Steam Refund Policy: What You Should Know (Updated for 2025)

If you want to get a refund from the online gaming platform Steam, you’re in luck. Steam has a more than fair refund policy for its consumers. Still, you have to follow the right steps and adhere to strict deadlines to get your money back. Here’s everything you need to know about Steam’s refund policy.

How to Request a Refund From Steam

Per Steam’s refund policy, you must meet these prerequisites to refund a game:

• You must have ordered the game less than 14 days beforehand.
• You must have played the game for less than two hours.

These deadlines give players enough time to return any accidental purchases, determine if their PCs can handle the games, and most importantly, see if they actually like the products. Whatever the reason, Steam will give you a refund with no questions asked as long as you take action within the deadline.

Here’s a short step-by-step guide to getting a refund on Steam:

1. Check the time played on your game. Steam provides this information when you select the game in your library.

2. Go to the Steam App’s main page. You will see a “Help” icon at the top of the screen.

3. Click “Help,” then select the “Steam Support” option in the dropdown menu.

4. Ignore the list of recent purchases and scroll down to click on the “Purchases” tab.

5. Select the game you want to refund and choose the “I would like a refund” option.

6. Steam gives you the option to add the refunded money to your Steam wallet or return it to your original payment method (credit card, PayPal, etc.). Choose the refund option you want.

7. Steam also asks you to describe the reason for your refund. Select a reason from the dropdown options or write something in the “Notes” textbox.

8. Finally, click on “Submit Request.” Steam will email you a reference code and the results of your request within the hour.

You can still request a refund if the deadlines have already passed, but the Steam Support staff will likely not approve the request. They strictly enforce the deadline and track every second the game is open, even when paused or minimized. Keep that in mind when playing a new game that you’re on the fence about.

However, Steam has approved refund requests after the two-hour limit in the past due to several players having login issues with Helldivers 2. Despite playing the game for hundreds of hours, many users reported receiving refunds. While Steam rejected some players for a refund, many found that requesting more than once or opening a support ticket instead worked.

Steam also offers refunds for more than video games, although some of the time frames are different. You can get your money back from the following expenses:

• In-game purchases (within 48 hours of initial purchase)
• Pre-purchases titles
• Subscriptions (within 48 hours of initial purchase or the most recent automatic renewal)
• Bundles
• Gifts
• Steam hardware

Refund Restrictions

Steam is generous with its refunds, but they have security measures in place to prevent people from taking advantage of the policy. Assuming you submitted the request within the deadline, there are only two reasons they won’t give you a refund:

• If you have been banned by the Valve Anti-Cheat system (VAC) for cheating on a specific game, you lose the right to refund that game.

• If Steam judges that you abused its policy in the past, it can revoke your right to future refunds. The Support staff monitors your refund history and can easily notice patterns in your behavior, such as refunding games just before the deadline.

As long as you play by the rules and stay within the established time frame, Steam will accept your refund with no problems.

Controversy With Steam’s Refund Policy

Refunding a game on Steam might be straightforward and convenient, but the two-week and two-hour deadlines have stirred up some controversy in the gaming community.

Steam implemented these policies to ward off untrustworthy consumers who like to exploit online games. However, some games can easily be completed in less than two hours. This loophole has left smaller indie video games vulnerable to significant revenue losses. One developer, Emika Games, had to step away after its popular game Summer of ‘58 got refunded into oblivion on Steam.

Another unnamed developer had the same problem with its game Before Your Eyes. The gameplay is only 90 minutes long, which leaves it exposed to the same loophole as Summer of ‘58. Steam user Bella Messex released a tweet criticizing the flaw in Steam’s refund policy, and it has since gone viral.

What can Steam do about this issue? The gaming community is divided on this question. Some think they should reduce the two-hour limit, but that could give rise to other problems. It would prevent consumers from thoroughly testing their PCs on AAA (high-budget) games and decrease developer accountability for late-game bugs.

Some have also suggested adding stipulations to the two-hour limit, such as only applying it to AAA games and assigning a different deadline to indie developers like Emika. However, that creates another debate on what qualifies as indie or AAA. It’s a paradoxical situation that helps honest consumers but hurts aspiring developers.

Frequently Asked Questions About Steam’s Refund Policy

Steam’s refund policy is fairly straightforward. However, there are a few lesser-known details that can impact whether your request gets approved. Below are some common questions users have about refunds on Steam.

Can I Refund a Game If I Pre-Ordered It?

Yes, you can refund pre-ordered games at any time before release. After the game launches, the standard refund policy applies.

Can I Request a Refund for a Bundle?

You can get a refund for game bundles, but only if you haven’t played any of the included titles for more than two hours or transferred any of the items in the bundle. Additionally, Steam may not grant refunds if the bundle contains any non-refundable content, such as consumable in-game items.

Are Steam Wallet Funds Refundable?

If you’ve added money to your Steam Wallet but haven’t used any of it, you can request a refund within 14 days of purchase. However, if you’ve spent any of the funds, the remaining balance is non-refundable.

Can I Refund a Game Purchased From a Third-Party Retailer?

No, Steam only processes refunds for purchases made directly through its platform. If you bought a Steam game from a third-party site, you’ll need to follow that retailer’s refund policy.

What Happens If I Request Too Many Refunds?

If Steam detects that you’re frequently requesting refunds, it may flag your account for potential abuse. While there’s no limit to the amount of requests you submit for eligible purchases, Steam may deny future ones if it believes you’re misusing the system.

Can I Get a Refund If I Accidentally Purchased the Wrong Game?

As long as you meet the 14-day window and two-hour playtime limit, you can request a refund for an accidental purchase. Just select “I purchased this by accident” when submitting your request.

Are Steam Gift Card Purchases Refundable?

Steam gift cards are refundable within the 14-day window, regardless of whether you redeemed them or not. As long as you haven’t used the gift card, you can receive the money back if you’re the original purchaser.

Steam Still Going Strong

Even with the loophole in its refund policy, Steam remains one of the most prominent and trustworthy online gaming platform. With over 37 million users worldwide and constant additions to its game catalogue, the company can afford to take its time in sorting out the refund issue. For now, it continues to support a wide variety of developers with thousands of entertaining games.

Original Publish Date 3/2/2022 — Updated 2/28/2025