Steam allows developers rasprostanyat games and programs and also integrates millions of gamers worldwide. It is possible to get digital products both in Stima shop, and on third-party resources in the form of keys.
Stim/Steam is a special online service thanks to which developers can distribute digital copies of games. Also Stim is the platform for multiplayer games and social network for players from around the world.
Stim allows users to buy license digital products (games, programs, movies) both for himself, and as a gift for friends and also to communicate in a chat, to use the built-in stim-browser, to listen to music, to use trading floor for purchase/sale of in-game objects, to participate in seasonal sales.
All bought digital copies of games/movies/programs forever become attached to library of the account of the user therefore access to the purchases can be got from any computer — it is only necessary to install the stim-client.
It is possible to get games both in shop of the steam-client, and on third-party online resources (extremely it is not recommended to buy games on the unchecked, unreliable websites). In the second case after purchase the user gets the serial number for activation in Stim — a key of the digital copy of a product.
It is convenient to have library in Steam not only, but also it is safe. For protection of the Stim accounts uses two-factor authentication. After password entry, the stim-client will request to enter specially generated code from mobile application or that is less safe, from the letter sent to mail tied to Stim. Such code is valid during very short period.
Also it is necessary to tie mobile phone number to the account, it is an additional security measure which will allow to recover the password from the account in a case of its loss or cracking of the account.
What is a stim-key
Stim-klyuch is a special code, the serial number which allows to activate a game on the account and to tie it to the library in Steam. Such code can consist of 13-25 characters which include digits and Latin letters.
Keys can look as follows:
- AAAAA-BBBBB-CCCCC (for example, AV25S-227H8-EEJ9A),
- AAAAA-BBBBB-CCCCC-DDDDD-EEEEE (for example, AV25S-227H8-EEJ9A-DGT5F-R479W),
- 478FJI4KOPL8BOP 94.
Where to take a key
The key can be received in several ways:
- Buy the digital copy of a product in specialized online store which after acquisition gives a key of the video game or program for activation in Stim. One of such popular shops is Humble Bundle.
- Get a license game on the physical medium. Often upon purchase of a game in a box it is possible to find a stim-key. At activation a game is added to library and forever becomes attached to the account.
- Often developers of games or publishers organize actions and distribute a certain quantity of such keys free of charge. Also developers sometimes suggest to participate in testing. It is so possible to receive keys for alpha and betas of games.
How to use a key
It is possible to activate the bought game in two ways:
By means of the stim-client. For this purpose it is necessary to log in the account in the stim-client, then to open the Games menu and to go to the Activate through Steam tab. Also the window of activation can be opened, having clicked on "+ to Add a game" in the lower left corner of the client. In the opened window it is necessary to accept terms of agreement of the subscriber of Steam, and then into the data entry field to insert the key copied earlier and to click "Further".
It is ready! The key is activated, and a game is in library of the account now. After that it is possible to install the added game or to close an activation window.
By means of the browser. For this purpose it is necessary to log in to the account on the official site Stim, then to follow the link: Activation of a product in Steam.
The new tab with the field for activation of the serial number will open. There it is necessary to enter a product key (games or programs), to accept terms of agreement of the subscriber of Steam and to click "Continue".
It is so possible to activate a game not only from the computer, but also from phone. Unfortunately, at the moment activation via the browser is available only by such method as this function is not added to the menu on the website Steam yet.
Whether it is possible to activate a key twice
It is impossible to activate a key more than once. One key becomes attached to one stim-account. In attempt to tie already activated key to other account, the message will appear: "The digital key is already activated".
What to do if the key is not activated
If at activation of a key there is an error, it is necessary to make sure of correctness of its writing. If the code was independently entered in the data entry field (but it is not copied from a source), that is probability that there was an introduced error because of similarity of some characters — for example, such as "O" and "0".
Also it is necessary to make sure that the bought digital product is intended for activation in Steam. Otherwise it will be impossible to register the bought product on the stim-account and in attempt to activate the code, the user will see the error message: "Incorrect digital key".
If errors when entering a key were not allowed and the serial number is intended for activation in Stim, but a game cannot still be registered — it is necessary to contact technical support of Steam or that digital online store where this key was acquired. As a last resort it is possible to contact the publisher of a game or the program.
What happens to an unused key
Upon purchase of a game in some digital shops there are restrictions for the term of activation of a key (for example, it is necessary to activate a key within a week after acquisition). After the specified term the key can be invalid.
Also invalid can appear the key which was received free of charge as a result of the stock of developer or the publisher if the code was not tied to the stim-account in time. If upon purchase of a product there were no temporary restrictions for activation of a key, then such code can be registered at any time.
For what the key after activation of a game is necessary
Sometimes, after activation, the key can be necessary as the proof that a game and/or the account really belongs to the user who registered it in Steam again. However not all digital keys can prove possession of the account. The keys bought in online stores in this case will be useless.
It will be necessary to provide a key which was in a box with the game acquired on the physical medium for the proof of possession of the account. Such keys are recommended to be stored in reliable the place and not to transfer to anybody at all.
Whether it is possible to activate a key which is not intended for Stim
Unfortunately, such code will not manage to be registered. However, if the user nevertheless wants to add a game to the library, it can be done by means of the Add a Third-party Game to My Library function from the Games menu.
At the same time the key should be activated on that platform for which it is intended. In this case the label of a game will be added to library, but a game will not be tied to the Steam account.
And at start of a game on the computer on the account it will be displayed as any other started steam-product — other subscribers of Steam (or only friends if privacy settings are installed) will see the name of the active video game. Also time which the user will spend in a third-party game will not be set off on the account.