How to activate a game key on Steam

A game key is a code you redeem on your own Steam account. You do not sign in to anyone else's account. Once redeemed, the game is permanently in your library.

Takes under 2 minutes.

Before you start

You have your own Steam account and you are signed in
Open the order page to copy the key

⚠️ Read the region section before you redeem. A key that has been entered cannot be taken back. If you redeem a key for the wrong region, the game will not appear in your library and the key cannot be used anywhere else either.

About key regions

Keys come in several kinds — check the product page before buying:

Global / ROW — works in every country, no conditions
Region-locked (EU, NA, Asia and so on) — your Steam account must be based in that region. Steam goes by the country set on your account, which follows the payment methods you have used, not your IP address at the moment you redeem.

If you are not sure which region your account is in, check store.steampowered.com/account/ under Store country.

Using a VPN to redeem an out-of-region key violates Steam's terms and can get your account locked. We do not recommend it and we are not responsible for the consequences.

Steps

Step 1 — Copy the key from the order page

Go to My orders, open the game key item, and click the copy icon next to the code.

Step 2 — Open the product activation page

In the Steam client: Games → Activate a Product on Steam.

Or in a browser: store.steampowered.com/account/registerkey

Step 3 — Paste the key and continue

Paste the whole line. Do not type the dashes yourself. Make sure there is no leading or trailing space.

Step 4 — The game is in your library

After you accept the agreement the game appears immediately. You can install it right away.

If you get stuck

It says "this code has already been activated"

Do not try again. Contact an admin straight away with a screenshot of that message. Keep the key — it is needed for the investigation.

It says "this code cannot be activated in your country"

The key is region-locked and your account is in a different region. Do not try a VPN. Contact an admin with a screenshot.

It says "you already own this product"

Your account already has the game and the key is still unused. Try it on another account of yours, or contact an admin.

It says you have entered too many invalid codes

Steam limits you to 10 failed activations per hour. Wait an hour and try again.