How To Buy Games On Steam With A Steam Gift Card: A Step-by-Step Guide

Getting a Steam gift card for your birthday or the holidays is exciting. Finally, you can get that game you’ve been waiting to play! But the excitement can quickly fade when you scratch off the code and realise you have no idea how to redeem it.

I learned this struggle firsthand. Last year, my sister got me a $20 Steam card for my birthday. I eagerly scratched it off, ready to buy Red Dead Redemption 2 during the big Steam sale.

But as I stared at the code on my computer, I was completely lost. How could I add the funds to my account? And how would I actually use the money to buy a game?

If you’ve ever had the same questions, don’t worry. Redeeming and using a Steam gift card is fairly straightforward once you know where to look.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to redeem your Steam gift card, use your Steam Wallet balance to buy games, check your balance, and even what to do if you’d rather exchange your unused Steam gift card for cash.

Why Use A Steam Gift Card?

Wondering what a Steam gift card is actually useful for? Besides buying games, a Steam gift card offers a convenient alternative to paying directly with a bank card, privacy, gifting and helps avoid international transaction issues. 

1. Privacy:

Using a Steam gift card means you don’t have to enter your bank card details every time you want to fund your Steam Wallet. You can redeem the gift card and make purchases using your Steam Wallet balance.

2. No Bank Card Needed:

You don’t need a debit or credit card to buy games on Steam when you have enough funds in your Steam Wallet. Simply redeem the gift card, and you can use the balance to purchase games and other eligible content.

3. Avoid International Transaction Issues:

If you’re buying from another country, your bank card may sometimes have issues with international or foreign-currency transactions. A compatible Steam gift card can provide an alternative way to fund your Steam Wallet without relying directly on your bank card for each purchase.

However, always make sure the gift card’s currency and region are compatible with your Steam account before buying or redeeming it.

4. Gifting

Steam gift cards make it easy to give someone the gift of gaming without having to choose a specific game for them. The recipient can use the funds to purchase a game or other eligible content they actually want.

How To Redeem Your Steam Gift Card

Before you can use a Steam gift card to buy games, you need to redeem the card or wallet code and add the funds to your Steam Wallet.

You can redeem a Steam gift card through the Steam website, desktop application, or mobile app.

1. On The Steam Website

Redeeming your Steam gift card on the website is easy. Just log in to your Steam account on the website, click on your username in the top right corner, and select “Redeem Steam gift card.” Enter the gift card code and click “Redeem” to automatically add the gift card value to your Steam wallet balance.

1. Log in to your Steam account through the Steam website.
2. Click your profile name in the top-right corner.
3. Select Account Details.
4. Find the section for adding funds to your Steam Wallet.
5. Select Redeem a Steam Gift Card or Wallet Code.
6. Enter the code from your gift card.
7. Click Continue or Redeem to submit the code.

If the code is valid and compatible with your account, the funds will be added to your Steam Wallet. Steam’s official support confirms that wallet codes can be redeemed through the dedicated gift-card/wallet-code redemption page.

1. On The Steam Desktop App

You can also redeem your card directly through the Steam desktop application. All you need to do is open the Steam app on your computer and log in, open your account details, select “Add funds to your Steam account”, and look for Redeem a Steam Gift Card or Wallet Code. Enter your gift card or wallet code and click Continue to add the gift card value to your Steam wallet balance. 

1. Open the Steam app on your computer and log in.
2. Click your profile name and open Account Details.
3. Select Add funds to your Steam Wallet.
4. Look for Redeem a Steam Gift Card or Wallet Code.
5. Enter your gift card or wallet code.
6. Click Continue.
7. Once the code is accepted, the funds will be added to your Steam Wallet.

The exact menu placement can vary slightly depending on your Steam client version, but the Redeem a Steam Gift Card or Wallet Code option is the one you need.

1. On The Steam Mobile App

You can also do it through the Steam mobile app. Just open your Steam mobile app and sign in, click on the “Wallet section, select “Redeem a Steam Gift Card”, and enter your gift card code. Once the code is successfully redeemed, the funds will be added to your Steam Wallet.

1. Open the Steam mobile app and sign in.
2. Go to the Wallet section at the top of the Store screen.
3. Select Redeem a Steam Gift Card or Wallet Code.
4. Enter your gift card code.
5. Tap Continue.
6. Once the code is successfully redeemed, the funds will be added to your Steam Wallet.

Depending on your app version, you may also find the redemption option through: “Account Details”, “Add funds to your Steam Wallet”, “Redeem a Steam Gift Card” or “Wallet Code”. Current mobile guides and Steam community reports show the Wallet redemption option in the mobile app.

Important: Check The Card’s Currency Before Redeeming

Steam Wallet codes are not universally interchangeable between currencies.

Steam currently states that it has limited gift-card redemption to the currency of the Steam Wallet. This means a card issued in one currency may not work with an account using another currency.

