve’s discretionary review, but the normal entitlement no longer applies automatically.
Pre-release purchases
A pre-release purchase has a different starting point for the date test: the 14-day period begins when the game releases. However, any time you played before release counts toward the two-hour limit. Playing a pre-release build for two hours can therefore remove the standard refund entitlement before the release-day clock even starts.
Can you get a refund for a gifted Steam game?
Unredeemed gifts can be refunded under the standard 14-day/two-hour rule. The original purchaser submits the request and receives the funds. A gift that the recipient has not accepted remains in this simpler category.
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If the recipient has not redeemed the gift
The purchaser can open Steam Support, select the gift transaction and request the refund. The recipient does not need to approve removal because the gift was never accepted. The ordinary date and playtime requirements still apply.
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If the recipient redeemed the gift
A redeemed gift can still qualify under the same conditions, but the recipient must start by selecting the gift in Steam Support and authorizing its removal and refund. After that authorization, the original purchaser submits the purchase refund. Valve returns the money used for the gift to the original purchaser, not to the recipient.
When a delivered gift expires
A delivered gift recipient has 30 days to accept or decline it. Steam automatically cancels and refunds the gift after that period if it has not been accepted. This automatic outcome is separate from choosing to request a refund for a redeemed gift.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to request a Steam refund
Use Steam’s official support portal at help.steampowered.com. The request is tied to the purchase, so sign in to the account that made the transaction.
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- Open help.steampowered.com and sign in.
- Select Purchases.
- Choose the purchase you want to challenge, then select the problem that best describes it.
- Select I’d like to request a refund.
- Submit the form, explain any relevant circumstance briefly, and choose Steam Wallet or the original payment method when Steam offers that choice.
Valve says an approved refund is issued within up to one week. The time for money to appear can also depend on the payment provider. For a redeemed gift, do not skip the recipient-authorization step: the purchaser’s request cannot proceed correctly until the recipient has approved removal and refund.
What if you are outside the 14-day or two-hour limit?
Submit the request anyway if there is a meaningful reason for the exception. Valve says users can ask through Steam Support outside the normal rules, but approval is discretionary rather than guaranteed. Give a concise factual explanation, such as a severe technical problem that prevented normal use, and include the relevant purchase details.
Do not treat an exception request as a way to reset the clock. The standard policy remains the benchmark Valve uses when deciding ordinary refunds.
Other limits that can block a refund
- Purchases outside Steam: Third-party CD keys and Steam Wallet cards are not refundable by Valve. Contact the retailer or issuer that took payment.
- VAC-banned games: A game with a Valve Anti-Cheat ban loses refund rights.
- Video content: Steam generally does not refund video content unless it was bundled with other refundable content.
- Abuse of the system: Valve may stop offering refunds if it believes the refund system is being abused.
- Regional rules: Consumer-law rights can differ by country or region and may provide protections beyond Steam’s voluntary policy. The live Steam policy and support form determine what options appear for your account.
Practical checks before you submit
- Confirm the purchase date and, for a pre-release game, the release date.
- Check total playtime in the base game, bundle items or pre-release build, depending on what you bought.
- For DLC, verify that the content was not consumed, modified or transferred after purchase.
- For bundles, check every included item and the bundle’s checkout eligibility notice.
- For gifts, identify whether the recipient accepted the gift and arrange recipient authorization if necessary.
- Choose the refund destination carefully: Steam Wallet credit is different from returning money to the original payment method.
- Keep the support confirmation and wait up to one week for an approved refund to be issued.
Bottom line
Steam’s predictable path is a request within 14 days and under two hours, with special calculations for DLC, bundles, pre-release games and gifts. DLC must remain untouched, bundle playtime is combined, Early Access uses the normal policy, pre-release playtime counts before release, and a redeemed gift requires the recipient’s authorization while the purchaser receives the money. Use Steam Support for the request, and treat anything outside these conditions as a discretionary review rather than an entitlement.
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