How to get a Steam Refund TechRadar Skip to main content TechRadar is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's why you can trust us. How to get a Steam Refund By Cat Bussell published 8 August 2022 Here s how to get a Steam Refund from an unwanted game (Image: © Photo Oz / Shutterstock) Jump to: Steam's returns policy How to get your refund You may be wondering how to get a Steam Refund if you've recently been disappointed with a game. One of the advantages of a digital marketplace like Steam is that you can take advantage of a consistent refund policy that might be harder to find at a brick-and-mortar store. Whether you like to game on PC or prefer to use the Steam Deck, Steam has revolutionized the distribution of video games. With most of the best PC games out there available on the platform, it's easy to see why Steam is so ubiquitous and influential. Despite the existence of many rival storefronts, Steam enjoys a wide-ranging appeal. Many of the best Steam games are stone-cold classics and are worthy of your attention. However, even the best Steam games aren't necessarily for everyone. Not everyone enjoys the grueling combat of Elden Ring, the roguelike elements of Deathloop, or the unrelenting violence of Doom Eternal. Sometimes you just want to get a refund. Fortunately, our guide will take you through the process step-by-step. On top of that, we've also summarised Steam's refund policy to help you with any troubleshooting issues you might have. Steam Refund guide How to get a Steam Refund Steam s Returns Policy (Image credit: Anton Violin / Shutterstock) Getting your Steam Refund sorted is a fairly simple five stage process. However, before we delve into that, it's important that we take a look at Steam's refund policy to make sure you're eligible. According to the Steam Refunds (opens in new tab) page on the Steam Store, Valve will "issue a full refund for any reason", so long as "the request is made within the required return period" which, for games requires that they've been "played for less than two hours" and that the request is made within 14 days of purchase. However, even if you've used your product for more than two hours, Valve has made it clear that "you can ask for a refund anyway and we'll take a look." When it comes to DLC, Valve allows returns within 14 days of purchase, but only if the title it's attached to has been played for "less than two hours since the DLC was purchased" and as long as "the DLC has not been consumed, modified or transferred." Pre-purchased titles can also be refunded. You can request a refund at any time prior to release. In addition, once released, the "standard 14 day/two hour refund period also applies" commencing at the title's release date. How to get a Steam Refund how to get your refund (Image credit: Future) Now that you understand the conditions for Steam Refund, let's look at how you can get your money back. First of all, head over to Steam Support (opens in new tab) and log in using your Steam Account. Stage one (Image credit: Future) Once you've logged in, you should see a page like the one above. Click on the 'Purchases' tab. We've highlighted this tab in green. This will take you to a list of recent purchases. Stage two (Image credit: Future) At this stage, click on the purchase that you'd like to get refunded. If you can't see the game on the list, click 'View complete purchasing history'. This will take you to a list of every purchase you've made on Steam. From there, you can find your purchase and select it by clicking on it. Stage three (Image credit: Future) Next, select 'I would like a refund' from the menu. Give that a click and you'll be taken to the next stage. You're now well on your way. Stage four (Image credit: Future) Next, you'll see another menu for the product. Depending on the nature of what you've bought there could be plenty of potential options listed on this page. What's important is that you select 'I'd like to request a refund' from the menu. We've marked this in green on the image above. Stage five (Image credit: Future) Next, you'll be asked to choose a refund method. Select the one that you prefer, and a 'Tell us why' section will appear below. If you're aiming for a refund outside of Steam's 14-day/two-hour window, it's especially important to fill out this section as best you can, since it'll be part of the basis upon which they consider your refund request. Then click 'Submit Request'. You've now requested a refund and can expect your Steam refund to arrive within a week of approval. Congratulations, you now know everything you need to know about Steam Refunds. Whether they're a blessing or a curse, your bank balance will thank you. Wondering how the Steam Deck stacks up to other consoles? Why not check out our Best Gaming Console guide? Cat BussellStaff WriterCat Bussell is a Staff Writer at TechRadar Gaming. Hailing from the crooked spires of London, Cat is an experienced writer and journalist. As seen on Wargamer.com, TheGamer.com, and Superjumpmagazine.com, Cat is here to bring you coverage from all corners of the video game world. An inveterate RPG maven and strategy game enjoyer, Cat is known for her love of rich narratives; both story-driven and emergent. Before migrating to the green pastures of games journalism, Cat worked as a political advisor and academic. She has three degrees and has studied and worked at Cambridge University, University College London, and Queen Mary University of London. She's also been an art gallery curator, an ice cream maker, and a cocktail mixologist. This crash course in NPC lifestyles uniquely qualifies her to pick apart only the juiciest video games for your reading pleasure. Cat cut her teeth on MMOs in the heyday of World of Warcraft before giving in to her love of JRPGs and becoming embedded in Final Fantasy XIV. When she's not doing that, you might find her running a tabletop RPG or two, perhaps even voluntarily. See more how-to articles TechRadar Newsletter Sign up to get breaking news, reviews, opinion, analysis and more, plus the hottest tech deals! Thank you for signing up to TechRadar. You will receive a verification email shortly. There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again. MOST POPULARMOST SHARED1The iPhone 14 Pro is made of the wrong stuff; the Pixel 7 proves that to me2Stop saying Mario doesn't have an accent in The Super Mario Bros. Movie3Google Pixel Tablet is what Apple should've done ages ago4RTX 4090 too expensive? 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