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How to redeem a Steam key

Open Steam, click Games in the top menu, choose Activate a Product on Steam and enter your key. In a browser, the same works at store.steampowered.com/account/registerkey. The game then appears in your library. Steam wallet codes and gift cards go on a different page.

In the Steam app on PC or Mac

  1. Open Steam and sign in.
  2. Click Games in the menu at the top.
  3. Choose Activate a Product on Steam...
  4. Enter the key and follow the steps on screen.

The same option is under + Add a Game at the bottom left of your library.

In your browser

  1. Go to store.steampowered.com/account/registerkey and sign in to Steam.
  2. Enter the key and follow the steps on the page.

Steam wallet codes and gift cards

  1. Sign in and open store.steampowered.com/account/redeemwalletcode, the Redeem a Steam Gift Card or Wallet Code page.
  2. Enter the code in the Steam Wallet Code field.
  3. Click Continue.

Steam may ask for your address to set your wallet's currency. A code only works in the currency of your wallet.

If Steam says the key is invalid

Invalid Product Code usually means the key is not for Steam, for example a Battle.net or Ubisoft key. Also check the characters that are easy to mix up: 0 with O, Q or D; 1 with I or L; B with 8; G with 6.

If the key is already used

Duplicate Product Code means the key is already on a Steam account. Steam sends you back to the shop you bought it from; on a marketplace, open a ticket from your order.

If the key does not work in your region

Publishers decide where their keys work. If Steam says the product is not available in your territory, ask the seller for a refund or a key for your region. Steam says that getting around the lock with a VPN breaks its terms.

On Keyfinder, keys marked Global or Europe activate on accounts in Germany and the rest of the EU, and they are listed first.

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Questions

Where is the game after I redeem the key?

In your Steam library, ready to install.

Can I redeem a Steam key without the Steam app?

Yes, at store.steampowered.com/account/registerkey in any browser where you are signed in to Steam.

Is a Steam gift card the same as a Steam key?

No. A key adds one game to your library. A gift card or wallet code adds money to your Steam wallet and is redeemed on the wallet code page.

Steps checked on 27 Oct 2026 against the official help: help.steampowered.com, help.steampowered.com, help.steampowered.com, help.steampowered.com

More guides

How to Redeem a Steam Key: Activate a Product on Steam | Keyfinder