Can you give a game you own to a friend on Steam?

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You cannot give a game you already own to a friend on Steam, as the platform’s policy explicitly states that you can only gift new purchases, not transfer games from your existing library. This means that if you want to give a game to a friend, you will need to buy it again as a gift specifically for them, using the Steam gift feature.

Understanding Steam’s Gifting Policy

To gift a game on Steam, you need to purchase it directly for your friend using the gift feature, which allows you to send the game to their Steam account. This process is straightforward and can be completed during the checkout process on the Steam store.

Related FAQs

General Gifting and Sharing

1. Can I share my games with a friend on Steam?: Yes, Family Sharing allows family members to share games while keeping their accounts separate, but this does not allow you to give away games you own permanently.
2. How do I gift a Steam game from my library?: You can’t gift a Steam game which you bought for yourself already; instead, you must buy the game as a gift for your friend.
3. Can I transfer a Steam game to a friend?: No, you cannot transfer a game you own to a friend; the only way to give a game to a friend is by buying it as a gift.

Purchasing and Refunding Games

4. Can I refund a Steam game and buy it again?: Yes, you can refund a game and then repurchase it, including at a sale price, if the original purchase meets Steam’s refund policy requirements.
5. Will Steam refund a game over 2 hours?: Valve will consider refund requests for games played for less than 2 hours within 14 days of purchase, but refunds after this period are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Account Management and Sharing

6. Can I combine 2 Steam accounts?: No, Steam accounts cannot be merged together, as per the Steam Subscriber Agreement.
7. Can you play the same Steam game on 2 computers?: Yes, you can play your Steam games on any PC by logging into your Steam account on that computer.

Origin and Other Platforms

8. Can I gift a game I already own on Origin?: If you already own the game on Origin, you cannot gift it from your library, but you can buy it as a gift for someone else.
9. Can you transfer games bought on Origin to Steam?: No, games bought on Origin can only be played on Origin and cannot be transferred to Steam.

Safety and Privacy

10. Is it safe to share Steam ID?: Your Steam ID is not private information, but be cautious about sharing it to avoid potential security risks.
11. Can people see my Steam account name?: Your Steam account name is only visible to you, unless you choose to share it, and is separate from your public profile name.

Refunds and Returns

12. Will Steam refund a game after 14 days?: While Steam’s refund policy typically covers games within 14 days of purchase and less than 2 hours of playtime, you can still request a refund after this period, which will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
13. Can you return a Steam Deck?: Yes, you have the right to cancel any purchase of Steam Deck hardware within 14 days from the day you receive it.

Miscellaneous

14. How do I merge Steam and Origin accounts?: You can link your EA Origin account with Steam by logging in with your Steam credentials on the EA Help Website.
15. Is Steam free to use?: Steam is free to use, allowing you to browse the store, download free games, and use its social features, but you typically need to pay for the games themselves.