How To Refund A Gift On Steam? A Complete Guide
Steam is an online video game distribution service offered and owned by the parent company, video-game developer Valve. Users of Steam can access video streaming, social networking, and digital rights management (DRM) features.
Both games that you have bought as gifts and ones that you have purchased for yourself on Steam can be refunded. You can learn how to return a gift on Steam by reading this article.
What Are Steam Gifts?
If you didn’t know, game developers give you the option to gift any friend on your friend’s list when you buy a game on Steam.
The gift will then be delivered to the recipient as an eye-catching email card with a customized message from you and details on how to redeem the game.
Remember that transferring a Steam gift is a one-time transaction. As a result, the gift is now included in the recipient’s collection of Steam games after being redeemed and installed.
Additionally, keep in mind that you can only gift brand-new items. You cannot transfer games that you already own in this situation.
How Do I Qualify For Steam Gifts?
It’s incredibly simple to qualify for Steam gifts. The only requirements are that you and your teammates have active Steam accounts and connect via the app. If a user has been on your friend list for at least three days, you can buy them a digital gift card for Steam.
When Can You Request A Steam Refund?
Before expecting a refund from Steam, there are some requirements you must meet. First, within 14 days of your purchase, you must ask for a refund. Additionally, the game’s playable time is only a little over two hours.
According to Steam, you may still ask for a refund even if you don’t precisely meet these requirements. If you do, though, your chances of receiving one are significantly higher.
You may be prevented from requesting refunds if Steam determines that you are abusing the refund system by requesting refunds excessively frequently or in any other way using the system for your own gain.
How To Request A Refund For A Steam Gifted Game?
Make sure to request a refund within 14 days of the purchase date if the recipient of the game hasn’t used their gift. If they have redeemed the game, you can still ask for a refund as long as it hasn’t been more than 14 days since the purchase and they haven’t played it for more than two hours.
The process for refunding a gift must be initiated by the recipient. The buyer must follow the standard Steam procedure to receive their money back after they have finished their part of the transaction.
Here’s how you can approach it:
Request A Refund On The Steam Website As The Receiver Of The Gift
The following steps should be taken to assist the gift-giver in getting a refund:
- Visit Steam Support and sign in
- Go to Games and Software
- Select the gifted game from the list
- Choose the issue with the game
- Click on I’d Like to Request a Refund
- Confirm that the original Steam game purchaser should receive a refund
Request A Refund On The Steam Website As The Buyer Of The Gift
You may ask for a refund once the recipient of the gift fulfills their end of the bargain. You must perform the following:
- Visit Steam Support and sign in
- Go to Purchases
- the game that was given to you from the list. If the game doesn’t appear here, you are probably not eligible to receive a refund for it
- Choose a reason why you want the refund
- Hit I’d Like to Request a Refund
- Select the refund method (i.e., the debit/credit card you used for the purchase, or simply transfer the amount to your Steam Wallet)
- You will receive a confirmation email from Steam that your request has been received
Refund Any Eligible Steam Game
The gift-giver can now proceed with the customary refund procedure. Here is how to get a refund for any Steam game that qualifies:
- Enter your login information on the same Steam support page (Steam Help).
- Select Purchases.
- Search for and choose the game you want to return. Unfortunately, you cannot get a refund if the game is not listed here because it is not eligible.
- Decide why you want a refund for the game (for example, purchased by accident).
- Select I’d Like to Request a Refund after that.
- In the Notes section, provide more details about your request. Then, decide how to get your money back (use the same payment method as before or add it to your Steam Wallet).
- Regarding the receipt of your request, Steam will email you.
The processing of your request by Steam support may take up to two weeks. It could take up to a week before you receive your money back if they decide to refund your game.
Why Won’t My Friend Accept My Steam Gift?
Video games are a very common gift, as was previously stated. Even though Steam is aware of this and has a gift feature, this occasionally may not function as intended.
The most frequent root causes of this kind of error are as follows:
- Your gift was refused: You should probably check your email or bank account since this is the most typical scenario that underlies this specific issue. If your gift is rejected, the app typically notifies you and gives you a full refund for your purchase.
- The gift is stuck: In this situation, you should take into account momentary bugs or glitches, so it is preferable to resend the gift and see if the problem still exists.
- Game is already owned: Remember that you cannot give someone a game that they already own, so be sure to check that first.
Regardless of whether you use the old Steam client or the brand-new Beta version, these steps remain the same.
Conclusions
To encourage a risk-free experience when purchasing new games, Steam has a pretty lax refund policy. You should be able to get a refund on all gifts you unintentionally purchased on Steam by following the above-mentioned steps.