When you buy a game through Steam, it automatically appears in your library. However, what happens if you buy a Steam game through another platform like Humble Bundle?
In these cases, you’ll be given a CD key that you need to activate on Steam. In this article, we show you how to do that.
What Product Keys Can You Activate on Steam?
You can obtain a Steam product key through a variety of sources, like game discount sites or printed on a card in a physical purchase. These keys are a combination of letters and numbers.
These keys are specifically designed to be activated on Steam. For example, you can’t activate an Origin or GOG key on Steam, and vice versa.
It’s important to note that you can’t refund product keys once you activate them on Steam, unless the retailer grants an unlikely exception. The usual Steam refund process is only valid for purchases made directly through Steam.
How to Activate a Product Key on Steam
- Launch the Steam client.
- In the top toolbar, click Games.
- Click Activate a Product on Steam.
- Click Next.
- Read the subscriber agreement and click I Agree.
- Enter your product code and click Next.
- If successful, the product will be added to your library.
Why Your Steam Product Key Is Invalid
When you try to activate your Steam product key, you may get an error that the key is invalid or a duplicate. This often happens if you bought your key from a shady site, so be aware before buying discounted game keys.
The duplicate error means that the key is already registered to another Steam account. A key can only be redeemed against one account. If you have definitely not registered the key to another account, contact the retailer for a new key.
The invalid error can happen for several reasons, but it usually means that the key doesn’t exist. Make sure that you’re submitting the key correctly; ideally, copy and paste it. Check for any confused characters. For example, the letter O can look like the number 0.
If this doesn’t help, contact the retailer from whom you bought the key. If they can’t help you, contact the game’s publisher.
Give Your Friends the Gift of Steam
If you’re looking for the perfect gift for a gamer friend, you might consider sending them a product key for Steam.
However, why not send them a digital Steam gift card instead? It means they can choose exactly what they want and make the purchase directly through Steam.