How to Gift a Game on Steam (2026 Guide) — Step-by-Step + Fixes
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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
Gift a game through the Steam Store
- Open the Steam client or go to store.steampowered.com and find the game you want to gift. Make sure you're signed into your account.
- Click Add to Cart on the game's store page.
- Open your cart by clicking the Cart button in the top-right. Under the game in your cart, find the dropdown menu and select "Purchase as a gift."
- Click Continue to gift options. A friend selector will appear — choose the friend you want to send the game to from your friends list.
- Optionally add a personal message — this appears when your friend receives the gift. Then click Continue to payment, complete the purchase, and the gift is sent.
- Your friend will receive a notification and the gift will appear in their Steam gift inventory. They can accept it immediately or later — they have 14 days to accept before the gift is returned to you with a refund.
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:
- Go to store.steampowered.com/digitalgiftcards/selectgiftcard
- Select the amount
- Choose the friend from your friends list
- Complete the purchase
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.
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