Steam is a digital platform that helps buy, play, and discuss video games. It is said to have around 132 million monthly active users and over 69 million people use it daily. The common features of Steam include in-game chat, automatic game updates, exclusive deals, and a community where users can meet new people, join groups, and form clans. Steam is mostly used by gamers, community members, cloud gamers, and hardware developers.
To use Steam to play games, you should first create a Steam account and log in. You can also use Steam Link to play games on other devices like phones, TVs, tablets, or VR headsets. Also, it is easy to get a refund, especially if you bought the game by mistake, the game was not up to your expectations, or the PC does not meet the game’s hardware requirements. In this article, you will learn more about how to purchase games on Steam, how Steam helps with games, how to refund a game on Steam, and much more. So, keep reading.
How to purchase games on Steam?
Table Of Contents
Purchasing games on Steam is easy, all you have to do is open Steam and go to the store. There, you can select the game you wish to purchase and click Add to Cart. Then, head to the shopping cart and click Purchase for Myself. The last step is to review your payment method and order information and place the order.
Since Steam will automatically use your Steam Wallet to make payments when purchasing games, you should add funds to your Steam Wallet. You can also buy a Steam Gift Card or Wallet Code at retail stores or online shops to redeem them on Steam to purchase games, wallet credit, software, and more. Steam can help with buying and playing games, social networking, game updates, game streaming, and parental control. However, there can be issues with Steam, for which you can get a refund. Let us see how to get a refund on Steam.
Also Read: Steam Deck 2: Everything You Need To Know
How to refund a game on Steam?
The causes for getting a refund on Steam can be many. It can be because you bought the game by mistake, you didn’t like the game, you couldn’t play it because of performance issues, it failed to meet your expectations, or your PC does not meet the game’s hardware requirements. However, to be eligible for the refund, you should meet the following criteria:
- You should purchase the game through Steam.
- The request for a refund should be made within 14 days of purchase.
- You only played the game for less than two hours.
- For an in-game purchase or subscription, you should request a refund within 48 hours of purchase.
- For a Valve-developed game, you should request a refund within 48 hours of purchase.
- To request a refund for a game from another developer, the developer must first enable the option for a refund.
To request a refund for a game on Steam, go to help.steampowered.com, log in to your Steam account, and click purchases. Then, select the game you want to refund and state the reason for your refund. To complete the request, click ‘I’d like to request a refund’ and select whether you want the refund to go to your Steam Wallet or your original payment method. As for the last step, fill out and submit the request form. Once you submit the request, you will be fully refunded after a week of approval. Please note that the approved refund might take up to 7 days to process.
If you wish to cancel your refund request, go to the help page and cancel the request. Once you cancel your request, the game will remain on your account and won’t be refunded. Steam will issue refunds be it for any reason, but the main condition is that the refund request should be made within 14 days. However, you should know that you cannot get a refund for games received through a third-party site or for video purchases unless they were part of a bundle with non-video items.
What if you fail to get a refund on Steam?
If you fail to get a refund on Steam or are having trouble getting a refund, check out the ‘How To Request A Refund FAQ’ for step-by-step guidance. Here are some things to do if you cannot get a refund;
- Review the refund policy and double-check Steam’s refund policy to ensure the requirements are met.
- Reach out to Steam Support to discuss your issue if you believe there was an error or if you have a legitimate reason for a refund outside the standard policy.
- Provide the necessary details when contacting the support team. Also, explain the issue you faced and why you are requesting a refund.
- Be patient and wait since it might take some time for Steam Support to review your request and respond.
Not getting a refund usually means your request fell outside of their refund policy guidelines. The common reasons for a refund denial are exceeding the playtime limit, purchasing the game too long ago, or not having a valid reason for requesting a refund.
Read More: How To Share Steam Library On Different Computers?
Conclusion
It is quite easy to purchase games on Steam and use it to play games. All you have to do is install the Steam Client, create a Steam account, log in, and activate your games. Steam helps the games buy and play games online rather than purchasing physical copies and downloading them manually. Also, it automatically updates games and Steam Cloud allows the users to store game settings, save games, profile states, and other user data in the cloud. For those wondering how to refund a game on Steam, it is fairly simple.
The causes of getting a refund can vary and it can be because you bought the game by mistake, did not like the game, performance issue, failed to meet the expectations, or the PC did not meet the game’s hardware requirements. You will get a refund within a week but to be eligible for the refund, ensure you follow their criteria, such as the purchase should be made through Steam, the refund request should be made within 14 days, and the game should be played less than 2 hours. Go to help.steampowered.com and log on to the Steam account to request a refund. Then, click purchases, select the game you want to refund, and state the reason for your refund.
To complete the refund request, click Submit and choose whether you want the refund to go to your Steam Wallet or your original payment method. In case you fail to get a refund, it can probably mean your request fell outside their refund policy guidelines. Firstly, ensure the refund requirements are met, and then check the ‘How To Request A Refund FAQ’ for step-by-step guidance. Reach out to Steam Support if you feel there was an error and provide a detailed explanation. Most of all, be patient as it usually takes a while for the Steam Support team to review your request and respond.
