Steam’s normal refund test has two requirements: you must request the refund within 14 days of purchase and have less than two hours of recorded playtime. Both conditions apply. If you miss either one, you can still submit a request for Valve to review, but approval is discretionary. Use Steam Support at help.steampowered.com; approved refunds are normally paid within one week to the original payment method, or to Steam Wallet when that method cannot accept the money.
What the 14-day and two-hour rules mean
Valve describes refunds as a way to remove purchase risk, not as a system for playing games for free. For a standard game or software application, the ordinary offer applies only when the purchase is no more than 14 days old and the title has been played for less than two hours. The conditions are cumulative: being under two hours does not preserve eligibility after the 14-day window, and a purchase made yesterday is not normally refundable after two hours of play.
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Playtime is associated with the Steam title, so time spent testing a game is not a separate allowance for each refund request. Early Access and Advanced Access sessions can also count toward the two-hour limit. That matters when a game is playable before its advertised release date.
Valve’s official wording is broad—“You can request a refund for nearly any purchase on Steam—for any reason”—but that sentence describes the ability to ask, not an unconditional approval promise. The specific product rules below determine whether the automatic standard offer fits your purchase.
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How to request a Steam refund
- Open help.steampowered.com and sign in to the Steam account that made the purchase.
- Open your purchase history and select the game, application, DLC, subscription or other item you want reviewed.
- Choose the refund option shown for that purchase and provide the requested reason or explanation. The exact wording of support buttons can change, but the request must be submitted through Steam Support rather than to the game’s developer.
- Submit the request and keep the confirmation email or support-ticket details until the decision arrives.
If the request falls outside the normal limits, explain the circumstances plainly—for example, a technical problem that prevented meaningful use. Valve may review such requests individually, but the policy does not promise approval outside the standard conditions.
Eligibility by purchase type
The controlling questions are when you bought the item, how much it was used, whether anything was consumed or transferred, and whether Valve or another party controls the transaction.
| Purchase category | Purchase-date window | Use or play limit | Additional condition | Refund decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games and software | Within 14 days | Less than two hours of playtime | Both limits normally required | Valve’s standard offer |
| DLC | Within 14 days | The underlying game must have less than two hours played since the DLC purchase | DLC must not be consumed, modified or transferred; some third-party DLC is labeled non-refundable before purchase | Valve, subject to the item’s label and use |
| In-game purchases | Within 48 hours | Item must remain unused | Valve-developed games qualify under this rule; third-party developers must opt in, and Steam identifies participation at purchase | Valve or an opted-in third-party developer |
| Playable pre-purchases | Before release or within the normal post-release period | Pre-release playtime counts toward two hours | Early Access and Advanced Access use can reduce the remaining allowance | Valve |
| Unplayable pre-purchases | Any time before release; the standard period starts on release | No playtime before release because the title is not playable | Once released, the normal 14-day and two-hour rules apply | Valve |
| Steam Wallet funds bought on Steam | Within 14 days | None of the funds may have been used | Funds obtained elsewhere are not covered by Valve’s service | Valve |
| Renewable subscriptions | Within 48 hours of initial purchase or automatic renewal | Current billing cycle must be unused | Playing included games or using subscription benefits counts as use | Valve |
| Bundles | Usually within the applicable period | Less than two hours of combined use | No items may have been transferred; non-refundable DLC or in-game items can make a bundle ineligible | Valve |
| Gifts | Unredeemed gifts follow the standard period | Standard use limits apply | For a redeemed gift, the recipient starts the request and approved funds return to the original purchaser | Valve |
| Hardware and accessories | Separate hardware policy | Not governed by the game two-hour test | Use Steam’s separate Steam Hardware Refund Policy | Valve |
| Steam video | Generally non-refundable | Not stated as a general playtime allowance | An exception can apply when video is bundled with other refundable content | Valve |
| Third-party CD keys and Steam Wallet cards | Outside Valve’s refund service | Not applicable | Contact the seller that processed the transaction | Seller, not Valve |
| Game with a VAC ban | Not applicable | Not applicable | A VAC ban removes the right to refund that game | Valve policy restriction |
The windows and conditions in this table come from Valve’s Steam refund policy, last updated in 2024. Where the table says “usually” or “generally,” the policy contains product-specific qualifications rather than a universal entitlement.
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DLC: the rule is stricter than simply owning it
DLC can fit the 14-day framework only when the base title has been played for less than two hours since the DLC was purchased. The add-on itself must still be intact: you cannot have consumed it, modified it or transferred it. A consumable currency pack, an item already activated on an account, or a benefit already used may therefore fail the unused-content test even if the purchase is recent.
Some third-party DLC is irreversible by design. Steam can mark such DLC as non-refundable before checkout. Read that notice on the purchase page; the ordinary 14-day language does not override a clear non-refundable designation.
