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For a standard game purchase, Valve’s automatic-refund test is a request within 14 days of purchase with less than two hours of playtime. Online, offline, and shared-library playtime count. You can still ask Steam to review a request outside those limits, but approval is discretionary.
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Steam’s standard refund rule
Valve states: “Valve will, upon request via help.steampowered.com, issue a refund for any title that is requested within 14 days of purchase and has been played for less than 2 hours.” That is the clearest eligibility test for an ordinary game purchase.
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“Less than two hours” means the recorded total must remain below two hours. Once Steam shows two hours or more, the request is outside the automatic rule, although you may still submit an explanation for a manual review.
Eligibility at a glance
| Purchase type | Main time test | Other condition |
|---|---|---|
| Standard game | Request within 14 days of purchase; less than two hours played | Online, offline, and shared-library time all count |
| Valve-developed in-game purchase | Request within 48 hours | Item must not have been consumed, modified, or transferred |
| Pre-order | Any time before release | After release, the standard game rule applies from the release date |
| Advanced Access pre-purchase | Before Advanced Access begins | After release, the standard game rule applies from release |
| Redeemed gift | Uses the standard game rule for the title | Recipient must approve removal before the purchaser requests the refund |
| Unredeemed gift | Purchaser submits through Purchases | Gift has not been accepted by the recipient |
| Steam Wallet funds bought on Steam | Within 14 days | None of the funds may have been used |
How to submit a Steam refund request
- Open Steam Support. Go to help.steampowered.com and sign in to the Steam account that made the purchase.
- Open Purchases. Choose Purchases from the support homepage. This shows purchases associated with the signed-in account.
- Select the transaction. Find the game and open its purchase record. If you bought several items in one transaction, select the relevant title shown in the record.
- Describe the problem. Select the option that best matches what went wrong, such as a technical problem, accidental purchase, or another issue. The exact choices can vary by product and transaction.
- Choose the refund command. Click I’d like to request a refund. If that option is available, Steam will take you to the request form.
- Complete the form. Confirm the purchase, choose a reason, and add a concise explanation when Steam provides a message box. For a request outside the normal limits, explain the relevant circumstances and dates rather than repeating a general complaint.
- Choose where the money should go. When offered, select Steam Wallet or the original payment method. Availability depends on the payment method and transaction.
- Submit and save the confirmation. Steam sends a confirmation email after the request. A second email follows when the refund is processed, so keep both messages until the money appears.
If the purchase is not listed in the Purchases workflow, Steam says it is too far outside that workflow’s refund window. You can still try a separate support request and explain why the transaction should be reviewed, but the missing listing is a warning that the automatic route is unavailable.
Check your situation before submitting
- Verify the account. Make sure you are signed in to the account that paid for the purchase. A title bought on another account will not appear in this account’s Purchases list.
- Check the purchase date. Use the transaction record rather than the date you first installed or launched the game.
- Check recorded playtime. Steam’s displayed total includes offline sessions and time played from a shared library. Do not rely only on the hours shown by a third-party launcher.
- Separate the product types. A full game, downloadable content, an in-game item, a pre-order, a gift, and Wallet funds can use different rules.
- Check whether content was used. In-game items that were consumed, changed, or transferred generally fail the special in-game-purchase condition.
- Prepare an honest explanation. If you are outside the normal test, identify the technical failure, duplicate purchase, access problem, or other specific circumstance and state what you want Steam to review.
Use the right test for your purchase
The 14-day and two-hour test is only one part of the decision. Steam also looks at what was purchased, when the relevant event occurred, whether the content was used or transferred, and where the money can be returned. A request can therefore produce a different result from a friend’s request even when both involve the same store.
| Comparison point | Why it matters | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase type | Games, in-game items, pre-orders, gifts, and Wallet funds have separate conditions | Open the exact transaction rather than assuming the game rule applies |
| Relevant date | The calculation may use purchase date, release date, or Advanced Access start | Record the purchase and release details shown by Steam |
| Counted use | Steam totals online, offline, and shared-library game time | Use Steam’s recorded hours, not just your own estimate |
| Consumption or transfer | An in-game item may lose eligibility once consumed, modified, or transferred | Do not spend or move the item while a request is pending |
| Region and statutory rights | EU and UK digital-content withdrawal rules can operate separately | Consider whether downloading started and which right you are using |
| Refund destination | Wallet credit and a payment reversal have different timing | Choose the available destination and retain the confirmation |
Refunds for in-game purchases and downloadable content
Valve-developed in-game purchases
Valve-developed in-game purchases can be refundable within 48 hours if the item has not been consumed, modified, or transferred. “Consumed” includes using an item in a way that changes or spends it; transferring it to another account or player also removes the special eligibility described by Valve.
