Steam uses two different redemption paths, and the wrong page is what usually blocks a code from working. Wallet and Gift Card codes add money to your Steam Wallet. Product keys, game keys, CD keys, and supported DLC keys register content to your Steam account.
Use the steps below to redeem the right code in the right place, whether you're on the Steam website, desktop client, mobile app, or a retailer account.
Choose the right Steam code page first
The most common mistake is entering a Wallet code on the product key page, or a game key on the Wallet page. Use the Steam Gift Card and Wallet Code page for a Steam Gift Card or Steam Wallet Code. Sign in with SIGN IN, enter the code, and select Continue.
Use the product registration page for a Steam product key, game key, CD key, or supported DLC key. Enter the key in Product Code, check the agreement box for the Steam Subscriber Agreement, and select Continue.
Redeem a Steam Wallet or Gift Card code online
Open Steam's Wallet Code redemption page in a desktop or mobile browser. Sign in when Steam shows SIGN IN.
Enter the Steam Wallet code exactly as provided, then select Continue. Steam applies the value through the Gift Card and Wallet Code flow. If this method fails, redeem the same Wallet code inside the Steam desktop client or the Steam Mobile App.
Activate a Steam game key in your browser
Go to Steam's product registration page in your browser. Sign in to the Steam account that should own the game. Enter the key in Product Code.
Check the box agreeing to the Steam Subscriber Agreement. Select Continue. Use this same product registration page in a mobile browser on iPhone, iPad, or Android.
Use the Steam desktop client for product keys
The desktop client gives you two current routes into Steam's product activation flow.
- 1.Launch the Steam client and sign in to the right Steam account.
- 2.Open Games at the top of the Steam client.
- 3.Choose Activate a Product on Steam... and follow the onscreen instructions.
- 4.Or select + Add a Game in the bottom-left corner.
- 5.Choose Activate a Product on Steam... and follow the onscreen instructions.
Redeem a Wallet code in the Steam desktop client
The most common desktop-client mix-up is using Activate a Product on Steam... for a Gift Card or Wallet Code. Open the Steam client and click your username or avatar in the top-right corner. Choose View my Wallet.
Select Redeem a Steam Gift Card or Wallet Code. Enter the code, then choose Continue.
Use the Steam Mobile app for Wallet codes
Open the Steam Mobile App on your phone. Steam's current mobile app runs on iOS 15.1 or later and Android 7.0 or later.
Tap your profile picture in the top-right corner, then tap Wallet. Choose Redeem a Steam Gift Card or Wallet Code.
Enter the code and tap Continue. For product keys, use a mobile browser and Steam's product registration page instead.
Redeem a key from a retailer account
This fixes retailer purchases that give you a Steam key or a Steam redemption button. Menu names differ by store, so the steps below follow Fanatical's current flow as the worked example.
Open the Fanatical account that sold you the game. Go to Your Account. Open Order History and Keys.
Select View Order and Keys. Choose Reveal Key. Select Redeem.
At any other retailer, find the Steam key in that store's order, library, or keys area, or follow that retailer's own activation instructions. Then redeem the key on Steam's product registration page or through the Steam desktop client. Sign in to Steam when prompted, confirm the code on Steam's page, and choose Continue.
Handle damaged codes and old advice
Go to Steam Support when a physical Steam Gift Card or Wallet Code is damaged or unreadable. Sign in and choose the Wallet Code issue path for a damaged or unreadable code.
Provide a clear photo or scan of the entire back side of the Steam Gift Card and a matching retail receipt. Contact the retailer instead when the code was printed directly on the receipt.
Skip older Steam Deck Game Mode activation paths and old claims that product keys require the desktop client. Use Steam's current product registration page in a browser, or use the desktop client through Games or + Add a Game.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I redeem a Steam game key on my phone?
Yes. Open a mobile browser, go to Steam's product registration page, sign in, enter the key in Product Code, agree to the Steam Subscriber Agreement, and tap Continue.
Are Steam Wallet codes and Steam product keys the same thing?
No. Wallet and Gift Card codes add funds to your Steam Wallet. Product keys, game keys, CD keys, and supported DLC keys are activated through Steam product registration.
Can I move a redeemed Steam product key to another account?
No. Current retailer guidance says once a product key is activated, it is locked to that Steam account and cannot be redeemed again by another consumer account.
Why would a game activated with a Steam key disappear later?
Steamworks partner tools allow publishers or developers to ban or disable keys, and Valve warns that banning keys can revoke access from users.