The Steam platform is currently the most popular way to purchase PC games and organize them within the same program. Steam allows users to redeem gift cards, but not everyone has access to Steam’s proprietary cards. Instead, you might be one of the people who received an Amazon gift card for your birthday.
Don’t worry, there’s still a way to get Steam titles with the Amazon gift card. Contrary to popular belief, Amazon sells more than physical items, you can also find digital products there. Read on for the steps.
How to Buy Steam Games with Amazon Gift Card
Contrary to what you may think, you won’t need Steam for the purchase process until you reach the second phase. That’s because Steam only allows users to use the company’s own gift cards, and your Amazon gift card won’t work in the store. Thus, you’ll first need to redeem the card on Amazon first.
- Go to Amazon’s website.
- Log into your account.
- At the top-right corner, click on “Account & Lists.”
- From the drop-down menu, select “Account.”
- Pick “Gift Cards” from the list of available options.
- Choose “Redeem A Gift Card.”
- A new page will open, and you’ll be prompted to enter the gift card’s code.
- Click on “Apply To Your Balance.”
On mobile, the steps are slightly different.
- Launch the Amazon app on your mobile device.
- Tap on the user icon near the bottom of the screen.
- On the user page, start scrolling down.
- Look for “Gift Card Balance.”
- Select “Redeem Gift Card.”
- You can scan the gift card or enter the code manually for this step.
- Tap on “Apply To Your Balance.”
- The amount will now be added to your account.
This method will let you purchase any Steam game immediately, as the cost will be subtracted from your Amazon account’s balance. However, there’s also another way to buy Steam games on Amazon with a gift card.
- Go to Amazon.
- Log in if necessary.
- Type a game’s title on the search bar.
- Press “Enter” to commence a search.
- Click on the game’s listing.
- Click on “Add To Cart.”
- Select the cart icon to review your purchases.
- At the payment options page, click on “Enter A Gift Card, Voucher, Or Promotional Code.”
- Enter the code.
- Click on “Apply.”
- Continue, and you should receive the Steam game code.
The Steam game code can be obtained by following these steps:
- Go to your Amazon account homepage.
- Look for “Digital Content And Devices.”
- Click on “Digital Games And Software.”
- You can then access your list and find the Steam game you bought.
- The activation key will be underneath the game’s title.
The first phase of the process concludes here, and you’ll have to move to Steam for the next half. All activation keys will follow one of three possible patterns.
- AAAAA-BBBBB-CCCCC
- AAAAA-BBBBB-CCCCC-DDDDD-EEEEE
- An alphanumeric string that ends with two numbers following a space
Knowing these will help you locate the code faster.
The Second Phase
Assuming you now have the Steam download code, you can now go to Steam and activate the game you just bought. You can use the PC client Steam distributes for free, as the game won’t run or download otherwise.
Here’s what you must do to get the game.
- On your PC, launch the PC Steam client.
- Look at the toolbar near the top.
- Click on “Games.”
- Select “Activate A Product On Steam.”
- Click on “Next.”
- Read the subscriber agreement.
- Select “I Agree” and proceed.
- Enter the Steam product key.
- Choose “Next.”
- The game will now be added to your library.
If you’re not near your PC, you can also activate the game beforehand on a smartphone. When you reach your computer, all that’s left is the installation process. The time that it takes depends on the size of the game.
- Tap on this link on your mobile device.
- Log in with your credentials and authenticate it with the Steam app.
- Enter the code into the field.
- Tap on “Continue.”
- The game is now added to your library.
This process requires the app, but it doesn’t allow for product key activation. This workaround is the only mobile solution available, using the mobile version of the Steam website.
At this point, you already have ownership of the game. You can click on the game’s listing, and you’ll be given the option to download it.
Make sure you have enough storage space on your hard drive, as game files can take up lots of room. Your PC should also be capable of running the game at an acceptable quality for a pleasurable gaming experience.
Unfortunately, there’s no other way to purchase Steam games if you only have Amazon gift cards. The tech giant Valve hasn’t implemented methods for using other gift cards yet, so you’ll have to rely on this method.
You should also be aware that not every game sold on Amazon has an option for Steam code purchases. Of course, only PC games meant for Steam will have Steam keys, but it’s possible that the title can’t be purchased that way. You may find it on the Steam store but not on Amazon.
Therefore, it’s best to avoid using Amazon gift cards when you want to buy Steam games. You can use Steam gift cards or your credit card, which are much faster and barely take two minutes.
Additional FAQs
Can you redeem a key on Steam mobile?
No, you can’t do that with the app alone. However, you can use a mobile browser to redeem the code. Nevertheless, you’ll still need to authenticate your login via the app.
Thus, while Steam for mobile alone isn’t enough, there is a workaround.
Can I get Steam games on Amazon?
You can easily acquire games released by Steam by purchasing them on Amazon. However, there’s no guarantee that the game you want will be sold on Amazon. Nevertheless, the process is entirely safe, but somewhat inconvenient.
How do I use my Amazon gift card at checkout?
Before you proceed with payment, there will be a page containing all the payment options Amazon supports. There’s a field near the middle of the page that lets you enter a gift card code. Once it’s applied, you can check out your shopping cart and complete the purchase.
Does Steam accept other gift cards?
No, Steam will only accept the cards Valve sells to stores. You can also buy digital Steam gift cards that you can send to friends worldwide. This is much faster than mailing a physical one.
Somewhat Usable
Despite this method being inconvenient to you, it’s the only way to convert the money on the Amazon gift card into the Steam game you want. The process takes more time and can be confusing, but it’s not too challenging. Make sure you buy a Steam activation key from Amazon before proceeding.
What games have you bought from Amazon this way? How would you improve this process if it were up to you? Let us know in the comments section below.
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