Bought the wrong Steam game, hit a performance problem, or changed your mind after purchase? Steam handles game and software refunds through Steam Support, and the fastest route is the official purchase help page.
Use the clean path below to submit the request, check the rules that decide standard eligibility, and handle the cases that trip people up, including gifts, pre-orders, denials, and sale price drops.
1. Open the Steam refund page
The fastest starting point is the official Steam Support purchase page: https://help.steampowered.com/en/wizard/HelpWithPurchase, which follows Valve’s How To Request A Refund instructions. Sign in with the Steam account that made the purchase, then follow the refund flow.
- 1.Select Purchases.
- 2.Choose the game or software purchase you want refunded.
- 3.Select the problem you are having with the product.
- 4.Select I'd like to request a refund.
- 5.Open the refund-method drop-down and choose Steam Wallet or the original payment method when Steam offers it.
- 6.Select Submit Request.
If you start from https://help.steampowered.com instead, sign in first. Then open Purchases and use the same options.
2. Check the refund window
Within the standard window: Steam’s standard refund eligibility for games and software bought on Steam is the purchase being within 14 days and the title having under 2 hours of playtime. Submit the request through Purchases. Select the problem you are having with the product. Then choose I'd like to request a refund.
Outside the standard window: submit the request through the same path. Explain the problem for Valve review. Not a refund request: uninstalling the game or removing it from your Library does not send a refund request to Steam.
3. Use the Steam client or Store
The Steam desktop client uses the same Steam Support refund flow: open Steam on Windows, macOS, or Linux. Select Help, choose Steam Support, and open Purchases. Select the game purchase, select the problem you are having with the product, and choose I'd like to request a refund. Pick the refund method, then submit the request form.
In a browser, sign in at https://store.steampowered.com. Select Support, open Purchases, and choose the game. Then select the problem you are having with the product and use I'd like to request a refund.
On a phone or tablet, open https://help.steampowered.com in the browser. Follow the same Purchases path.
4. Approve a Steam gift refund
Unredeemed gifts are handled by the purchaser: sign in to the Steam Help Site. Open Purchases, find the gifted game, and select I would like a refund. Complete the request.
Redeemed gifts need one extra step from the recipient before the purchaser can request the refund. The gift recipient signs in to the Steam Help Site, opens Games, Software, etc., and selects the gifted game. They choose the problem reason and select I'd like to request a refund. They check Allow the original purchaser of this gift to request a refund.
After that, the purchaser opens Purchases. The purchaser selects the gift purchase and chooses I would like a refund. The purchaser completes the refund request. For redeemed gifts, Steam returns the funds to the original purchaser, not the recipient.
5. Refund a Steam pre-order
Use Purchases on the Steam Help Site for pre-orders. Open the Steam Help Site, go to Purchases, and select the pre-ordered game. Choose the problem you are having with the product, then select I'd like to request a refund. Choose the refund method and select Submit Request.
If the pre-ordered title is not playable before release, Steam accepts the refund request any time before release. After release, the standard 14-day and 2-hour period starts on the release date.
Early Access and Advance Access playtime counts toward the 2-hour limit. Beta testing does not count toward that limit.
6. Resubmit after a denial
A denied refund still has one official path left: if Valve handled the request incorrectly, submit a new request for the same purchase so another Valve employee reviews it. Go to https://help.steampowered.com and open Purchases. Select the same purchase, choose the problem you are having with the product, and select I'd like to request a refund. Explain in the message why the denial was an error.
7. Use the right path for sale drops and unknown charges
Steam does not refund only the price difference when a game goes on sale. Sale drop: use the normal refund flow for the original purchase. Open Purchases, select the game, and choose the problem you are having with the product. Then select I'd like to request a refund.
If Steam approves it, buy the game again at the current sale price. Unknown charge: use Steam’s billing support route instead of the ordinary refund route. Go to the Help Site, sign in, and open Purchases. Choose I have charges from Steam that I didn't make, then select Contact Steam Support.
A bank or payment-provider chargeback is not a Steam refund method. Steam’s supported path is Steam Support for refunds or billing problems, and Valve can restrict associated accounts or purchases until a chargeback is resolved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I refund a Steam game after playing more than 2 hours?
Yes. Submit the request through Steam Support. It is outside Steam’s standard 14-day and 2-hour eligibility, so Valve reviews it instead of treating it as a standard automatic request.
Can Steam refund my original payment method?
Steam lets you choose the refund destination from the refund-method drop-down. The options include Steam Wallet and the original payment method when Steam offers that option.
Do I get the money if someone refunds a Steam gift I redeemed?
No. For a redeemed Steam gift, the recipient first allows the original purchaser to request the refund, and Steam returns the funds to the original purchaser.
Can I get a partial Steam refund after a game goes on sale?
No. Steam does not refund only the price difference. Request a refund for the original purchase, then repurchase the game at the sale price after approval.