Steam Refund Policy Explained: 14 Days, 2 Hours and How to Request One
Published 2026-10-20
Steam lets you request a refund for almost any purchase, for any reason, as long as you ask within the refund period and, for games, have played less than two hours. This page summarizes Valve's official refund policy (last updated 23 April 2024 on the official page; we checked it on 2026-10-20). Rules can change, so confirm on the official page before you pay.
The basic rule: 14 days and 2 hours
| What you bought | Refund condition |
|---|---|
| Games and software | Requested within 14 days of purchase and played for less than 2 hours |
| DLC | Within 14 days of purchase, the underlying game played less than 2 hours since the DLC was bought, and the DLC not consumed, modified or transferred (some third-party DLC is marked non-refundable on the store page) |
| In-game purchases | Valve-developed games: within 48 hours if the item is unused. Third-party games: only if the developer enabled refunds (shown before you buy) |
| Pre-purchases | The 2-hour limit applies, but the 14 days start on the release date. If the game cannot be played before release, you can ask for a refund any time before release. Early Access or Advance Access playtime counts toward the 2 hours |
| Steam Wallet funds | Within 14 days of purchase if none of the funds were used |
| Renewable subscriptions | Within 48 hours of the first payment or any automatic renewal, if not used in that billing cycle |
| Bundles | Full refund if nothing in the bundle was transferred and total playtime is under 2 hours. If a bundle contains a non-refundable in-game item or DLC, Steam tells you at checkout whether the whole bundle can be refunded |
| Gifts | Unredeemed gifts: 14 days / 2 hours. Redeemed gifts: the recipient can request it under the same conditions; the money goes back to the buyer |
| Steam hardware | Follows the separate Hardware Refund Policy |
What cannot be refunded
- Purchases made outside Steam, such as CD keys or Steam wallet cards bought from third parties
- A game on which you received a VAC (Valve Anti-Cheat) ban
- Video content (movies, series, tutorials), unless it is in a bundle with refundable non-video content
How to request a refund and when you get the money
Request it, or get other help with a Steam purchase, at help.steampowered.com. Once approved you receive the full amount within a week, as Steam Wallet funds or through the payment method you used. If the original payment method cannot take a refund, the money goes to your Steam Wallet. Even if you are outside the rules, you can still ask and Steam will take a look. In some countries you may have extra consumer rights if a game is faulty.
Is it abuse if the price drops after I buy?
Refunds are meant to remove the risk of buying, not to play games for free. Steam says it does not consider it abuse to refund a game bought just before a sale and then immediately buy it again at the sale price.
Frequently asked questions
- How many hours can I play before a Steam refund?
- Less than two hours, and the request must be made within 14 days of purchase.
- Where do I ask for a refund or report a payment problem?
- At help.steampowered.com, which Steam names as the place for refund requests and other help with purchases.
- Do Epic Games Store, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo use the same rules?
- Not necessarily. This page only covers Steam. For other platforms, check their official support pages.
Looking for what is on sale now? See the Korean game hub for current Steam deals, the free Epic games and the sale calendar (Korean, with dates in Korean time).
Sources
- Valve: Steam Refunds (official, updated 23 April 2024) — checked 2026-10-20
- Steam Support — checked 2026-10-20
Related (Korean): Korean version (스팀 환불 규정)
Questions about how this was built? Dev FAQ