Steam how to buy a game for a friend

Games stand as an outstanding present during the Holiday season. It’s easy to purchase, very thoughtful gift for your gamer niece and very affordable.

By experience, online gaming is perhaps the best way to keep friends around and build new bonds. For example, recently, a friend gifted Age of Empires IV on Steam to me. Since then, I’ve played the RTS title with a group of long-time friends, and it’s great.

So, we’re covering how to gift a game on Steam with a step-by-step guide for beginners.

There’re three ways to gift a game on Steam.

• Buying a game for someone else
• Sending a gift card to someone else
• Sending a duplicate copy to someone else

Before gifting a game on steam, you need to be friends with that person.

How To Gift a Game On Steam

If you’re not a new user and your friend is not a new user, you can start right here.

1. Open the Store

   Click on the “Store” tab in the app. Otherwise, go to the webpage and click on the same tab.

2. Find the game you want to gift
   
   There’re various ways to search for a game on Steam. You can search by genre, top charts, or just browsing the main store page.

   For our example, let’s say we’re using the search function, as we have a specific game in mind, Rust. So, type the game’s name on the search bar on the right side. Then, click on the appropriate option.

   Otherwise, you can type the game’s name and click on the magnifying glass icon. It will display all of the options available, like special editions and DLCs.

3. Open the game’s page

   Click on the game to open its page. Steam may ask you to verify your age before moving forward.

4. Add the game to your shopping cart
   
   
   Scroll down to the “Buy” option and press “Add to Cart.”
5. Purchase the game as a gift
   
   
   Press the “Purchase Game as a Gift” option on the new screen.
6. Choose your friend
   

   Choose your Steam friend on the list, and press “Continue.”

   You can type your friend’s name on the search bar if the list is too long. However, you can’t add a friend by this point. Also, the list displays if a friend already has the game you’re trying to gift.

7. Type a message
   Type your friend’s name, a message, and signature on the next page. This is optional, of course.
8. Pay the game
   
   
   Steam will ask you to choose or add a payment method. Once you select the option, click “Continue” to pay for the game. Your friend will receive your gift immediately on their Steam. The platform will notify them via email and via the platform’s inbox.

   Yet, you have the option to set up a delivery schedule. It’s a useful feature for surprising someone on special days.

9. Wait for your notification

   Lastly, you’ll receive a notification on your email and your Steam inbox when your friend opens the gift.

How to gift Steam funds to a friend

A secondary option is giving a Steam gift card to your friends. That way, they can choose to buy the game they want, instead of risking selecting the wrong one.

The process is easy, but the feature is not readily apparent in the UI.

Here’re the instructions:

1. Search for a gift card on Steam
   

   Type “Steam Gift Card” on the search bar, and click on the appropriate option. You can do it either through the app or the webpage. 

2. Choose the “Send through Steam” option
   

   Next, click on “Send through Steam.” Bear in mind; you can’t buy a gift card for yourself via this method.

3. Choose the amount
   
   As before, you’re to choose the amount you’re willing to buy. It’s the same option we saw on the “+Add Funds” feature.

   So, click on the option you desire to continue.

4. Click on one of your friends
   As before, choose the friend by clicking on the icon. Then, hit on “Continue.”
5. Type the message
   Because it’s a gift, Steam prompts you to write a custom message. After you finish, click on “Continue.”
6. Choose your payment option
7. Pay for the gift card
   

   The last step is to confirm your purchase. Follow the instructions Steam asks you, as it can vary depending on your payment method.

How to gift a duplicate copy to your friends

The third method is giving away a duplicate copy of a game to your friend. By duplicate, I don’t mean a game you bought twice, as it’s impossible.

Instead, game bundles as Valve’s “The Orange Box” contain duplicate copies. The idea is that you can gift the extra copies to a friend.

1. Go to the “Games” tab:
   
   
   Click on “Games” at the top left corner. It will display a drop-down menu. Then, Click on “Manage Gifts and Guest Passes”
2. Send the game
   
   A new page should display the extra copies you can gift. I have none, so my list is empty, as you see above.

   Either way, click on the game and click next. Steam will ask you to choose a friend and type the custom message here.

How do I accept a Steam gift

Steam will let you know about a gift via email and their inbox. You can check and accept the gift by clicking on the inbox option on the app.

Here, you’ll see the option to accept or refuse the gift. After you accept, the game moves to your library, where you can download it and install it as usual.

Payment Option In Steam

Regardless of where you live, Steam accepts the following payment methods worldwide:

• PayPal (without extra credit card)
• Visa
• MasterCard
• American Express
• Discover
• JCB

Nevertheless, payment methods are region-dependent. For example, some countries accept ecoins and other digital wallets.

You can only add a credit cards of the same region as your Steam profile. Some banks would allow you to add a debit card as well, but you’d have to try.

Related Questions

Can I gift games I’m not playing?

You can’t gift a game you purchased for yourself, even if you haven’t opened it.

Can my friends accept gifts if they are in other regions / currencies?

Your friends can accept the gift regardless of the country they reside in.

Do gifts have an expiration date?

Steam gifts expire after 30 days. So, you can use your gifts somewhere within the expiration date.

What if my friend already has that game?

Steam won’t allow you to send a game your friends already have. So, if your friend already has the game, you cannot gift them again.

Finally…

Sending a gift on Steam is easy, although it can be complex for new users.

But if you’re familiar with the app, it won’t take more than five minutes. It’s a great way to make someone happy, even if you don’t share a gaming hobby.

Luckily, even if they don’t accept the game, you can always get your money back.