What Is Steam Wallet? How to Add Money and Redeem Gift Card

New users, or users with a library full of free games, may not know how to buy a game on Steam. There’re two ways about it: using the Steam Wallet or using a payment method.

Steam is available in every country. However, Steam’s payment methods are region-specific, so you can try Steam Wallet. This is far less complicated as you can bypass your lack of payment options.

What is a Steam Wallet?

The Steam Wallet is a digital tool that allows users to add funds to their accounts. Users can then use these funds to buy a game on Steam or anything else within the platform.

Moreover, users can also use Steam Wallet funds for in-game purchases, but only on games supporting Steam transactions.

There’re two ways to add funds to your Steam wallet:

1. Via your payment method
2. Via a Steam gift card.

How to Add Money to the Steam Wallet?

Steam allows you to add funds into the Steam Wallet with your payment method of choice.

Then, you can use the funds to buy a game on Steam – Pay $50 worth of Steam funds; use $50 on Steam.

1. Go to Account Details
   
   Click on your Steam profile at the top right corner. Then, click on Account Details.
2. Click on “+Add Funds to Your Steam Wallet”
   On the right panel, click on the “+Add Funds” option.
3. Choose the amount
   
   There’s no way to add a specific amount of funds into the Steam Wallet; you can only choose one of the options. So, click on the “Add Funds” button right next to the amount you’re willing to buy (for example, $50).
4. Choose your payment method:
   After you press “Add Funds,” you’ll see the available options. After you select your choice, click “Continue.” If you haven’t added a payment method, Steam will ask you to add one.
5. Confirm and pay:
   
   Steam will ask you to confirm your credentials. In particular, if you choose a digital wallet, you’ll see the brand’s icon at the lower right. Therefore, click on the icon to confirm your credentials.

How Do I Check My Steam Wallet?

Your Steam Wallet funds are readily available through the app or the website.

1. Click on your profile at the top right
   You can see your Steam Wallet funds on your profile’s drop-down menu. Click on “View my wallet.“
2. Click on “View my Wallet”
   View Your Wallet takes you to the familiar “Add Funds” menu. Your funds are on the right side of the panel.

How to Take Money Out of My Steam Wallet?

Steam Wallet funds are non-refundable. It means you can’t withdraw it as real money. Instead, you can only use it on Steam purchases. 

That said, Steam uses the funds on your Steam Wallet automatically before any payment method. For example, if you buy a $20 game and have $10 worth of funds in your wallet, Steam will use these $10 funds and charge $10 to your credit card or digital bank.

What is a Steam Wallet Gift Card?

Steam Wallet Codes and Gift Cards are physical or digital gift certificates. You can redeem them on Steam to purchase software, games, and game content.

In essence, they add funds to your Steam Wallet. Moreover, you can gift a Wallet Code to someone else by buying it directly in the store.

How to Gift Steam Wallet Funds?

Here’s how you can gift funds to someone else’s Steam Wallet.

1. Search for “Steam Gift Card” on the app
   As usual, you can do the process on the app or the website. You’re to type “Steam Gift Card” on the search bar and select the appropriate option.
2. Select “Send through Steam”
   Then, select “Send through Steam.” It allows you to buy the Steam Gift Card for someone else and pay it either with your funds or your payment methods.
3. Select the amount
   
   As before, you can’t choose a specific amount. Instead, click on the option you’d like to gift.
4. Choose your friend
   
   Click on the friend you’d like to surprise on the list, and click on continue. You can’t add a friend by this point.
5. Type a message
   
   Type your name, a message, and a signature for the gift receiver. Then, click on continue.
6. Select your payment method and pay
   As before, confirm your purchase to complete the process.

How to Enter a Steam Wallet Code?

Wallet Codes are Steam gift cards. By typing their codes on the platform, you can add a certain amount of funds to the store.

Gift Cards have a code for the amount of money you pay. So, if it’s a $50 gift card, you input the code into your Steam account for $50 worth of Steam funds.

