Steam refunds are available within 14 days of purchase and 2 hours of playtime, whichever comes first

Steam allows you to request a refund for most games through their automated system. You do not need to explain why you want the refund — Steam processes requests without asking for a reason. The refund goes back to your Steam Wallet (the account balance you use to buy games on Steam) by default, though you can request it as a payment method refund instead.

The two limits work together: you have 14 calendar days from the purchase date, and the game must have fewer than 2 hours of playtime recorded. If you hit either limit first, you cannot refund through the automated system. For example, if you buy a game and play it for 3 hours on day 2, you are past the playtime limit even though you are well within the 14 days.

Refunds to your original payment method (credit card, PayPal, or other payment service) take 5 to 10 business days to appear. Refunds to your Steam Wallet are when ready.

Key Takeaways

  • You have 14 days from purchase and 2 hours of playtime to request a refund through Steam's automated system, whichever limit you hit first.
  • Refunds return to your Steam Wallet when ready, or to your original payment method within 5 to 10 business days.
  • Some games cannot be refunded even within the time and playtime limits, including games marked as non-refundable and pre-purchase titles you have already accessed.
  • If you are past the 14-day or 2-hour window, you can still contact Steam Support to request a refund, though approval is not may provide.
  • Playtime includes any time the game was running, even if you were not actively playing — paused games still count toward the 2-hour limit.

Games that cannot be refunded even within the time limits

Some games are marked as non-refundable by their publisher or developer. Steam shows this label on the store page before you buy. These games follow the same 14-day and 2-hour window, but Steam will deny the refund request even if you are within both limits. The reason is set by the game's publisher, not Steam.

Pre-purchase games work differently. If you pre-purchase a game and then play it after release, you cannot refund it — the refund window closes the moment the game becomes available to play. You can refund a pre-purchase before the game releases, as long as you are within 14 days of buying it.

DLC (downloadable content), in-game items, and season passes have their own rules. Most DLC can be refunded within 14 days and 2 hours of purchase, but some publishers set their own refund policies. Check the store page for the specific DLC to see whether it is refundable.

How to request a refund on Steam

Go to your Steam library, right-click the game, and select "Properties". Click the "Support" tab, then click "I would like a refund". Steam will ask you to choose a reason from a list (performance issues, not what I expected, changed my mind, and others). Your answer does not affect whether you get the refund — Steam uses it only for statistics.

After you submit the reason, Steam shows you whether you are within the 14-day and 2-hour limits. If you are, you will see a "Request Refund" button. Click it, and the request goes to Steam's automated system. You will receive an email confirmation within a few minutes.

Steam approves most refund requests automatically within 24 hours. You will get another email when the refund is processed. If you chose to refund to your Steam Wallet, the money appears when ready. If you chose your original payment method, check your bank or payment service account after 5 to 10 business days.

What happens if you are past the 14-day or 2-hour limit

The automated system will reject your request if you are outside both windows. You can still contact Steam Support directly and ask for a refund. Steam Support reviews these requests individually and may approve them, but there is no may provide.

Steam Support is more likely to approve a refund past the limit if the game has a technical problem that makes it unplayable, or if you can show that the game's description was misleading. If you straightforward changed your mind or did not like the game, Steam Support usually denies the request.

To contact Steam Support, go to the Steam Help page, search for the game, and click "I would like a refund". Scroll down and click "I am unable to refund this game from my library". Fill out the form with details about why you want the refund, and submit it. Response times vary from a few hours to several days.

Refunds for games bought as gifts

If someone gave you a game as a gift, you can still refund it within 14 days and 2 hours of when you received it (not when the person who bought it purchased it). The refund goes to your Steam Wallet, not back to the person who sent the gift.

If the gift was sent more than 14 days ago, you cannot refund it through the automated system. You can contact Steam Support, but approval is unlikely unless the game is unplayable.

How playtime is counted

Steam counts any time the game is running toward your 2-hour limit, whether you are actively playing or not. If you launch the game and leave it running in the background, that time counts. If you pause the game and step away, the timer keeps running.

Playtime is tracked per account. If multiple people play on the same Steam account, all their playtime adds up toward the 2-hour limit. There is no way to separate playtime by user on a shared account.

Some games have offline modes that do not report playtime to Steam while you are offline. Once you go back online, that offline playtime is recorded. You cannot avoid the 2-hour limit by playing offline.

Refunds for bundles and sales

If you buy a bundle of games and refund it, you lose access to all the games in the bundle. You cannot refund individual games from a bundle — it is all or nothing. The refund amount is what you paid for the bundle, not the individual game price.

If you bought a game on sale and the price drops further before you refund it, you get back what you actually paid, not the new lower price. Refunds are based on your purchase price, not the current store price.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my playtime have to be continuous, or can I play for 1 hour one day and 1 hour another day?

Playtime is cumulative. You can play for 1 hour on day one and 1 hour on day two, and you will be at your 2-hour limit. The time does not have to be in one session.

If I refund a game, can I buy it again later?

Yes. Refunding a game does not prevent you from buying it again. You can refund and repurchase the same game as many times as you want, as long as each purchase meets the 14-day and 2-hour requirements.

What if Steam denies my refund request?

If the automated system denies your request, you can contact Steam Support to appeal. Explain your situation in detail. Steam Support may approve the refund even if the automated system rejected it, but you may also receive the same denial. There is no further appeal after Steam Support makes a decision.

Do I lose my game progress if I refund?

Yes. When you refund a game, you lose access to it when ready. Any save files, achievements, or progress are gone. If you repurchase the game later, you start from scratch unless the game stores progress in the cloud and you log back into the same account.

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

Yes. The refund goes back to your Steam Wallet as account balance, not back to the gift card. You can use that balance to buy other games or items on Steam.