So, if you have a foreign-region Steam gift card, don’t assume Steam will automatically convert it to your local currency. Check the card’s currency and your Steam Wallet currency before attempting to redeem it.

This is especially important if you bought the card from another country or received one from someone overseas.

How To Buy Games On Steam With Your Steam Gift Card

Buying games is easy once your Steam gift card balance is added to your wallet. When you’re ready to purchase, simply add the game to your cart, select purchase for yourself, verify the amount, and complete the transaction. Your Steam wallet funds will automatically be used for the purchase.

1. Go to the store page for the game you want to buy and click “Add to Cart”.
2. View your cart and click “Purchase as Gift” if you want to buy the game as a gift for someone else. Otherwise, click “Purchase for Myself”.
3. On the next screen, you’ll see your payment options. By default, it will show your Steam wallet balance.
4. Verify that the amount shown is correct and click “Purchase” to complete the transaction.

Since you are using wallet funds, no additional steps are necessary. The game will be added to your library or delivered as a gift immediately.

Don’t Want To Buy Games? Sell Your Steam Gift Card For Cash

Not everyone who receives a Steam gift card is a gamer. Maybe you already own the game you want, received a card in the wrong region, or would simply prefer to have the money instead.

If you have an unused Steam gift card, you can sell it for cash on platforms like Cardtonic instead of redeeming it to your Steam Wallet.

Cardtonic supports Steam gift cards among the gift-card brands available for trading. You can submit your card through the platform, complete the transaction, and receive payment in your local currency.

It is important to note that you don’t need to redeem the card you intend to sell into your Steam Wallet. Once a gift card code has been redeemed, its value becomes Steam Wallet funds, which Steam says cannot be transferred or gifted to another Steam account.

How To Check Your Steam Gift Card Balance

The easiest way to check your Steam gift card balance is to look at the top of the Steam client window. Where you’ll find your current balance displayed next to your username as “Wallet Balance: $XX.XX.” You can also check your Steam card balance on either the Steam client or the website.

1. On the Steam client:

To verify your balance using the Steam client, click on your username, opt for “Account Details” in the dropdown menu, then scroll down to locate “Store Transactions.” Your wallet balance will be visible under “Wallet Credit” in this section.

Click on your username in the top right corner of the Steam client.

In the dropdown menu, select “Account details”.

Scroll down to the “Store Transactions” section on the Account Details page.

Your current wallet balance will be shown here under “Wallet Credit”.

1. On the Steam website:

To check your balance on the Steam website, click on your username, select “Account Details” from the dropdown menu, scroll down to find “Store Transactions,” and there you’ll see your wallet balance displayed under “Wallet Credit.”

Log in to your Steam account using your web browser.

Click on your username in the top right corner of the webpage.

From the dropdown menu, select “Account details”.

On your Account Details page, look under “Store Transactions” for “Wallet Credit”, which shows your balance.

Frequently Asked Questions About How To Buy Games On Steam

1. Can You Buy A Game With A Steam Wallet Card?

Yes, Steam Wallet cards, also called Steam gift cards, can be used to purchase games on Steam. Once you redeem the card to your Steam wallet, you can buy any game or software on the platform using those funds. It acts just like cash in your Steam wallet.

2. Can I Buy A Game On Steam As A Gift?

Yes. You can purchase eligible games as gifts for people on your Steam Friends List.

At checkout, choose the gift option, select the recipient, and complete the purchase. Steam notes that you can only gift new purchases; you cannot transfer games that you already own.

3. Where Can I Buy Or Sell A Steam Gift Card?

Steam gift cards are sold at a variety of major retailers like GameStop, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and more. Additionally, you can buy Steam gift cards from online platforms like Cardtonic.

If you have an unused Steam gift card that you would rather convert to cash, you can also sell it on platforms like Cardtonic.

4. Does A Steam Gift Card Expire?

Nope, Steam gift cards do not expire. The funds will remain in your Steam wallet indefinitely. There is no time limit to use the funds from a Steam gift card.

5. How Do I Redeem A Steam Gift Game?

If you receive a Steam game as a gift, it will be added directly to your game library. Launch the Steam client, and the gifted game will appear in your list of purchased titles, ready to install and play! No redemption needed.

Conclusion

Using a Steam gift card to buy games is simple once you understand how Steam Wallet works.

First, redeem your gift card or wallet code through the Steam website, desktop app, or mobile app. Once the funds appear in your Steam Wallet, you can use them to purchase games and other eligible content from the Steam Store.

Remember to check the card’s currency before redeeming it, especially if you received or purchased a card from another country. Steam currently restricts wallet-code redemption based on the currency of your Steam Wallet, so a foreign card may not work with your account.

And if you don’t want to use the card for gaming, you may have another option: sell your unused Steam gift card for cash through a supported gift-card trading platform such as Cardtonic. 

With these options in mind, you can make the most of your Steam gift card, whether that means buying your next favourite game or turning an unwanted card into cash.