Take you bought a game on Steam and realized it isn't your cup of tea? That your system tin't run information technology smoothly? Or establish that it's gone on sale the side by side mean solar day?

Whatever the reason, it's really easy to refund a game on Steam. We're going to evidence you lot the process, forth with detailing the Steam refund policy.

What Is the Steam Refund Policy?

You can refund most games that yous buy directly through Steam. You lot can also refund games that someone has gifted to y'all, with the money returned to the original purchaser.

Steam has a refund policy, which it follows to determine whether you lot are eligible to become your money back:

  • You must request the refund within fourteen days of purchase, or within xiv days of the game'due south release if information technology was a pre-order.
  • You must have played the game for less than two hours.

You can withal asking a refund even if your purchase doesn't laissez passer the two eligibility rules. Steam volition manually review your request and decide, though information technology'due south nether no obligation to give you a refund. Therefore, it'southward important to give equally much detail as possible why you want a refund.

How the Steam Refund Policy Works for Other Purchases

The rules are similar for well-nigh DLC: request a refund within 14 days, and y'all must have less than two hours of playtime on the base of operations game after purchasing the DLC. Be aware that some DLC isn't refundable, simply Steam will brandish this on the Store folio.

steam bundle

Package purchases count as a single package, and so yous must have less than two hours of playtime across all the games in the parcel. You tin can't refund individual games from a packet.

If Valve's anti-cheat system has banned you on a game, y'all cannot refund it. Also, game keys you lot purchased elsewhere and activated through Steam are not refundable.

In-game purchases work differently. Steam volition offer refunds for in-game purchases on any Valve-developed games within 48 hours of purchase, providing yous oasis't consumed, modified, or transferred the game. 3rd-party developers tin use this organization and Steam will notify you of that at the bespeak of purchase—otherwise, the purchase is not refundable.

Why Can You Refund a Game on Steam?

Steam hasn't designed its refund policy as a way for you to get gratuitous games.

You lot can utilise it to refund games you don't like for several reasons: if it doesn't work on your system, yous purchased it accidentally, or it's but non fun. It's fifty-fifty adequate to refund a game that goes on sale before long after you lot buy it.

That said, if Valve believes y'all are abusing the system, it might terminate offering yous refunds.

You tin can discover further data on Valve's refund policy on the Steam Refunds folio.

How to Refund a Game on Steam

request a steam refund
  1. Go to help.steampowered.com and log in to your Steam account.
  2. Click Purchases.
  3. Click the game you want to refund. If y'all don't see it on this list, it's definitely not eligible for a refund.
  4. Click I would like a refund.
  5. Information technology will offer y'all tips on how to fix gameplay or technical issues. Assuming y'all don't want this, click I'd like to request a refund.
  6. Use the Choose refund method drop-downward to select where you desire to receive the refunded money. This tin be to your Steam Wallet or the original payment source (similar PayPal), providing your payment provider supports it.
  7. Utilise the Reason drop-down to explain why yous are requesting a refund.
  8. If you have any comments, place them in the Notes field.
  9. Click Submit request. You volition receive an email confirmation of your request. Within a week, another email volition follow this to accept or deny the refund.

Does Steam Offer a Fair Refund Policy?

In the early on years of Steam, its refund policy was murky, and y'all had to deal with slow client service representatives. Now, it'south quick and easy to request a refund on any Steam purchase thanks to its off-white refund policy.

Steam'due south refund policy is like that of the Epic Games Store, though many people consider the erstwhile to be the superior game service.

Steam vs. Epic Games Store: Which Is Best?

Read Side by side

About The Writer

Joe Keeley (863 Manufactures Published)

Joe was built-in with a keyboard in his easily and immediately started writing well-nigh technology. He has a BA (Hons) in Business and is at present a full-time freelance writer who enjoys making tech unproblematic for everyone.

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