How to Gift Games on Steam
Want to gift a game to a friend or loved one? You can easily gift a game on Steam using the steps in this guide.
Some people prefer single-player games, while others prefer playing games with friends. Whatever your preference, it can be nice to share the gift of a new game with a friend or family member.
If you’re using Steam, you can gift games easily. The best method nowadays is to buy a new game as a gift on Steam for someone else. Other ways, such as sharing duplicated games, aren’t useful on Steam any longer.
If you want to know how to gift games on Steam, follow the steps below.
How to Buy a Game as a Gift on Steam
In the past, you could gift duplicate games on Steam. This happened when you ended up with duplicate copies of a game after purchasing a pack of games. Unfortunately, Steam has largely made it impossible to do this to limit game key resellers.
Instead, your best option is to buy a new game as a gift on Steam. The option to gift a game appears during the checkout process. You can follow these steps on a PC or Mac. Make sure to add the person as a Steam friend first, as you can only buy gifts for your existing Steam friends.
To buy a game as a gift on Steam:
- Open the Steam client on your PC or Mac. Alternatively, sign in to the Steam website from your web browser.
- Click the Store option from the menu at the top in either the client or website.
- In the Steam Store, locate the game you want to purchase as a gift.
- On the store page for the game, you want to gift, click the Add to Cart button.
- If you already own the game, select the Purchase as a Gift button instead.
- If you aren’t already moved to your shopping cart, scroll to the top and select the Cart button in the top-right.
- In your shopping cart, select the Purchase as a Gift button.
- Select the friend you want to purchase the game for from the list. Alternatively, use the search bar to locate your friend instead.
- If you want to schedule the gift for a time in the future, select Schedule Delivery and choose a time and date.
- Click Continue when you’re ready to proceed.
- Next, personalize your gift by typing their name, a gift message, and your signature. You can also choose a sentiment, such as best wishes or enjoy.
- Click Continue.
- Choose your preferred payment method for placing the order, then click Continue.
- At the final stage, confirm you’re happy with the options you’ve selected and follow any additional instructions before making the final purchase.
Once you’ve gifted the game, you can’t go back—the transfer is complete. However, if the game wasn’t purchased by you and you want to retract it, you may be able to request a Steam refund.
Playing Games on Steam
Using the steps above, you can quickly gift games on Steam. The gift of a game is a great way to bring pleasure to someone you love. If you’re bored of single-player gaming, make sure to gift a new multiplayer game for your friends or family so that you can all play together.
Want to make it easier for others to buy you games on Steam? You can add games to a Steam wishlist for yourself, making it easy for your friends and family to buy you new games. It’s also an excellent way to keep an eye on any Steam sales.
You can also share games on Steam, allowing you to share games between family members. You can also add friends on Steam and make it easier to join up and play games you all enjoy together.
