How to Gift a Game on Steam (2026 Guide) — Step-by-Step + Fixes

Want to send a game to a friend on Steam? Whether it's a birthday gift, a surprise, or just sharing a game you love — Steam makes it easy. Here's everything you need to know about gifting games on Steam in 2026.

Before You Gift: What You Need to Know

A few things to check before you buy:

• Your friend needs a Steam account — they must have Steam installed and be set up before you can gift them a game
• They must be on your friends list — Steam requires the recipient to be your Steam friend for at least 3 days before you can send them a game gift
• Not all games can be gifted — some games have publisher restrictions that prevent gifting. You'll see this on the store page.
• Region restrictions apply — some games can't be gifted to certain countries. Steam will notify you at checkout if there's a restriction.
• They have 14 days to accept — if they don't accept within 14 days, the gift is returned to you and you get a refund

How to Gift a Game on Steam — Step by Step

How to Send a Steam Wallet Gift Card Instead

Not sure what game to get? A Steam Wallet gift card lets your friend choose exactly what they want. You can send digital gift cards in these amounts: $5, $10, $25, $50, and $100. To send a Steam Wallet gift card:

1. Go to store.steampowered.com/digitalgiftcards/selectgiftcard
2. Select the amount
3. Choose the friend from your friends list
4. Complete the purchase

The gift card is delivered to their Steam Wallet as soon as they accept it. Note: the card is automatically converted to your friend's local currency — so a $25 USD card sent to a friend in Europe will be converted to EUR. Important: You cannot use your existing Steam Wallet balance to purchase a digital gift card — you need to pay with a card or PayPal.

Can I Gift a Game I Already Own?

You cannot gift a game directly from your library. However, if you have duplicate gift copies of a game (for example from a bundle), you can send those. Go to Games → Manage Gifts and Guest Passes in the Steam client to see any gift copies you have available to send. If you don't have a duplicate copy, you'll need to purchase a new copy of the game specifically to gift it. On the store page of a game you already own, you'll see a "Buy this game as a gift for a friend" option instead of the regular buy button.

Tips for Gifting on Steam

• Check their wishlist — if your friend's Steam profile is public, you can see their wishlist to find exactly what they want. Go to their profile and click Wishlist.
• Check what they already own — if their library is public, check it first to avoid gifting something they have
• Gift during Steam Sales — discounts apply to gifts too, so buying during a sale saves you money even when gifting
• Add a personal message — it only takes 10 seconds and makes the gift feel much more personal
• Region matters — if your friend is in a different country, some games may have restrictions. Steam will warn you at checkout if there's an issue

Need a Game Key Instead?

If you want to gift a game without going through Steam's gifting system — for example if your friend isn't on your friends list yet — you can buy a Steam game key. They can activate it on their own Steam account at any time. Got more questions? Check out our other guides or ask a question on our Live Chat 24/7.