Third-party in-game purchases
Third-party developers can opt into Steam’s refund support for in-game purchases. Steam tells you at the time of purchase whether a particular item is refundable. The developer’s participation and the item’s use status therefore matter in addition to the transaction date.
When Steam cannot resolve a missing item purchase
For a missing or problematic in-game purchase, Steam advises contacting the game’s support team first. Keep the correspondence and attach it to your Steam request if Steam asks for evidence. This is especially useful when the developer must verify that an item was not delivered or that a transaction malfunctioned.
Pre-orders and Advanced Access
Pre-orders before release
A pre-ordered game can be refunded at any time before its release. You do not need to wait for the standard post-purchase window while the title remains unreleased.
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After the game releases
Once the game has released, the relevant period is measured from release. A request must be made within two weeks of release and the game must have less than two hours of playtime. This applies even if you placed the order much earlier.
Advanced Access
A pre-purchased Advanced Access version can be refunded before Advanced Access starts. After release, the ordinary game test applies from the release date. Playtime recorded during Advanced Access is part of the total Steam playtime used to evaluate the request.
How to refund a gifted Steam game
Unredeemed gifts
If the recipient has not redeemed the gift, the purchaser can open the gift transaction through Purchases and submit the refund request. The money is handled through the purchaser’s transaction, not a new payment to the recipient.
Redeemed gifts
For a redeemed gift, the recipient must first select the gift in Steam Support and approve its removal. After that approval, the purchaser submits the refund request from the purchaser’s account. If the recipient does not approve removal, the purchaser cannot complete this redeemed-gift route.
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EU and UK withdrawal rights
Valve explains that statutory digital-content withdrawal rights in the European Union and United Kingdom generally end 14 days after purchase or when downloading starts, whichever happens first. Starting a download can therefore affect a statutory withdrawal period.
Steam’s voluntary game-refund policy may still be more generous because it uses the separate purchase-and-playtime test. Your result can depend on the country associated with the account, the type of right being exercised, and whether the title meets Steam’s standard conditions.
Refunding Steam Wallet funds
Steam Wallet funds purchased on Steam can be refunded within 14 days if none of those funds have been used. Spending even part of the balance changes the situation, so do not use the funds while deciding whether to request a refund.
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What happens after Steam approves the request
Steam says an approved refund can take up to seven days to appear. Approved Steam Wallet credit may arrive in 24–48 hours. International payment methods can take longer than that general guidance.
| Stage | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Request submitted | A confirmation email acknowledges the request |
| Decision made | A second email states whether Steam approved or declined it |
| Steam Wallet refund | Often visible in 24–48 hours after approval |
| Other payment methods | May take up to seven days generally; international methods can take longer |
| Approval within 24 hours of purchase | The original transaction may be cancelled instead of showing as a separate credit |
When a transaction is cancelled shortly after purchase, a bank can take up to 30 days to confirm the cancellation and release a temporary authorization hold. The absence of a separate refund line does not necessarily mean Steam rejected the request.
A refund does not remove the game’s recorded playtime or achievements from your Steam Community Profile. Those profile records remain even though you no longer own the refunded license.
If the money has not appeared yet
- Check the decision email. Make sure Steam approved the request rather than merely acknowledging it.
- Check the selected destination. Wallet refunds appear in Steam, while a refund to the original method may appear on a card, bank, or payment-provider statement.
- Allow the full window. Steam’s general guidance is up to seven days, Wallet credit may take 24–48 hours, and international methods can take longer.
- Look for a cancellation rather than a credit. Approval within 24 hours can cancel the original transaction. A bank may take up to 30 days to release the authorization hold.
- Contact the payment provider after Steam’s window. Ask about a pending authorization or reversal using the transaction details from Steam.
What to do if Steam declines the request
Steam says purchases significantly outside the 14-day window are not eligible under its normal handling. Nevertheless, Valve also says: “Even if you fall outside of the refund rules we’ve described, you can submit a request and we’ll take a look at it.” That review is not a promise of approval.
- Read the decision email. Confirm which purchase Steam evaluated and whether the issue was timing, playtime, product type, or payment handling.
- Submit a new support request if appropriate. Explain the specific circumstance, include relevant dates, and identify what changed or why the first handling may have been incorrect.
