Steam (Valve) refund policy
14 days from the purchase date
Eligibility window
| Refund window | 14 days from the purchase date |
|---|---|
| Playtime rule | Less than 2 hours of playtime. Online, offline, and Steam Family shared playtime all count. |
Non-refundable cases
- Video content (movies, documentaries)
- Third-party CD keys / activation codes bought outside Steam
- Physical gift cards
- Games with an active VAC ban on the account
- DLC or in-game items that have been consumed, modified, or transferred
Worth knowing
- DLC is refundable within 14 days if the base game has been played under 2 hours since the DLC purchase and the DLC is not consumed.
- Valve-developed in-game purchases are refundable within 48 hours if not consumed, modified, or transferred.
- Pre-orders are refundable any time before release; after release the standard 14-day / 2-hour window applies.
- Steam Wallet funds are refundable within 14 days if not spent. Renewable subscriptions are refundable within 48 hours if unused in the billing cycle.
How to request a refund
- Open help.steampowered.com and sign in
- Go to “Purchases” and select the game or item
- Choose a problem category, then “I’d like to request a refund”
- Pick a reason and refund method (Steam Wallet or original payment)
- Submit — most eligible requests are approved within a few hours to a few days
Check your eligibility
Run your purchase through the Refund Eligibility Checker before you submit.
Open tools →All platforms
Compare windows across Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, EA, Epic, Nintendo, and Riot.
Back to hub →Source & verification
- Primary: Steam Refund Policy (store.steampowered.com/steam_refunds)
- Retrieved and verified: 2026-08-16. Policies change — confirm with the official policy before acting.