In-game purchases and subscriptions use a 48-hour window
In-game purchases
For games developed by Valve, an in-game purchase may be refundable within 48 hours when the item has not been consumed, modified or transferred. A third-party developer can choose to enable the same option. Steam identifies whether that option is available at the time of purchase, so do not assume every game offers it.
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Renewable subscriptions
An unused current subscription cycle can be refunded within 48 hours of the initial charge or an automatic renewal. Launching games included with the subscription or using its other benefits counts as use. If you have used any included benefit, explain the situation in a support request, but the unused-cycle condition may no longer be met.
Pre-orders, Early Access and Advanced Access
If the pre-ordered title is playable
Any play before the official release counts toward the two-hour allowance. This includes Early Access and Advanced Access time. A person who plays 90 minutes before release has only 30 minutes left under the standard two-hour test after release, assuming the purchase is still within its applicable date window.
If the pre-ordered title is not playable
You can request a refund at any point before release. The normal 14-day period does not start until the title releases. After release, the ordinary date and playtime requirements govern the request.
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Wallet funds, bundles and gifts
Steam Wallet funds
Steam Wallet funds purchased directly on Steam may be refundable within 14 days when none of the funds has been used. Spending even part of that balance changes the factual situation, so check the wallet transaction before submitting a request. Steam Wallet cards purchased from another seller are outside Valve’s refund service.
Bundles
A full bundle refund generally requires less than two hours of combined use across the bundle and no transferred items. A bundle can also contain DLC or in-game content that is explicitly non-refundable. Those components can prevent the complete bundle from meeting the eligibility conditions, even when the rest of the package has little or no use.
Gifts
An unredeemed gift follows the standard period and use limits. Once the recipient has redeemed it, the recipient must initiate the refund request. If Valve approves it, the money goes back to the account that originally paid, rather than becoming a new balance for the recipient.
Purchases Valve cannot refund through this service
Valve’s Steam Support refund system does not cover third-party CD keys or Steam Wallet cards bought outside Steam. The retailer or marketplace that took the payment is responsible for those transactions. Hardware and accessories are handled under a separate Steam Hardware Refund Policy, so the game two-hour test is not the right standard for a device.
Steam video content is generally non-refundable. An exception may apply when video is included in a bundle containing other refundable content; the support page evaluates the package under its applicable conditions.
What happens after you submit a request
Valve says an approved refund is issued within one week. The money normally returns to the original payment method. If that method cannot receive the refund, Valve sends the amount to Steam Wallet instead. A support approval and the arrival of funds are therefore separate events: keep the approval notice, then check the original payment account and wallet during the stated week.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFor a purchase outside the standard rules, the same support route is available, but the outcome is a review rather than an automatic entitlement. Include the purchase date, approximate playtime, and any technical or billing facts that explain why the normal test does not reflect your situation.
Common scenarios and the correct next step
- “I played 90 minutes and bought it 10 days ago.” Submit the normal refund request; both standard conditions appear satisfied.
- “I played 2 hours and 5 minutes yesterday.” You can still ask, but the standard under-two-hour condition is exceeded, so approval is not guaranteed.
- “I bought it three weeks ago and barely played.” The 14-day condition is exceeded. Submit a request only if you want Valve to review the circumstances.
- “I used Early Access for an hour before launch.” That hour counts toward the title’s two-hour allowance.
- “I bought DLC, activated its item and want my money back.” Consumption or activation can defeat the DLC’s unused-content condition.
- “I bought a key from a retailer.” Contact that retailer; Valve’s Steam refund service does not cover third-party keys.
- “The game account has a VAC ban.” Valve’s policy removes the right to refund that game.
How to improve the chance of a fair review
- Stop launching or using the product once you decide to seek a refund; additional play can affect the use-time test.
- Check the exact purchase date and recorded playtime in Steam before submitting.
- For DLC, verify that the add-on and its benefits were not consumed, modified or transferred.
- For gifts or bundles, identify who redeemed the item and whether any component or item was transferred.
- Submit through the account that made the purchase, except for a redeemed gift, where the recipient initiates the request.
- Describe the facts accurately. Valve says it may stop offering refunds to accounts it considers abusive; repeated requests intended to obtain free use can therefore put future refund access at risk.
Bottom line for each deadline
For an ordinary Steam game or application, think of the policy as a two-part gate: no more than 14 days since purchase and less than two hours played. DLC, in-game items, subscriptions, pre-orders, gifts, bundles, Wallet funds, video and hardware each add their own conditions. When in doubt, submit the request through Steam Support—Valve will review an out-of-window request, but only the standard conditions provide the normal refund offer.
Quick Recap
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.
