Steam refunds are handled by Valve, not the game publisher, and you can return most games within 14 days of purchase if you've played for fewer than two hours

When you buy a game on Steam and change your mind, you request a refund directly through your Steam account. Valve processes the request and returns the money to your original payment method — usually your credit card, debit card, or Steam Wallet — within 5 to 10 business days. The refund covers the full purchase price, including any discount you received at the time of sale.

The two limits that matter are 14 calendar days since purchase and under two hours of playtime. Both conditions must be true. If you bought a game 10 days ago but played it for three hours, you cannot refund it. If you played it for 45 minutes but bought it 20 days ago, you cannot refund it either. Steam counts total playtime across all your accounts on that computer, so launching the game multiple times adds up.

You do not need a reason to request a refund within these limits. Steam does not ask why. You straightforward go to your purchase history, find the game, and click the refund button. Valve almost always approves refunds that meet the time and playtime rules.

Key Takeaways

  • You have 14 days from purchase to request a refund, and you must have played the game for fewer than two hours total.
  • Refunds go back to your original payment method or Steam Wallet within 5 to 10 business days.
  • Some games, software, and in-game purchases cannot be refunded even if they meet the time and playtime limits.
  • If you exceed the two-hour limit or 14-day window, you can still request a refund, but Valve will likely deny it unless the game is unplayable.
  • Pre-orders follow the same rules: the 14-day clock starts when the game releases, not when you pre-purchase.

Where the refund request happens

Log into your Steam account on a web browser or the Steam client. Go to your account name in the top right, then select Account from the dropdown menu. 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 show you the purchase date, playtime, and whether you are within the refund window. If you are, you can proceed. If you are not, Steam will tell you so before you submit the request. You can still submit a request outside the window — Valve will straightforward review it and deny it in most cases.

After you submit, Steam sends a confirmation email. The refund status appears in your account under Help > Steam Support > Purchases. You can check there to see whether Valve has approved or denied your request.

Games and content you cannot refund

Even if a game is within the 14-day, two-hour window, some titles and types of content cannot be refunded. In-game purchases — cosmetics, battle pass tiers, virtual currency, season passes — are non-refundable once bought. If you spent $20 on cosmetic skins and then regretted it, you cannot get that money back.

DLC (downloadable content) and software follow the same rule as games: 14 days and two hours. But some DLC is tied to the base game. If you refund the base game, the DLC refunds automatically. If you refund only the DLC, the base game stays in your library.

Games marked as Early Access can be refunded under the same rules, but the developer's description should tell you the game is unfinished. Some games are also region-locked or have restrictions that prevent refunds in certain countries. Steam will tell you if a game cannot be refunded before you buy it.

What happens after Valve approves your refund

Once Valve approves your request, the game is removed from your library within a few hours. You lose access to it when ready — you cannot play it anymore, and you cannot read it again unless you buy it a second time. Any progress, achievements, or saves are gone.

The money itself takes 5 to 10 business days to appear. If you paid with a credit card or debit card, the refund goes back to that card. If you paid with a gift card or used Steam Wallet funds, the money returns to your Steam Wallet balance. You can then spend it on another game or leave it there.

If your refund does not appear after 10 business days, check your bank or card issuer — sometimes refunds are delayed on their end. You can also contact Steam Support through your account to ask about a specific refund.

Refunds for games outside the standard window

If you played a game for more than two hours or bought it more than 14 days ago, you can still request a refund, but Valve will deny it in most cases. The exception is if the game is unplayable — it crashes on startup, has severe bugs that prevent progress, or does not run on your system despite meeting the minimum requirements listed on the store page.

To request a refund outside the window, go through the same process: Purchase History > three-dot menu > Request a Refund. When you submit, you will see a text box asking for a reason. Explain the problem clearly — for example, "The game crashes every time I try to load a save file" or "The game will not launch on Windows 11 even though it says it supports it." Valve reviews these requests manually and may approve them.

Do not claim the game is unplayable if it is not. Valve can see your playtime and activity. If you played for 50 hours and then claimed the game was broken, they will deny the request. Manual reviews take longer than standard refunds — sometimes two to four weeks.

Refunds for pre-orders and early access

When you pre-order a game on Steam, the 14-day refund window does not start until the game actually releases. If you pre-order a game six months in advance and then request a refund the day before release, you are still within the window. The two-hour playtime limit applies once the game is live.

If a game is released and you have played it for under two hours within 14 days of release, you can refund it even if you pre-ordered it months earlier. The clock resets to the release date, not the pre-order date.

Early Access games work the same way. The 14-day window starts from when you buy the Early Access version, not from when the full game launches later. If you buy Early Access, play for one hour, and then request a refund five days later, you are within the window regardless of whether the game is still in Early Access or has since been fully released.

Refunds for bundles and sales

If you buy a bundle — multiple games sold together at a discount — you can refund the entire bundle if it meets the time and playtime limits. You cannot refund individual games from a bundle. The refund amount is the price you paid for the bundle, not the individual game prices.

If you bought a game on sale for $15 and it is now full price at $30, your refund is $15. Valve refunds what you actually paid, not the current price. This also means if a game goes on sale after you buy it at full price, you cannot request a refund just to rebuy it at the lower price — but you can request a refund for any reason within the window, so technically you could do this and then repurchase.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

No. The limit is under two hours, which means 1 hour 59 minutes and 59 seconds is acceptable, but 2 hours 0 minutes is not. Steam counts playtime in whole minutes, so if your total is 120 minutes or more, you cannot refund. Check your playtime in your account under Games to see the exact number.

What if I request a refund and Valve denies it?

You can request a refund only once per game. If Valve denies your request, you cannot submit another one for the same purchase. You can contact Steam Support to appeal, but denials are rarely overturned unless you can show the game is genuinely unplayable on your system.

Do I lose my achievements and progress if I refund a game?

Yes. Once the game is removed from your library, all progress, saves, and achievements are gone. If you later buy the game again, you start from scratch. Some games store progress in the cloud, but Steam removes access when you refund.

Can I refund a game I bought as a gift for someone else?

No. Only the person who received the gift can request a refund, and only if they have not played it for more than two hours and it has been fewer than 14 days since they received it. The 14-day clock starts when the gift is sent, not when it is opened or redeemed.

What payment methods can I use to receive my refund?

Refunds go back to your original payment method. If you paid with a credit card, the refund goes to that card. If you paid with PayPal, it goes to your PayPal account. If you paid with a gift card or Steam Wallet, the money returns to your Steam Wallet balance. You cannot choose a different payment method for the refund.