Steam Refund Eligibility Calculator
Instantly check if your Steam purchase qualifies for a refund under Valve's 14-day window and 2-hour playtime rule — including the exceptions most users don't know about.
Matches Official Policy
Based on Valve's Steam Refund Policy and Steamworks partner documentation — including automatic vs. discretionary approval paths.
Eligibility, Not Guarantee
Meeting both conditions qualifies you for automatic refund. Outside the window, Valve may still approve case by case.
Steam Refund Policy at a Glance
What you need to know to get your money back
Steam's refund policy was revolutionary when it launched in 2015 — before then, no major PC platform offered refunds at all. Today it's the industry benchmark, but it's not unconditional: two hard limits decide whether a refund is automatic, and several edge cases change the math entirely.
Quick Answer: You qualify for an automatic refund if the purchase was made within the last 14 days AND you've played less than 2 hours. Both conditions must be true. Miss either, and you're in Valve's case-by-case discretionary territory.
Steam's refund system is built around two independent clocks. Both must still be running for a guaranteed refund.
14-Day Purchase Window
Starts at the moment of purchase, not when you first launch the game. Includes gifts (from the gift recipient's redemption). Time zones don't extend the window — Valve uses UTC under the hood.
2-Hour Playtime Cap
Counts every minute the game is running, including idle time in the main menu, AFK in online lobbies, and offline play. The timer doesn't pause when you alt-tab.
Both clocks must be green for automatic approval. One red, and you're into the discretionary appeal process — which Valve often approves, but never guarantees.
The Eligibility Matrix
| Days Owned | Hours Played | Eligibility | Likelihood |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–14 days | < 2h | Automatic | ~99% approved |
| 0–14 days | 2–5h | Case-by-case | Common if game has serious technical issues |
| 0–14 days | > 5h | Case-by-case | Uncommon — usually only for major game-breaking bugs |
| 15–30 days | < 2h | Case-by-case | Possible if barely used + good reason |
| > 30 days | any | Unlikely | Typically rejected unless unique circumstances |
The standard 14-day/2-hour rule has several important carve-outs. Knowing them can mean the difference between a successful refund and a rejection.
- Pre-Orders — Unlimited Before Release
Pre-ordered a game? You can refund it any time before release, no questions asked. After release, the standard 14-day/2-hour clock starts from the release date, not your pre-order date.
- DLC — Same Rules, Plus Consumption
DLC follows the standard 14-day/2-hour rule, but consumed, transferred, or modified content (e.g., used in-game items, claimed season pass content) is typically not refundable.
- In-App Purchases — 48 Hours, Valve Games Only
Microtransactions inside Valve-developed games (CS2, Dota 2) can be refunded within 48 hours — but only if the item hasn't been consumed, modified, or transferred.
- Gifts — Recipient-Initiated
Gifts can be refunded by the recipient within the standard window. Unredeemed gifts can be refunded by the purchaser. Redeemed gifts return to the gifter's Steam Wallet.
- Bundles — All or Nothing
Bundle refunds require all items in the bundle to still be eligible (no item played over 2 hours total across the bundle). You can't partially refund a bundle.
- Subscriptions — Billing Cycle Based
Subscription products (like some MMOs) can be refunded within 48 hours of the most recent billing if less than 2 hours were played in that cycle.
Once you submit a refund request, Steam's process is generally fast — but the payment return depends on your original method.
Review Time: ~24 Hours
Refund requests are typically reviewed within a day. During major sale events, this can extend to 2–3 days due to volume.
Steam Wallet: ~24 Hours
Refunds directed to Steam Wallet are usually processed within a day of approval — the fastest path to using the money again.
Credit Card: 5–7 Business Days
Refunds to the original payment method (credit card, PayPal) take 5–7 business days to appear. Your bank's processing adds to this.
International: Slightly Longer
Non-USD payment methods and some regional processors can take 10+ days. Check with your bank if nothing arrives after 14 business days.
The Refund Request Path
- Visit help.steampowered.com and sign in.
- Click "Purchases" in the left sidebar.
- Select the game you want to refund.
- Choose "I would like a refund" → "I'd like to request a refund".
- Pick the refund destination (Steam Wallet for speed, original payment for real money back).
- Briefly describe why (Valve uses this to track patterns but it rarely affects individual approvals within the window).
- Submit.
Steam's refund system is intentionally generous — and Valve monitors it for abuse. Frequent refund patterns can trigger restrictions that strip your refund privileges.
Valve's explicit policy: "We may stop offering refunds for a user if we find they're using the refund system as a way to test drive games or avoid paying." There's no public threshold, but community consensus points to 5+ refunds in a short period, or refunding most of a short game near the 2-hour mark.
Patterns That Flag Abuse
The 1-Hour-59 Pattern
Buying a short game (like Firewatch or Gone Home), playing 1h59m, then refunding. Done once: fine. Done repeatedly: flagged.
The Sale Churn
Buying 10 games at sale prices, playing each briefly, then refunding the ones you don't like back to Steam Wallet. This reads as a "rental library" pattern Valve actively discourages.
Refund → Rebuy on Sale
Refunding a full-priced game to immediately rebuy it on sale. Valve explicitly denies refunds when this is the reason — and some users have had refund privileges revoked for repeating it.
The Bottom Line
If you bought a game in the last 14 days and played it under 2 hours, you can get your money back — no questions asked. Outside that window, a polite, honest explanation still works surprisingly often. The system was built to be fair; don't burn it by trying to game it.