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Steam is one of our favourite places to purchasePC games. After all with regularSteam sales, it’s a great place to grab a bargain and withSteam’s generous refund policies, it’s also easy to get your money back if things go wrong.
Sometimes though you might have acquired a Steam code from elsewhere - whether from a bundle, a friend or from a legitimate website. If you’ve done that and want to know how to activate a product code on Steam then we’re here to help.
What is a Steam Code?
In relation to games and other virtual products, a Steam code is a unique code that can be redeemed on Steam to link it to your personal library and make it downloadable and playable there.
A Steam code is a one-time code that can only be used on one account and once it’s activated it will be tied to your account and cannot be used elsewhere.
you’re able to get a Steam code (also known as Steam Keys) from a number of different places including legitimate websites such as game developer/publisher sites (e.g.Rebellion).
Steam game codes are different from Steam Wallet codes and Steam Guard codes.
What is a Steam Wallet code?
As well as purchasing games elsewhere and then activating them on Steam, it’s also possible to fund your Steam purchases by using Steam Wallet codes. These are essentially gift cards that you can use to add money to your Steam account and then buy games directly from Steam.
These might be given as gift cards to loved ones and are a great alternative to buying games directly. Especially if you’re shopping for someone but don’t know what to get them. Steam Wallet codes activate a little differently to standard Steam Codes so we’ll cover that below.
What about Steam Guard codes?
Steam has a lot of different codes it seems. Another one to know about is Steam Guard codes.Steam Guardis atwo-factor authentication toolthat we’d highly recommend using to protect your Steam account.
If you’re building a nice library of games on Steam the last thing you want is someone else hacking into your account and claiming it as their own. As well asusing a secure passwordwe’d also highly recommend using Steam Guard and protecting your account.
Valve has a niftyguide on setting up Steam Guard here.
How to activate a Steam code
If you’ve bought or been given a Steam code then the redemption process is fairly straightforward. The code should look something like this WQ062-XRY00-5YQLR. Split into different segments and separated with a hash, the Steam code is a unique code for each game and could be a 16-digit combination. Make sure you have this at the ready, then follow these steps:
If there’s a problem with the code you’ll be notified here. You can’t re-use codes, so if it’s already tied to someone else’s library it won’t work for you.
How to redeem a Steam Wallet code
As we mentioned, a Steam Wallet code is slightly different from standard Steam codes. You can buy Steam Wallet codes asdigital gift cards directly on Steamor via psychical purchases in brick-and-mortar stores. These cards include a code that you can redeem to add funds to your Steam account. To do this:
As an alternative, you can redeem Steam Wallet codes byvisiting the Steam website and signing in. Which is ideal if you want to do it while you’re away from your PC.
Redeem a Steam Wallet code on mobile
As well as redeeming wallet codes on the desktop app, it’s also possible to do it with the Steam mobile app. If you haven’t got it already, you should really download it (forAndroidoriPhone) because it’s great for protecting your account with Steam Guard but also for hunting deals while you’re away from your keyboard.
It’s worth noting that as well as redeeming Steam Wallet codes on this screen you can also just add funds to your wallet from here too.
How to activate a Steam code on mobile
It’s not as obvious but it is possible to activate a Steam code on your mobile phone as well. The setting isn’t immediately obvious in the app, but you can still do it.
Once you’ve redeemed your Steam codes on your phone you’re able to now go about downloading the games. As long as your gaming PC or laptop is turned on you have the option to download remotely.
Just load up the Steam mobile app or log in to Steam in a browser, navigate to your Steam library and click the game then remote download. This is ideal if you’ve just redeemed a Steam code and want to get it ready to play!
