Steam refunds work through a two-week window, and you request them directly from Valve

Steam gives you 14 days from purchase and up to two hours of playtime to request a refund on most games. You do not need a reason, and Valve does not ask you to explain why. The refund goes back to your Steam Wallet (the account credit inside Steam) by default, though you can request it return to your original payment method instead. Most refunds process within a week, though it can take longer if you used a credit card or bank account.

The refund window is a hard limit. If you bought a game 15 days ago or have played it for more than two hours, Steam will deny the request automatically. There is no appeal process, no exception for technical problems, and no way to extend the window. The only exception is if a game is genuinely unplayable on your system — a crash on launch, for instance — in which case you can contact Steam Support directly and explain the technical issue.

Key Takeaways

  • You have 14 days from purchase and up to two hours of playtime to request a refund, whichever comes first.
  • Refunds return to your Steam Wallet by default, but you can choose to have the money sent back to your credit card or bank account instead.
  • The refund window is automatic and cannot be extended, even if you contact Steam Support.
  • Most refunds process within a week, but refunds to a credit card or bank account can take up to 30 days depending on your bank.

How to request a refund through your Steam account

Log into your Steam account on a web browser (not the Steam app). Go to your account name in the top right corner and select "Account details." Click "Purchase history" on the left side. Find the game you want to refund and click the three-dot menu icon next to it, then select "Request a refund."

Steam will ask you to choose a reason from a dropdown menu — "It's not what I expected," "It doesn't run well on my computer," or "I have another reason." Your choice does not affect whether you get the refund. Select any reason and click "Next." Steam will then show you the refund amount and ask you to confirm. Click "Submit request" and you are done. You will see a confirmation message on screen and receive an email from Steam confirming the request was received.

Do not close the browser tab or log out when ready after submitting. Wait for the page to fully load and show the confirmation. If you see an error message instead, the request did not go through — try again from your purchase history.

Where the refund money goes and how long it takes

By default, refunds land in your Steam Wallet as account credit. You can spend this credit on any game, software, or in-game purchase on Steam. If you want the money back to your credit card or bank account instead, you must choose that option during the refund request. Steam will ask "How would you like to be refunded?" and give you two choices: "Steam Wallet" or "Original payment method." Select "Original payment method" before you submit the request.

Refunds to your Steam Wallet usually show up within three to five business days. Refunds to a credit card typically take five to ten business days, but your bank may hold the credit for another week or two before it appears in your account. Refunds to a bank account can take up to 30 days because the money has to move through the banking system. If you do not see the refund after these timeframes, contact your bank or credit card company — the delay is usually on their end, not Steam's.

What counts toward your two-hour playtime limit

Steam counts only the time you actually spend in the game. If you launch a game and leave it running in the background while you do something else, that time still counts. If you play for one hour and 45 minutes, then close the game, you have 15 minutes of playtime left before you hit the two-hour limit and lose refund may be able to access.

Playtime resets if you refund the game and buy it again later. You get a fresh 14 days and two hours on the second purchase. However, if Steam suspects you are using refunds to play games for free repeatedly, they may restrict your refund access — though this is rare and usually only happens after many refund requests in a short period.

Games and content that cannot be refunded

Some purchases fall outside the refund policy. Games purchased more than 14 days ago or with more than two hours of playtime cannot be refunded, even if you contact Steam Support. In-game purchases — cosmetics, battle pass items, currency packs — are almost never refundable once bought. DLC (downloadable content) for games follows the same 14-day, two-hour rule as the base game.

Pre-orders can be refunded up until the game is released, at which point the standard 14-day window begins. Bundles can be refunded as a whole, but you cannot refund individual games within a bundle and keep the others. If you bought a three-game bundle and want to refund one game, you have to refund the entire bundle.

What to do if your refund request is denied

If Steam automatically denies your request because you are outside the 14-day window or over two hours of playtime, you cannot appeal through the refund system. Your only option is to contact Steam Support directly and explain your situation. Go to help.steampowered.com, click "Contact Steam Support," and describe the problem — for example, if the game crashes on launch and is unplayable, or if you were charged twice by accident.

Steam Support will review your account and the purchase. They may grant an exception if there is a genuine technical issue, but they will not override the refund policy straightforward because you changed your mind or played the game too long. Response times from Steam Support vary from a few hours to several days depending on how busy they are. Do not submit multiple requests for the same game — this slows down the process.

Refunds for games purchased with Steam gift cards or account credit

If you bought a game using Steam Wallet credit (money already in your account), the refund goes back into your Steam Wallet. You cannot get that money back to your bank account or credit card — it stays as account credit on Steam. This is the same whether the credit came from a gift card, a previous refund, or money you added yourself.

If you received a game as a gift and want to refund it, you can do so within the 14-day, two-hour window. The refund goes to the gift giver's Steam Wallet, not yours. The person who bought the game will see the refund appear in their account, and they can then spend it on another game or request it be sent to their original payment method.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I refund a game if I played it for exactly two hours?

No. The limit is up to two hours, meaning two hours is the maximum. If your playtime is 2:00 or higher, you are over the limit and cannot refund. You need to stay under two hours — 1:59 or less.

What if I bought a game on sale and the price drops further after my refund?

You get refunded the amount you paid, not the current price. If you bought a game for $20 on sale and it drops to $10 a week later, your refund is $20. You can then buy it again at the new $10 price if you want.

Do I lose my save files when I refund a game?

Your save files stay on your computer, but Steam will remove the game from your library. If you buy the game again later, your old save files may still be there depending on where the game stores them. Some games store saves in the cloud and will sync them back; others store them locally and you may need to manually restore them.

Can I refund a game if I used a Steam code to buy it?

Yes, if you activated the code within the last 14 days and have not played for more than two hours. The refund goes back to your Steam Wallet, not to whoever gave you the code. You cannot get a refund back to the person who purchased the code.

What happens if Steam refunds my money but I never received it?

Check your Steam Wallet first — the refund may have landed there instead of your bank account. If it went to your original payment method, contact your bank or credit card company to ask if the refund is pending. Refunds can take up to 30 days to appear. If more than 30 days have passed, contact Steam Support with your transaction ID and ask them to investigate.