Last Updated on March 6, 2022 by Laura Ritterman
Steam wants its customers to be fully satisfied with the games and hardware they offer, and their return policy reflects this. Refund requests are accepted for any reason if the request is made within the return period. However, certain types of digital purchases can only be refunded under specific conditions.
In this article, we’ll discuss some frequently asked questions about Steam’s return policy and how you can request a refund for your purchase.
Table of Contents
What is Steam’s Return Policy?
Steam accepts refund requests for any reason, including changing your mind or purchasing by mistake. In many cases, you will get a full refund for the purchase, but there are some exceptions.
| Downloadable Content | Refundable within 14 days if the title has not been played for more than two hours and has not been consumed, modified, or transferred. Some third-party DLC cannot be refunded; exceptions will be marked as non-refundable before purchase. |
| In-Game Purchases | Refundable within 48-hours of purchase so long as the in-game item hasn’t been consumed, modified, or transferred. |
| Pre-Purchased Games | Refundable at any time before the release date, and within 14 days after the game has been released provided it has not been played for more than two hours. |
| Subscriptions | Refundable within 48 hours of purchase or automatic renewal if not used during the current billing cycle, which includes playing, consuming in-game items, modifying, or transferring. |
| Bundles | Refundable at any time, provided none of the titles have been transferred and the combined playtime for all items is less than two hours. |
| Hardware | Valve Index Hardware is refundable within 14 days and all other Steam Hardware is refundable within 30 days from the day you or a third party receives the Hardware if the item is still in new condition. If the item has been modified or abused in any way, you may not receive the full refund amount. |
How to request a refund on a Steam purchase?
All refund requests must go through the Steam Support page at help.steampowered.com. Once you submit a request, you’ll receive a confirmation email and a refund up to 7 days once the request has been approved.
How to Submit a Refund Request
- Log in to your Steam account on the Steam Support page.
- Once logged in, click on Purchases.
- Find the purchase you would like a refund for and click on it. If the title is not listed, that means it is ineligible for a refund.
- Select the reason you would like a refund, such as “I purchased this by accident” or “Gameplay or technical issue.”
- Click the “I’d like to request a refund” button.
- Fill out and submit the request form, which includes where to issue the refund and additional notes.
For refunds on purchased hardware, you must submit a refund request through the Steam Support page and send the items back by following the provided instructions within 14 days.
Can you return an online purchase to the store?
No, you can only initiate a refund request via the Steam Support website.
How strict is the Steam return policy?
Steam’s return policy is strict in the sense that there are conditions that must be met for digital purchase refunds. Games that have been played for more than two hours cannot be returned, and if a game has been modified or transferred, it is ineligible for a refund. In-game purchases and downloadable content also cannot be returned if it has been consumed in-game. However, if you meet these conditions, Steam is open to accepting returns for any reason.
What is Steam’s exchange policy?
Steam does not have an exchange policy for digital purchases. You can request replacement parts for hardware purchases via the Steam Support website.
What is Steam’s refund policy?
Approved refunds will be returned to the original purchaser of the item via the original method of payment. Specific details are in the table above.
Does Steam take returns without a receipt?
Purchases made on Steam are recorded on your Steam account. However, if you are gifted a Steam item, you may request a refund within 14 days of receiving it if the game has not been played for more than two hours. The funds used to purchase the item will be returned to the original purchaser.
Does Steam accept returns after 30 days?
Most digital items cannot be returned after 14 days while some hardware items can be returned within 30 days. However, Steam states that you can initiate a refund request outside the company’s return window to consider.
What items cannot be returned to Steam?
In-game items and DLC that have been consumed cannot be returned, as well as games that have been played for more than two hours.
Exceptions to return policy
If your purchase falls outside of the specified refund window, you may still qualify for a refund. Submit a request via the Steam Support store and customer service will review it.
How long do Steam refunds take?
Approved refunds can take up to seven days to appear in your account, but international payment methods may take longer to process.
If a refund request is approved within a day of purchasing the item, the original transaction will be canceled, and the charge will be dropped from your bank statement. You will not see a credit charge on your account in this scenario. This process can take up to 10 days, or longer for international payment methods.
FAQs
Can I return Steam products after use?
You can return digital products if the title has been played for less than two hours and has not been modified or transferred.
Does Steam give full refunds?
Yes, provided all the conditions for refund have been met.
What is Steam's Refund Policy?
Steam offers refunds to their customers, however, different products have different refund timeframes.
Conclusion
Steam will accept a refund request for any type of item provided the criteria have been met. Games that have been played for longer than two hours, in-game purchases that have already been used, and abused hardware will typically not be refunded, but you can submit a request to Steam for them to review regardless.
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