Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
For a game bought on the Steam Store, the standard refund window is less than 14 days after purchase and less than two hours of playtime. Those conditions are Steam’s usual policy, not a guarantee that every request will be approved. You submit a request through Steam Support; Steam says approved refunds are issued within a week.
Check the rules before you buy
Steam’s policy depends on what you are buying, where you buy it, and—in some cases—whether you have used or transferred the content. The official Steam Refunds policy, last updated April 23, 2024, says requests can be made for nearly any Steam purchase, but the applicable time limits and conditions still matter.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Visa Virtual eGift Card | $54.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Visa Virtual eGift Card | $28.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Visa Virtual eGift Card | $105.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
$500 Apple Gift Card—Email Delivery | $500.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Visa Virtual eGift Card | $206.95 | Buy on Amazon |
Games and software
For games and software bought on the Steam Store, request a refund within 14 days of purchase and with less than two hours of recorded playtime. Steam may review requests outside those limits, but it does not promise to approve them.
Early Access, Advance Access, and pre-purchases
For Early Access and Advance Access games, playtime counts toward the two-hour limit as soon as you buy the game, while the 14-day period begins on the game’s release date. If you pre-purchase a game that cannot be played before release, you can request a refund any time before release; the normal 14-day and two-hour limits begin on release.
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match#1 Best Overall
- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
DLC and in-game purchases
Steam Store DLC can generally be refunded within 14 days if you have played the base game for less than two hours since buying the DLC and have not consumed, modified, or transferred the DLC. Some third-party DLC is marked nonrefundable at purchase when it cannot be reversed.
For in-game purchases in Valve-developed games, Steam allows refunds within 48 hours if the item has not been consumed, modified, or transferred. For games from other developers, refunds depend on whether the developer enables them; Steam says it discloses availability at the time of purchase.
Rank #2
- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Wallet funds and subscriptions
Steam Wallet funds bought on Steam may be refunded within 14 days if none of the funds have been used. For a renewable subscription, you may request a refund within 48 hours of the initial purchase or automatic renewal if you have not used it in the current billing cycle. Using a game, benefit, or discount during that cycle counts as use under the policy.
Bundles and gifts
A full bundle refund requires that none of its items have been transferred and that combined playtime across the bundle is under two hours. Steam identifies nonrefundable DLC or in-game items at checkout when they affect eligibility.
Rank #3
- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
An unredeemed gift follows the standard 14-day and under-two-hour window. For a redeemed gift, the recipient must initiate the refund request under the same conditions; if approved, the money goes back to the original purchaser.
Purchases that do not follow the standard process
Steam says video content is not refundable unless it was bundled with other refundable content. A VAC ban removes the right to refund the affected game. Hardware and accessories have a separate policy, rather than the game-refund rules.
Rank #4
- For all things Apple - products, accessories, apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, iCloud+, and more.
- Perfect for App Store purchases and subscriptions—get apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, and more.
- The perfect gift to say happy birthday, thank you, congratulations, and more.
- Available in $15 - 500, Card delivered via email or SMS
- Use it for purchases at any Apple Store location, on the Apple Store app, apple.com, the App Store, iTunes, Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple News+, Apple Books, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, Fitness+, Apple One, and other Apple properties in US only
Valve cannot refund purchases made outside Steam, including third-party CD keys and Steam Wallet cards. Buying a key elsewhere therefore means contacting the seller, not asking Steam to return the purchase price.
How to request a Steam refund
- Go to Steam Support and sign in to the account that made the purchase.
- Choose the purchase you want help with and follow the refund options shown for it. If it is not listed, use Steam Support’s purchase-help flow to locate it.
- Submit the refund request and provide the requested reason or details. A request outside the usual conditions can still be submitted for review, but approval is not assured.
- If Steam approves it, the full refund is issued within a week to your Steam Wallet or original payment method. If the original method cannot accept the refund, Steam credits your Steam Wallet.
What to check when deciding whether to buy
- Confirm the seller: Steam’s refund process applies to purchases made on Steam, not external keys or wallet cards.
- Track both limits: For a standard game or software purchase, note the purchase date and keep recorded playtime below two hours if you may need to request a refund.
- Check the item-specific terms: DLC, in-game items, subscriptions, gifts, bundles, and pre-release games have distinct conditions, including use, transfer, or release-date rules.
- Look for checkout notices: Steam may identify nonrefundable content or developer-enabled in-game purchase refunds before you complete a transaction.
Steam describes refunds as a way to remove purchase risk, not to obtain free games. It says it may stop offering refunds if it considers a customer to be abusing the system, while specifically noting that requesting a refund to rebuy a game at a sale price is not abuse.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Best Value
- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Steam also notes that consumers in some jurisdictions may have additional rights for faulty games. Those rights depend on local law; Steam’s general policy page does not establish what applies in every country.
Quick Recap
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.
