How to Fix Pending Purchase (Transaction) Error on Steam (2024)

You are excited to try this new game, added it to the cart, and made the payment. However, now Steam is showing pending transactions. Not only this, but Steam also prevents you from buying any new games unless you fix the pending purchase (transaction) error on Steam.

The easiest way to resolve the Steam pending purchase issue is by logging into another account and completing the purchase or using another online game store such as Epic.

However, this is not a viable solution for those using a single Steam account everywhere since it will remove your game library and friends connected with it. So, this guide will help fix the issue and resume gaming on Steam. But first, let’s understand why it occurs.

Also Read: Fix Steam ‘invalid depot configuration’ error

Why Does Steam Say “You Have a Pending Transaction”: Quick Fixes

Before we jump into the detailed ways to fix Steam’s pending purchase issue, let’s see the common reasons why you stumbled across this error, along with some quick fixes:

• Payment issues:This can be the most common reason for the payment pending issue on Steam. Ensure you have sufficient funds and are not using an expired credit card. Along with that, check if the bank servers are working properly. Also, if you use PayPal, use another service or vice versa.
• Steam server errors:Steam’s servers sometimes experience heavy traffic and undergo technical glitches or maintenance. Thus, there can be issues while making purchases on Steam. It’s best to check if Steam is down before making any purchases.

Check if Steam is down or not

• Regional restrictions: Some games are region-locked or region-restricted. Hence, Steam will prevent you from purchasing them.
• VPN or proxy usage:Using a VPN or proxy service to access Steam may interfere with the platform’s ability to process transactions. It’s best to turn off the VPN and change the Proxy to default to carry on Steam purchases.

• Account issues:If your account is temporarily suspended, you can’t make any purchases from Steam. Wait until the ban is lifted from your account.
• Unstable network: Slow or unstable internet connections can also lead to pending purchase (transaction) errors on Steam. You can restart your router and modem, contact your ISP, upgrade your plan, or use a mobile hotspot.
• Don’t use multiple payment windows:Always stay on the same payment window instead of opening multiple windows. Otherwise, you will see the “Your transaction cannot be completed because you have another pending transaction on your account” error. As you can guess, Steam will count both processes and block both of them.

4 Ways to Fix Pending Purchase Error on Steam

Now, let us look at detailed ways to fix the Steam pending purchase issue.

1. Cancel Pending Transaction

If Steam is showing “you have a pending transaction,” it’s better to check pending transactions on Steam and cancel them. Here’s how to do this:

Step 1: Open Steam > log in to your account, and tap your account name.

Step 2: Select Account Details from the drop-down menu.

Step 3: Click ‘View purchase history’ to see all your Steam transactions.

Step 4: From here, click the item stuck in pending purchase.

Step 5: Choose ‘Cancel this transaction.’

Step 6: Now, click ‘Cancel my purchase’ to confirm.

If you don’t see any items stuck in pending purchases, follow the other fixes mentioned in this guide.

2. Change Payment Method

Sometimes, if you use a non-dollar payment method, it can lead to a pending purchase issue. Hence, it’s better to change and check if there are any issues:

Step 1: Open Steam and log in to your account,

Step 2: Click the username and choose Account details.

Step 3: Now, find your current card and click Edit.

Tip: If you don’t have any payment method associated with the account, choose ‘Add a payment method to this account.’

Step 4: Next, fill in the appropriate information and hit Continue.

3. Use the Steam Website for Purchase

The issues can be limited to the Steam app for PC. You can open Steam on your browser and resume purchasing from the cart page, or vice versa if you face the purchase error with Steam web.

Open Steam web

4. Contact Steam Support

Apart from all the fixes mentioned above, users can also request support from Steam to fix the issue if the above methods don’t help. Here’s how you can contact the support team.

Step 1: Visit the Steam support page and sign in to your account.

Contact Steam Support

Step 2: Choose Purchase.

Step 3: Select ‘I can’t complete my purchase on the Steam Store.’

Step 4: Click ‘Game or other software.’

Step 5: Type and select the game of your choice.

Step 6: Mention your issues and click Send.

Your help request will be submitted to Steam Support with the related reference code. Once a support agent is ready to help you, you will receive a notification email sent to your linked email ID.

Also read: How to connect Steam to Discord

FAQs on Pending Purchase Error on Steam

Keep on Gaming

Now that you know how to fix the pending purchase (transaction) error on Steam, we hope you can resume your gaming session. For any further queries, you can ask them in the comments. We will be happy to help you with it.