- Use the right support channel for a developer-controlled item. For a third-party in-game purchase, contact the game’s support team first and include that response when returning to Steam Support.
- Check your payment account. If Steam approved a cancellation or refund, allow the stated processing period before treating the transaction as missing. Ask the payment provider about an authorization hold when the purchase was cancelled immediately.
Repeated submissions with no new information are unlikely to change a decision. A clear explanation tied to the exact transaction is more useful than a request that simply restates that you changed your mind.
Common situations and the correct route
| Your situation | Best next step | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| You bought a game recently and barely played it | Use Purchases and the normal refund form | Confirm the title remains below the playtime threshold |
| You played offline before deciding | Submit through Purchases | Offline time is included in Steam’s total |
| You used Family Sharing | Submit through the account and title involved | Shared-library time counts toward the total |
| You bought a pre-order that has not released | Open the pre-order transaction and request a refund | Pre-release requests can be made at any time before release |
| You bought an Advanced Access title | Request before Advanced Access starts, or use the post-release rule afterward | Advanced Access playtime is still recorded playtime |
| You sent a gift that was never redeemed | The purchaser requests the refund | The recipient has not accepted the gift |
| The recipient redeemed the gift | Recipient approves removal; purchaser then submits | Both people must complete their part |
| You bought Wallet funds and spent none | Request through the Wallet transaction | The 14-day Wallet rule requires unused funds |
| The purchase is missing from Purchases | Submit a support request with transaction details | The automatic workflow may no longer be available |
Answers to the questions players ask most
Can I get a Steam refund after two hours?
You can submit a request for review, but a game with two hours or more of counted playtime is outside Valve’s automatic rule. Explain the circumstances clearly; approval is discretionary.
Can I refund a Steam game after 14 days?
You can still ask Steam to review it. The normal guarantee no longer applies, and Steam may decline purchases substantially outside the window.
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Does offline playtime count?
Yes. Steam counts online, offline, and shared-library playtime when applying the game-refund test.
How long do Steam refunds take?
After approval, Steam says refunds can take up to seven days to appear. Steam Wallet credit may show in 24–48 hours, while international payment methods can take longer.
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Will a refund erase my achievements?
No. Refunding does not remove playtime or achievements from your Steam Community Profile.
Who requests a refund for a gift?
The purchaser submits the request. If the gift was redeemed, the recipient must first approve removal in Steam Support. An unredeemed gift can be handled directly by the purchaser through the purchase record.
Can I refund an in-game item?
Valve-developed items can qualify within 48 hours if they were not consumed, modified, or transferred. A third-party developer must opt in, and Steam identifies whether an item is refundable when you buy it.
What if my purchase is not listed?
Steam indicates that the transaction may be too far outside the normal workflow. Submit a support request with the transaction details and explain why you believe it deserves review.
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Does Advanced Access use the purchase date?
A pre-purchased Advanced Access version can be refunded before Advanced Access begins. After release, the ordinary two-week and under-two-hour test applies from the release date, with Advanced Access playtime included in Steam’s recorded total.
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Can unused Steam Wallet funds be refunded?
Wallet funds bought on Steam can be refunded within 14 days if none of the funds have been used. Once any of that balance is spent, the unused-funds condition is no longer met.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Steam’s standard refund deadline?
For a standard game, request the refund within 14 days of purchase and keep Steam-recorded playtime below two hours. Online, offline, and shared-library time counts.
Can Steam refund a game after two hours or 14 days?
You can still submit a request for review and explain the circumstances, but the automatic guarantee no longer applies and approval is discretionary.
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Steam says an approved refund can take up to seven days. Steam Wallet credit may appear in 24–48 hours; international payment methods can take longer.
How do I refund a redeemed gift?
The recipient first selects the gift in Steam Support and approves its removal. The purchaser then submits the refund request from the purchaser’s account.
Do offline and Family Sharing hours count?
Yes. Steam includes online, offline, and shared-library playtime in the total used for the game-refund test.
Can I refund Steam Wallet funds?
Wallet funds purchased on Steam can be refunded within 14 days if none of those funds have been used.
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Use Steam Support’s Purchases route, check the exact product type, and verify the purchase date and Steam-recorded use time. The ordinary rule is 14 days and less than two hours, but gifts, pre-orders, Advanced Access, in-game purchases, Wallet funds, and regional withdrawal rights have separate conditions. Outside the standard limits, you may still ask Steam to review the transaction, but approval is not guaranteed.
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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.
