How Do I Cancel My Steam Deck Purchase? The Complete Walkthrough
As an avid Steam gamer and content creator focused on the latest hardware and software news in the industry, one of the top questions I‘ve been getting recently is how to cancel a Steam Deck purchase or reservation. Whether you want to change models, free up funds, or have just changed your mind, canceling a Deck order is fairly straightforward if you know the steps.
In this definitive guide, I‘ll be providing a detailed walkthrough on how to cancel Steam Deck orders with considerations around payments, account standing, troubleshooting problems, and more. I‘ve helped hundreds of gamers manage their Deck reservations over the past year, so let me share what I‘ve learned!
Step-by-Step: How To Cancel Your Steam Deck Order
The easiest way to cancel a Steam Deck purchase or reservation is through the Steam support site. Here is the complete walkthrough:
- Go to https://help.steampowered.com and log in with your Steam account
- Click on the "Purchases" option and select your Steam Deck order
- Choose the option "I‘d like to request a refund"
- Confirm your request by pressing "Send Request"
Once you submit the refund request, Steam will process it over the next week and notify you through email on the status.
Troubleshooting Order Cancellation Issues
If you aren‘t seeing the cancel option or run into errors, here are some things to check:
- Verify you are logged into the correct Steam account that placed the Deck order
- Try a different browser or computing device
- Double check you selected the correct Steam Deck purchase
- Confirm the order is still pending and hasn‘t entered shipping
- Reset browser cache/cookies in case of web issues
If none of those help, you‘ll need to open a Steam Support ticket explaining the problem in detail so an agent can assist.
Payment and Refund Considerations
How you paid for your Deck reservation and how long it has been will impact the refund method and speed. Here is an overview:
| Payment Method | Refund Destination | Estimated Time |
|---|---|---|
| Credit Card | Back to original card | 5-7 days |
| PayPal | Back to PayPal account | 3-5 days |
| Steam Wallet | Back to Steam Wallet | Under 24 hours |
*Refund times are estimates only and may vary depending on financial institutions. International payment methods may take longer.
The key thing to note is refunds within 30 days will go back to the original payment method while after a month, the refund gets credited to your Steam Wallet only. I‘d suggest cancelling sooner if you want funds returned outside Steam.
Watch Out For These Steam Account Limitations
While Steam allows users to cancel Deck orders up until it ships without any penalties, there are a few account standing actions to be aware of:
- Multiple rapid cancellations or reservations may trigger fraud review
- Refund abuse warnings if repeatedly buying/refunding games
- Payment method bans if chargebacks or reversed transactions
As long as your account is in good standing and you aren‘t exploiting the system, you can request cancellations without limitations. Just be careful not to abuse refunds and maintain your account properly.
What If My Order Already Shipped?
If your Deck has already shipped or you received it, you have 14 days from delivery to return it for a full refund. Follow the same process on Steam Support and select the return/refund option when choosing your order.
For returns, you will have to ship back the Steam Deck before receiving your refund. Make sure you have the original packaging!
If it has been over 14 days or you no longer have the device, you unfortunately cannot cancel but may be able to resell it. This guide focuses specifically on cancelling orders not yet shipped or received.
Key Takeaways When Cancelling Your Steam Deck
To summarize everything for cancelling your Steam Deck order or reservation:
- Easily cancel through Steam Support until shipping
- Refund takes 5-7 days, faster to Steam Wallet
- Best to cancel within 30 days to original payment
- Account standing impacts ability to cancel/refund
- Can‘t cancel after shipping without returning device
And there you have it – the complete guide on cancelling your Steam Deck purchase! Let me know down in the comments if you have any other questions. I‘m here to help my fellow Steam enthusiasts make the most out of their reservations. This is just one way I try to give back to this amazing community.
Sources: Steam Refund Policy, Steam Hardware Returns, r/Steam and r/SteamDeck subreddits, Steam Deck FAQ, Personal Experience
