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For most games and software bought on Steam, the standard refund rule is to request it within 14 days of purchase and have played for less than two hours. Requests go through Steam Support. Steam says it will consider requests outside those limits, but approval is discretionary—not guaranteed.
Steam’s standard refund rule
Steam’s published policy, last updated April 23, 2024, generally covers games and software applications bought through the Steam Store if you request a refund within 14 days and have played for less than two hours. Steam says you may request a refund for any reason, and that it will review requests outside the standard conditions; that review does not promise an exception.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Visa Virtual eGift Card | $54.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Visa Virtual eGift Card | $28.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Visa Virtual eGift Card | $105.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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$500 Apple Gift Card—Email Delivery | $500.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Visa Virtual eGift Card | $206.95 | Buy on Amazon |
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The rule is specific to eligible digital purchases. DLC, in-game purchases, gifts, subscriptions, Wallet funds, bundles, hardware, and video have distinct terms, so check the purchase category rather than assuming the two-week/two-hour rule applies to everything.
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Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Refund rules by purchase type
| Purchase type | Window and conditions | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Games and software applications | Generally within 14 days of purchase and less than two hours of playtime. | Steam may review requests outside the stated conditions, but does not guarantee approval. |
| Downloadable content (DLC) | Generally within 14 days of purchase, while the underlying game has been played for less than two hours since the DLC purchase. The DLC must not have been consumed, modified, or transferred. | Some third-party DLC is nonrefundable, such as content that irreversibly changes or levels a character. Steam says the Store page identifies such exceptions before purchase. |
| In-game purchases | For Valve-developed games, within 48 hours if the item has not been consumed, modified, or transferred. | Third-party developers choose whether to offer the same terms. The purchase flow indicates whether a refund is available; Steam says it will not refund when the developer has not enabled the option. |
| Pre-purchased games | Before release, a request may be made any time if the title cannot be played before release. After release, the standard 14-day/two-hour rule applies. | For a title purchased before release, the 14-day period begins on release day. Early Access and Advance Access playtime counts toward the two-hour limit. Steam states an exception for beta testing in its policy. |
| Steam Wallet funds | Within 14 days of purchase, if none of the funds have been used. | This applies to Wallet funds purchased on Steam, not Steam Wallet cards bought elsewhere. |
| Renewable subscriptions | Within 48 hours of the initial purchase or an automatic renewal, if the subscription has not been used during the current billing cycle. | Playing an included game, or using, consuming, modifying, or transferring an included benefit or discount, counts as use. You can cancel an active subscription in account details to stop renewal while retaining access through the current billing cycle. |
| Bundles | A bundle may be fully refundable if no items were transferred and combined use is under two hours. | The checkout flow indicates whether a bundle containing nonrefundable DLC or an in-game item is refundable. |
| Hardware | Not stated in Steam’s general digital refund policy. | Hardware bought through Steam follows the separate Hardware Refund Policy; do not apply the game refund time limits to hardware. |
| Gifts | An unredeemed gift may be refunded within the standard 14-day/two-hour period. For a redeemed gift, the recipient must initiate the request under those conditions. | For a redeemed gift, the money returns to the original purchaser. |
| Video | Generally not refundable. | Steam states an exception when video is bundled with other refundable, non-video content. |
Purchases Steam says it cannot or may not refund
- Purchases made outside Steam: Valve says it cannot refund third-party CD keys or Steam Wallet cards.
- A game with a VAC ban: the ban removes the right to refund that game.
- Abusive requests: Steam says it may stop offering refunds if it considers a user’s requests abusive.
How to submit a Steam refund request
- Go to help.steampowered.com, Steam’s official channel for refund requests and purchase assistance.
- Sign in to the account that owns the purchase and select the relevant purchase or item in Steam Support.
- Follow the refund-request prompts and submit the request. Steam’s policy says requests outside the stated conditions may still be reviewed, but are not guaranteed approval.
- If the purchase was a redeemed gift, the recipient must make the request; an approved refund goes to the original purchaser.
Steam’s policy page does not establish a single exact sequence of menu labels for every account or purchase type. Use the current options shown in Steam Support for the item you selected.
#1 Best Overall
Visa Virtual eGift Card
- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Where an approved refund goes, and when
Steam says it issues an approved refund within a week. It may return the money to Steam Wallet or to the original payment method, depending on whether that method supports refunds and whether Steam can process the return that way. Some payment methods in some countries do not support refunds to the original method; in that case, Steam says it credits the full amount to the Steam Wallet. The policy does not specify the time a bank or other payment provider may take to post the funds.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Location and policy date matter
Steam notes that consumers in some jurisdictions may have additional rights when a game is faulty and links to information about EU withdrawal rights. These general terms are not a country-specific legal determination: check the rules that apply where you live and the terms shown for your purchase. Steam’s refund policy page says it was last updated April 23, 2024, so confirm current terms and Support options before relying on a deadline.
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Best Value
Visa Virtual eGift Card
- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Rank #4
$500 Apple Gift Card—Email Delivery
- For all things Apple - products, accessories, apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, iCloud+, and more.
- Perfect for App Store purchases and subscriptions—get apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, and more.
- The perfect gift to say happy birthday, thank you, congratulations, and more.
- Available in $15 - 500, Card delivered via email or SMS
- Use it for purchases at any Apple Store location, on the Apple Store app, apple.com, the App Store, iTunes, Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple News+, Apple Books, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, Fitness+, Apple One, and other Apple properties in US only
Rank #3
Visa Virtual eGift Card
- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Rank #2
Visa Virtual eGift Card
- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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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 glitchesSpecial offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
