How to redeem a PC game key on every platform
Published
A key is a string of characters that tells a platform to attach a game to your account. It is not a download and not a file. Once redeemed, the game belongs to that account permanently, and the key becomes useless.
Every store hides the redeem option somewhere slightly different. Here is where to look.
Steam
Open the desktop client, then the Games menu in the top bar. Choose the option usually labelled Activate a Product on Steam, accept the agreement, and paste the key.
There is no way to redeem a key from the mobile app. The web version does not offer it either, so you need the desktop client at least once.
GOG
Click your avatar in the top right, then the entry usually labelled Redeem code. GOG also accepts codes from the account settings page.
GOG games are DRM free, which matters for old titles: you can keep an offline installer, and the game keeps working even if the store disappears one day.
Ubisoft Connect
Open the client, then the menu at the top left, and look for Activate a key inside the Games section. The website offers the same function from your account page.
EA App
Open the menu at the top left, then the entry usually labelled Redeem code. The older Origin client had the same option under its own Origin menu.
Battle.net
Battle.net handles codes from the web rather than the client. Sign in to your account on the Blizzard site and use the code redemption page.
Epic Games
Open the client, go to the store section, and look for Redeem code near your account name. Epic also accepts codes from the account page on the web.
Three things that go wrong
Paste, do not retype. Most rejected keys are a zero read as the letter O, or a one read as a lowercase L. Copying the key removes the guesswork.
Check the region before you buy, not after. A key restricted to a region will not activate on an account located elsewhere, and the failure is permanent.
If a key is refused, copy the exact error message before trying again. Repeated attempts on some platforms trigger a temporary lockout, which makes diagnosing the real problem much harder.