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How Long Can I Play a Game on Steam and Still Return It?

Steam’s standard refund policy requires a request within 14 days and less than two hours of recorded playtime. Special purchase types have different rules.
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For Steam’s standard refund policy, request a refund within 14 days of purchase and keep recorded playtime below two hours. Both limits apply. They are eligibility guidelines, not a guarantee: Valve says you can still submit a request outside them, but approval is not assured. [Steam Refunds policy]

How Steam’s two-hour and 14-day limits work

The standard rule for games and software applications has two parts: the request must be made within 14 days of purchase, and the game must have less than two hours of recorded playtime. Meeting only one condition is not enough for the standard offer.

Steam’s policy page, marked last updated April 23, 2024, says customers outside these rules can still ask and Valve will review the request. That is an opportunity to appeal, not an exception that guarantees a refund. [Valve’s policy]

What if I have played for more than two hours or waited more than 14 days?

You can still submit a refund request through Steam Support, but it falls outside the standard eligibility conditions. Valve says it will take a look; the policy does not promise approval. If either limit has passed, explain the circumstances clearly in your request rather than assuming the refund will be granted.

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How the policy applies to different purchases

Some Steam purchases use separate deadlines or conditions. Check the purchase type before relying on the standard game rule.

Purchase type Deadline and usage condition Important qualification
Game or software application Request within 14 days of purchase; less than two hours of playtime. Valve may review requests outside these limits, but does not guarantee approval.
Pre-purchased game The 14-day period begins on release; the two-hour limit still applies. If the game cannot be played before release, a refund can be requested any time before release. Early Access and Advanced Access play counts toward the two-hour limit.
Steam-store DLC Generally, request within 14 days of purchase, with less than two hours played in the underlying game since the DLC purchase. The DLC must not have been consumed, modified, or transferred. Some third-party DLC is marked nonrefundable before purchase.
In-game purchase In Valve-developed games, request within 48 hours. The item must not have been consumed, modified, or transferred. Other developers may opt in; Steam states eligibility at purchase.
Bundle A full bundle refund requires combined use below two hours. No items may have been transferred. Steam indicates at checkout if a nonrefundable item makes the bundle nonrefundable.
Third-party key or other purchase outside Steam Steam does not refund purchases made outside its store. This includes CD keys purchased from third parties.

Steam’s policy covers other categories, including subscriptions, gifts, Wallet funds, and hardware, under their own terms. Check the official policy for the relevant purchase type rather than applying the game’s two-hour rule to them. [Steam Refunds policy]

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How to request a Steam refund

  1. Go to help.steampowered.com and sign in to the account that made the purchase.
  2. Open the relevant purchase and follow Steam Support’s refund request flow. Include a clear explanation if you are outside the standard limits.
  3. Wait for Steam’s decision. Steam says approved refunds are issued within a week.

An approved refund is returned to Steam Wallet or, where the original payment method supports refunds in your country, to that original method. Otherwise, Steam credits the Wallet. [Steam Refunds policy]

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Other refund limits to know

  • A VAC ban removes the right to refund the affected game.
  • Steam says refunds are meant to remove purchase risk, not provide free games, and it may stop offering refunds if it considers someone to be abusing the system.
  • Steam explicitly says refunding a game and buying it again during a sale is not abuse.

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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