how to refund a game on steam that was gifted

To refund a gifted game on Steam, the recipient usually needs to start the refund flow first, and then the original purchaser completes it. The gift must generally still meet Steam’s refund rules: within 14 days of purchase and less than 2 hours of playtime by the recipient.

How it works

1. The person who received the gift signs in to Steam.
2. They open Help or Steam Support, then go to Purchases.
3. They select the gifted game.
4. They choose I’d like to request a refund.
5. They check the option that allows the original purchaser to refund the gift.
6. Then the sender logs in and finishes the refund from their purchase history.

If the gift was not redeemed

If the recipient has not accepted the gift yet, the sender may be able to refund it directly from their purchase history, depending on the gift status and timing.

What to expect

Steam support will review the request after it’s submitted, and the refund usually goes back to the original payment method or Steam Wallet, depending on the choice available during the process.

Quick note

A simple rule of thumb: recipient initiates, sender completes for an accepted gift refund.