Depending on where you live, you may find Steam gift cards in convenience stores and video-game stores. Otherwise, you may find them on online stores like Amazon, eBay, Alibaba, or Mercadolibre (Latin-America).

If the gift card is not of your store’s same currency, Steam will automatically convert the funds. Yet, some currencies are not available in some regions, so you may encounter an error.

Either way, they present an option for those who don’t have a readily available payment method. Whereas Steam doesn’t accept a credit card or digital bank you have, other stores and people may. Thus, you could buy Steam gift cards if you can’t use your payments directly at Steam.

Here’s an official FAQ for additional doubts. Additionally, here’s a guide on where to buy Steam Gift Cards and Wallet Codes.

1. Go to the Account Details menu
2. Click on the +Add Funds option
3. Click on the “Redeem a Steam Card” option
   
   You will see the redeeming option on the right-hand side.
4. Type the code:
   
   Lastly, type the code on the bar and click continue. It will add the proper funds to your account.

How to Add a Payment Method to Steam?

Finally, you can add as many payment methods onto Steam before buying anything. It saves time, and it gives you options.

In essence, each time you “Buy” or “Add funds,” Steam will prompt one of the methods you installed.

1. Go to the Account Details menu
2. Add a payment method
   
   Click on “Add a Payment Method” on the right panel. Payment methods depend on your region.
3. Add a payment method
   
   Click on the first bar to check the alternatives available in your regional store. For example, I see various credit card brands on my list, but I can’t see Paypal as I already added the digital bank.
4. Type your payment method details
   Finally, type your account details, for example, your credit card data. After typing the information, press “Continue” and finish the process.

How to Buy a Game on Steam?

The store allows you to input a payment method when purchasing a game. However, you can’t add funds to the wallet at that point.

That said, here’re the steps to buy a game on Steam:

1. Open your Steam app go to Store
   Go to Steam’s Store tab. You can buy games on the Steam app or the website. If you go through the website, the store may ask you to log in, once again, at the moment of the purchase.
2. Select your game
   
   You can browse the game you want on the search bar, genre, top charts, or the home screen. Once you select the game, like Half-Life: Alyx, click on it to open its page.
3. Click on the “Add to Cart” option
   Scroll down the page and select the version you’d like to buy. Then, press the “Add to Cart” option.
4. Select “Purchase for myself” on your cart
   You’ll see the option to buy the game for yourself or purchase the game on Steam as a gift. Press the appropriate option.
5. Select your payment method and pay
   On the next page, select your payment method, write your credentials, and pay on the next page. Steam will save the payment method automatically after your purchase. However, you can add it beforehand (or add various) for your convenience.
6. Confirm and pay
   
   Press continue after you select the method, confirm, and pay.

Related Questions

Payment Methods on Steam

Steam offers different payment methods for each country and region. You’d have to follow our tutorial to find out the options available in your country.

Worldwide, though, you’d find the following options:

• PayPal.
• Visa.
• MasterCard.
• American Express.
• Discover.
• JCB.

Some regional stores may offer digital bank accounts, ecoins, and other banks as payment methods. 

Lastly, the options are the same to buy a game on Steam or add funds onto the Steam wallet.

Can I Change the Country of My Steam Store?

If you move out to another country, you can change the region once you get a billing address.

Changing the address on Steam is mostly automatic. Once Steam detects you’re using the store in a new region, it will prompt an option to change your address and payment method.

However, if your new payment method is of the same currency as your older region, Steam will ask you to update your address once you complete a new purchase.

How Do I Check My Cart?

When you press “Add to Card,” Steam adds the items on a cart you can check at any time. These items remain there until you make the purchase.

You can access the cart by going to the app (or website), then the Store app, and clicking on the “Cart” green bar at the right.

How Do I Delete Items From My Cart?

You can press the tiny “Remove” button underneath the game’s price to delete it from your cart. The option is within the Cart panel.