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How to claim free Steam games

Click Add to Account on a 100%-off game, or redeem a free key in Steam. Here's how both work, how to spot a free weekend that you don't keep, and what's free on Steam today: Dwarven Realms.

Updated Nov 3, 2026 at 7:00 AM CT. We check every morning.

Short answer

On the Steam store, a free-to-keep game has an Add to Account button (usually with a "free to keep" banner and an end date). Click it while signed in and the game stays in your Steam library for good; you don't have to download it. For a free Steam key from a giveaway site, copy the key, then in Steam choose Games > Activate a Product on Steam (or + Add a Game, bottom left) and paste it, or redeem it at store.steampowered.com/account/registerkey. A Play Game button on a free weekend is only a trial. Nothing is free to keep on the Steam store itself today. Free Steam keys live today: Dwarven Realms (Steam key via Alienware Arena).

Updated Nov 3, 2026 at 7:00 AM CT. Live list from FreeGG's daily check of Steam giveaways (via GamerPower).

🪜 Free to keep on the Steam store

Open the game's Steam store page (the claim links on FreeGG's Steam page go straight there).
Sign in to the Steam account you want to keep it on. A web browser is fine; you don't need the Steam app to claim.
Look for 100% off and a green Add to Account button. If the only button says Play Game, it's a free weekend or a free-to-play game, not a giveaway.
Click Add to Account. The game is now in your Library, and you can install it today or years from now.

Valve calls this a Free to Keep promotion: it "allows a player to permanently acquire a license for a game for free", and it must run for at least 24 hours (Steamworks: Free to Keep).

🔑 Free Steam keys from giveaway sites

Claim the key on the giveaway site. Sites like Alienware Arena, Fanatical or IndieGala usually need a free account, and some ask for free reward points.
Copy the key. Keys usually run out, so claim it the day you see it.
In the Steam app, open Games › Activate a Product on Steam (or + Add a Game › Activate a Product on Steam, bottom left), or paste it in a browser at store.steampowered.com/account/registerkey.
Confirm, and the game appears in your Library (Steam Support: Activating a Product).

A key works once and only on one account, and some are region-locked. "Duplicate code" means someone already used it.

⚠️ Free weekend, free to play, or free to keep?

Free to keep (Add to Account): yours permanently once you claim it before the deadline.
Free weekend (Play Game, with a countdown): Valve says these usually run Thursday 10 AM to Monday 10 AM Pacific. Afterwards the game stays listed in your library, but you can only uninstall it until you buy it (Steamworks: Free Weekends).
Free to play: always free to download, with optional paid extras. Nothing to claim and nothing to miss.

Small print from Valve: reviews from free-to-keep claimers don't count toward a game's review score, and you won't get trading cards for it. Valve also says free-to-keep offers aren't promoted anywhere on Steam beyond the game's own page, wishlists aren't notified, and there's no dedicated place on Steam to browse them. That's why a daily list helps.

🎁 Free Steam games and keys right now (1)

Dwarven RealmsAlienware Arena · Steam key via Alienware Arena · normally $9.99 · no end date listed · claimFREE

Not on Steam, but free to keep this week: Sorry We're Closed, Gladiator: Blades of Fury, Balloon Strike, Epic World - Hunt For Quest, Quiztopia: The Ultimate Trivia, Highway Driving, Dark Mystery, Horse Racing, Funtoon's World, Horror Adventure, Math Fun, Maze - The Amazing Labyrinth, Mountain Racing, Super Kids Racing - Mini Edition on Epic (see times).

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FAQ

How do I claim free Steam games?

On the Steam store, a free-to-keep game has an Add to Account button (usually with a "free to keep" banner and an end date). Click it while signed in and the game stays in your Steam library for good; you don't have to download it. For a free Steam key from a giveaway site, copy the key, then in Steam choose Games > Activate a Product on Steam (or + Add a Game, bottom left) and paste it, or redeem it at store.steampowered.com/account/registerkey. A Play Game button on a free weekend is only a trial. Nothing is free to keep on the Steam store itself today. Free Steam keys live today: Dwarven Realms (Steam key via Alienware Arena).

Do free Steam games stay in your library forever?

Yes, if it was a Free to Keep giveaway and you clicked Add to Account before it ended. Valve describes it as permanently acquiring a license for the game. Free weekend games don't stay playable.

What's the difference between a Steam free weekend and free to keep?

A free weekend is a temporary license, usually Thursday to Monday 10 AM Pacific, and afterwards you can only uninstall the game. Free to keep adds the game to your account permanently.

How do I redeem a free Steam key?

In the Steam app choose Games > Activate a Product on Steam (or + Add a Game > Activate a Product on Steam) and paste the key, or redeem it in a browser at store.steampowered.com/account/registerkey. Each key works once.

Where can I find free Steam games?

Valve says there's no dedicated place on Steam to browse free-to-keep offers, and wishlists aren't notified. FreeGG checks every morning and lists free Steam games and keys on its Steam page and in a free daily email.

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