EU users have a legal right to cancel a digital purchase within 14 days — but only if they haven't started downloading or using the content yet. Once you click download, you permanently waive your 14-day refund right.
EU and EEA users lose their statutory 14-day withdrawal right as soon as they begin downloading or accessing digital content, meaning the decision to download is effectively irreversible and consumers must rely on Steam's voluntary refund policy (2 hours playtime, 14 days from purchase) rather than their stronger statutory right.
Cross-platform context
See how other platforms handle EU 14-Day Right of Withdrawal and similar clauses.
Compare across platforms →EU users should know that starting to download a game immediately waives their statutory 14-day cancellation right, leaving them dependent on Steam's separate (and more limited) voluntary refund policy for any returns.
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: This provision directly implements EU Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU Art. 16(m) (exception to withdrawal right for digital content delivery that has begun with consumer consent); EU Digital Content Directive 2019/770; and national transpositions of these directives across EU member states. Enforcement is by national consumer protection authorities in each EU member state, coordinated through the European Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) network.
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